The Well of Loneliness - Lesbian Classic

Radclyffe Hall

Summary

Radclyffe Hall's "The Well of Loneliness" is a groundbreaking novel that explores the complexities of sexual identity and societal alienation in early 20th-century England. Written in a lyrical yet unflinching prose style, the narrative follows Stephen Gordon, a hermaphrodite who struggles with her identity amidst the oppressive constraints of a rigid society that demands conformity. Set against the backdrop of a post-World War I world grappling with changing social mores, Hall's work intricately weaves themes of love, loss, and the quest for self-acceptance, challenging the era's prevailing attitudes toward homosexuality. Its frank depiction of lesbian love was both revolutionary and controversial, marking it as a formative text in LGBTQ+ literature. Radclyffe Hall, a prominent figure in the modernist literary movement and an openly lesbian writer, brings her own experiences to bear in this poignant tale. Born in 1880 to a wealthy family, Hall faced significant personal challenges regarding her sexual orientation and societal expectations. Her desire to articulate the inner lives of marginalized individuals was further fueled by the legal and social ramifications of her own identity, making "The Well of Loneliness" not just a novel but a manifesto for those seeking solace in solitude. This seminal work is essential reading for anyone interested in the evolution of gender and sexuality in literature. Hall's indomitable spirit and meticulous storytelling invite readers to contemplate the human condition through the lens of love and longing. "The Well of Loneliness" stands as both a poignant historical document and a timeless exploration of the search for belonging.

Available since: 12/21/2023.

Print length: 457 pages.

Other books that might interest you

Lust in the Stacks

Natalie Falkenwrath

In this library, the books aren't the only thing worth checking out... Alex has a job she likes, doing tech support at Cowling University, and a beautiful - if difficult - girlfriend, Jasmine. Life is good. That is until Alex's boss reassigns her to work in the university's saddest little library. Alex feels like she's been banished to a stuffy, quiet hell. Then Alex meets Cait, a living definition of 'sexy librarian.' She's hot, smart, and her accent is to die for. But Alex has a girlfriend she loves and a job to get done. When the library pushes back on the system updates Alex was sent to implement, Alex must work closely with Cait to find a solution. Can Alex stay professional and maintain her relationship with Jasmine while working side-by-side with the alluring librarian?

Show book

The Curious Mountain Man

Casey Cox

I'm a nerdy, neurodivergent librarian who lives a quiet life in the mountains. While out birdwatching one day, I stumble upon a giant of a mountain man bathing in the lake. 
 
 
 
Naked. 
 
 
 
I manage to run away, hoping he didn't see me. 
 
 
 
And then he shows up at my library. Something about him lures me in. Sure, he's tall, bearded, and insanely gorgeous, but there's a gentle curiosity in his eyes. And when he looks at me, it's like he's trying to understand me . . .  
 
 
 
Orrrr maybe I'm imagining it. 
 
 
 
Yeah, that's probably it. I mean, why would a handsome, barrel-chested lumberjack like Branum be interested in a Mr. Plain and Boring like me? 
 
 
 
Contains mature themes.

Show book

Despised and Rejected

Rose Allatini

In the year leading up to the First World War, four people’s lives intertwine, only to be pulled apart. A landmark of gay and pacifist literature, Rose Allatini’s story foregrounding conscientious objectors and queer love amidst wartime turmoil was banned months after its publication. 
At a countryside hotel, guests watch an amateur play. One of the actors, Antoinette de Courcy, is infatuated with Hester Cawthorn, a reserved and alluring woman. Dennis Blackwood, a gifted composer, is intrigued by Antoinette, sensing that they are alike. He meets Alan, and the two are instantly attracted to each other. Unlike Antoinette’s determined pursuit of Hester, Dennis wholly represses his sexuality. With the war looming, families are torn apart by personal politics: the men around Dennis embrace the patriotic cause and sign up to fight. Dennis, however, knows that embracing peace is the only possible way to live. He attempts to stamp out his powerful desire for Alan by focusing all attention on Antoinette. Yet this only leads to mutual unfulfilment, and understanding comes too late. Each day, as Dennis and others defend themselves in public court and private circles, the likelihood of forced enrolment or imprisonment grows.Despised and Rejected is part of the Persephone Audiobook Collection, a series of forgotten classics including neglected fiction and non-fiction by women writers. First published in 1918, this edition includes an afterword by Jonathan Cutbill and is narrated by Robyn Holdaway.

Show book

Suture

Nic Brewer

To make her films, Eva must take out her eyes and use them as batteries. To make her art, Finn must cut open her chest and remove her lungs and heart. To write her novels, Grace must use her blood to power the word processor.
Suture shares three interweaving stories of artists tearing themselves open to make art. Each artist baffles their family, or harms their loved ones, with their necessary sacrifices. Eva's wife worries about her mental health; Finn's teenager follows in her footsteps, using forearm bones for drumsticks; Grace's network constantly worries about the prolific writer's penchant for self-harm, and the over-use of her vitals for art.
The result is a hyper-real exploration of the cruelties we commit and forgive in ourselves and others. Brewer brings a unique perspective to mental illness while exploring how support systems in relationships—spousal, parental, familial—can be both helpful and damaging.
This exciting debut novel is a highly original meditation on the fractures within us, and the importance of empathy as medicine and glue.

Show book

A Curious Visit

Jess Lea

Lesbian fiction's funniest odd couple is back, investigating tall tales, extinct creatures, and a crumbling house filled with secrets, in this offbeat Australian romantic mystery. 
 
 
 
Partners in love, life, and earnest museum appreciation, Margaret Gale and Bess Campbell desperately need a break. Strict, meticulous ice queen Margaret has been fired for frightening her auction house customers, while free-spirited Bess hates her office job. 
 
 
 
While holidaying in Tasmania, they receive a call for help that leads them to a creepy, old house in the wilderness. There, they meet a mysterious woman from Margaret's past, who warns she's being stalked and something terrible is coming. 
 
 
 
What's going on? What secrets lie within Crossroads House? And why on earth are there hidden cameras around the grounds, recording everything that happens? 
 
 
 
Unexplained incidents turn sinister, endangering Bess and Margaret—and their trust in one another. But they don't give up easily . . .  
 
 
 
This sweet, eccentric sequel to A Curious Woman can easily be enjoyed as a standalone story. 
 
 
 
Contains mature themes.

Show book

Live it Out

Jenn Alexander

Spencer Adams was never expected to be anything more than a high school dropout. She'd been a troubled teen, spending more time at the skate park than in school, at least until her music teacher introduced her to the guitar, and music class became her lifeline. Ten years later, she is the guitarist in a band that has become a breakout success, and she wants to use that success to help teens. She takes on a volunteer project with local youth as a way of honoring her past, not knowing that it will force her to revisit the one part of her past that she'd hoped to forget. 
 
 
 
Faith Siebert has always had high expectations to live up to, and she has tried her best to fulfill those expectations, to be a good daughter, a good student, and a good friend. When she fell for Spencer in high school, she knew her family and friends would never approve. Scared of their reactions, Faith ended things with Spencer, following the path her parents wanted for her. It had only been a high school romance, destined for brevity. At least, that's what she told herself. But when Spencer shows up in her life once again, partnered with Faith on a youth music project, her world is rocked and she is forced to re-examine everything she knows about relationships and herself. 
 
 
 
Live It Out is a second-chance romance about forgiveness and finding one's authentic self.

Show book