If you listened to our previous episode, during which we discussed Carmen Maria Machado’s memoir In the Dream House, then you’ve heard us talk about the importance of preserving stories, both good and bad, especially about the LGBTQ+ community. And The Prettiest Star holds a similar place in queer literature, telling the uncomfortable but important story of a young man who returns home to his small town in Ohio after contracting HIV in New York City. In 1986, Brian’s return, which would under normal circumstances be a joyous occasion for any family, is instead fraught and stressful for his parents and his younger sister, who learned to live without him. As Brian chronicles his final summer alive, the family grapples with love, loss, and what community and family truly mean, especially for gay men.