What to Read When You Want to Reimagine Family

Picture a family. What do you immediately imagine—two parents and their children? Your answer likely depends on the kind of household you grew up in, or on the kinds you’ve known. What role might aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents play? What about neighbors, friends, and lovers?

The American focus on the nuclear unit is far from universal—many cultures define family more broadly—and it is . But attitudes are shifting: The coronavirus pandemic necessitated a among friends and companions, and the number of Americans has risen sharply in recent decades. An of loneliness has made it clearer than ever that humans need socialization and kinship for their health and happiness—and blood relations sometimes aren’t enough to fulfill those needs. LGBTQ people, in particular, have long created and stumbled upon alternative families. In the face of homophobia