Chloe Plus Olivia: An Anthology of Lesbian and Bisexual Literature from the 17th Century to th [Hardcover]

Lillian Faderman (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 1994

This is a literary anthology with each piece set in an historical and literary context that seeks to redefine four centuries of lesbian writing. From the verse of Sappho in 600BC to Radclyffe Hall's "The Well of Loneliness" published in 1928, there is little women's writing that is recognised as "lesbian". A review of the shifting concept of "lesbian literature" is offered, followed by examples of six different genres - Romantic Friendship, Sexual Inversion, Exotic Inversion, Exotic and Evil Lesbians, Lesbian Encoding, Lesbian Feminism and Post-Lesbian Feminism. Works as diverse as Willa Cather's "My Antonia" and Virginia Woolf's "Orlando", poetry by Gertrude Stein and Amy Lowell, fiction by Carson McCullers, Helen Hulll and Alice Walker are examined here. In addition, writing by men who focused on women's relationship is included. This is Faderman's own personal search for a definition of lesbian literature.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This hefty assemblage of poetry, fiction, journals and correspondence from more than 75 women and men charts the evolution of the lesbian psyche and lesbian fictional characters through four centuries. Grouping her material into six sections, Faderman ( Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers ) first examines the concept of romantic friendship between women, as in Christina Rossetti's "Goblin Market." She acknowledges the importance of male thought on perceptions of lesbianism, using case studies by Krafft-Ebing and Freud; literary examples include Radclyffe Hall's correspondence, Vita Sackville-West's journals and a Willa Cather story. The most entertaining section explores the "carnivorous flowers," literature of exotic and evil lesbians. Sheridan Le Fanu's 1872 lesbian vampire novella, "Carmilla," is juxtaposed against an excerpt from Jewelle Gomez's The Gilda Stories . The book's fourth part examines the literature of lesbian encoding, created by women who hid their sexual thoughts in the voices of male characters or with "bearded" pronouns: authors included under this rubric are Gertrude Stein, Katherine Mansfield, Virginia Woolf, H.D., Carson McCullers, May Sarton and Jane Bowles. The next section charts the rise of the lesbian feminist voice in the '60s and '70s and features pieces by Rita Mae Brown and Joanna Russ. Sarah Schulman's witty "The Penis Story" highlights the final section, in which Faderman charts the course of "post-lesbian-feminist literature" into more explicitly sexual territory, with many pieces from minority writers. Faderman's notes are indispensable. There will be debate over the choice of selections, however; Faderman admits that many of her chosen authors wouldn't have considered themselves lesbian.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Faderman's (Surpassing the Love of Men, 1981) substantial compilation of literature about love between women includes works from over 75 European and North American writers from the 17th through the 20th centuries. Faderman identifies six major categories of lesbian literature and the writers exemplifying each: romantic friendship (e.g., Aphra Behn, Emily Dickinson); sexual inversion (e.g., Maria Edgeworth, Colette); exotic and evil lesbians (e.g., Djuna Barnes, Anais Nin); lesbian encoding (e.g., Charlotte Mew, Gertrude Stein); lesbian feminism (e.g., Rita Mae Brown, Audre Lorde); and post-lesbian feminism (e.g., Chrystos, Cheryl Clarke). Faderman provides theoretical, historical, and biographical contexts for the correspondence, essays, short stories, and poetry found here and includes men's writings on women's relationships. Although there will be disagreements about some of the inclusions, all will agree that Faderman provides a significant contribution to the literature of gender, lesbian, and literary studies.
Jeris Cassel, Rutgers Univ. Libs., New Brunswick, N.J.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 848 pages
• Publisher: Viking Adult; First edition. edition (July 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0670846384
• ISBN-13: 978-0670846382
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.5 x 2.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #620,471 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful anthology of lesbian poetry and literature., September 11, 1995

By A Customer

This review is from: Chloe Plus Olivia: An Anthology of Lesbian and Bisexual Literature from the 17th Century to th (Hardcover)

Lillian Faderman has done an impressive job of collecting poetic and literary works on lesbian topics and presenting them in the context of the author's lives and the literary climate of they time they were published. This is an invaluable reference for anyone interested in lesbian or women's writings. A must have!