Past Perfect [Paperback]

Judith P. Stelboum (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2000

PAST PERFECT is an intriguing and provocative novel of memory and desire that follows the lives of three lesbians - Elizabeth, Carol and Veronica - who form close personal and sexual relationships with each other. Part romance, part erotic tale of sexual awakening, it provides poignant illustrations of the difficulties of letting go, learning about oneself and others, and moving on to new found freedoms and passions.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A boundary-breaking novel...crossing over from the tender to the wild side...lusciously written lust cascades across the pages." - Karla Jay, author of Tales of the Lavender Menace "Stelboum's gift for telling the lesbian inner life reads so much like your own thoughts that you can't stop reading." - Donna Allegra

About the Author

Judith P Stelboum is Editor-in-Chief of Harrington Lesbian Fiction Quartenly, and she is co-editor of the Lesbian Polyamory Reader. Her essays, fiction, and poetry have appeared in a variety of anthologies and journals including Common Lives/Lesbian Lives, Best Lesbian Erotic Fiction, and Oxford Companion to Twentieth Century Literature in English.

Product Details

• Paperback: 235 pages
• Publisher: Harrington Park Pr (May 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560232013
• ISBN-13: 978-1560232018
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,542,024 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Telling, not showing, November 25, 2001

By 

Lesbian Reader (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Past Perfect (Paperback)

This is one of the few books I simply could not finish. It opens with the nominal point-of-view of Elizabeth, who tells us she is lonely, tells us she is withdrawn, and tells us she pretends interest to the things she used to care deeply about.

I wish I could say that the stilted recital was meant to artistically mirror Elizabeth's frozen state after an unexpected break-up, but things simply don't get any better. For the full half of the book I endured the flat narrative, Elizabeth related all the things we needed to know to understand every situtation she confronted, ruining all sense of mystery for the reader. It's not badly written--unlike some writers, Stelboum knows her mechanics. I just couldn't connect with Elizabeth.