The Homosexual In Literature

A Chronological Bibliography Circa 700 B.C.–1958 By Noel I. Garde

THE HOMOSEXUAL IN LITERATURE A Chronological Bibliography c.700 B.C.–1958

© COPYRIGHT, 1959. Village Press New York 14, NY

First Edition

This bibliography provides a chronological listing of all known books in the English language, in the general field of fiction, concerned with male homosexuality, or having homosexual characters. It includes novels, short stories, short novels, poems, drama and fictionalized biography, plus a few other minor categories.

This bibliography does not include works not in the English language. It does not include works concerned with female homosexuals (except where incidentally also involved). It does not include medical or psychiatric works (e.g., Ellis, Kinsey et al.). It does not include philosophical studies (e.g., Plato’s, Gide’s Corydon et al.). It does not include magazine stories, unless subsequently published in “book” form, but the term “book” is taken to include various types of “paperbacks”. It does not include ordinary (unfictionalized) biography or autobiography except when in the “primary” category (see below).

This bibliography is divided into two separate, parallel sections:

Primary: Definition: Central character(s) clearly homosexual(s) and/or homosexuality is intrinsic part of central theme or network of plots.

The order is chronological by years, alphabetical by author’s surname within the same year, numbered consecutively. Short stories are given separate numbers (even if in the same book) but poems only one for the whole book. The date is U.S. publication date unless the work has not yet been published in the U.S. or has been published elsewhere more than 5 years before U.S. publication, but in the latter case there is usually an additional reference to cover U.S. publication. All citations are novels unless otherwise indicated (SS Short Stories; P Poetry D Drama; SN Short Novels, etc.)

Other Than Primary. (referred to hereafter as OTP)

Definition: All other works not considered as “Primary”, and differentiated by the following letter-symbols:

a: substantial, explicit dialogue or exposition involving major homosexual character(s).

b: substantial dialogue or explicit exposition involving minor homosexual character(s).

c: latent, veiled, repressed or implied homosexuality of a major character.

d: brief, superficial references in dialogue or exposition, whether involving major or minor homosexual characters.

e: third-person references (character not in book); latent, veiled homosexuality of minor character in work of a significant author.

f: false suspicion or accusation, or self-suspicion.

In some cases, where use of one letter alone would give an inadequate impression, several are used in combination, e.g. c/d or b&c. All letter symbols are found on the OTP listings to the left of applicable work. The order follows that of the Primary, but without consecutive numbering.

It does not by any means follow that all works which by definition are “Primary” are necessarily more significant, even with respect to substantial homosexual content, than all OTP works. To provide some further guidance, references (to the left) include the follow asterisk notations, uniform to both Primary and OTP listings:

***Very substantial

**Quite substantial, or something of especial interest

*Not very substantial

(no asterisk)Rather negligible

It must be emphasized that literary merit, or interesting material of a non-homosexual nature, are not prime considerations in determining the asterisk rating, which refers only to homosexual content.

Reprints are cited wherever known, especially inexpensive paperbacks. In this connection, the following abbreviations are used:

Pb: Paperback of the conventional size (approximately 4.5 × 7"). Most names are written out (Avon, Signet, Bantam, Popular etc.). However, where space is limited: Perm is “Permabook”; PB Pocket Book; PL Pocket Library

Lpb/LPbrefers to odd-size cheap paperbacks, popular in the early 1950s, roughly 5.5 × 7.5", with flexible cover (e.g. Universal, Croydon)

PbO or LPbOindicates work originally published in this format, with no prior “regular” edition. This is further indicated by publication date following serial number (not usually given for paperback reprints).

AFE/ASErefers to a third type cheap paperback, used by Armed Forces.

PC (Paper Covers) indicates “quality paperback” or paperback original by regular-book publisher in U.S. or Europe. In this group, MLP stands for Modern Library Paper.

Where the work has been revised or abridged in paperback reprint, this is indicated, the word “drastically” referring, when used, to expurgation or revision of the homosexual content.

This bibliography does not include any unchecked “hearsay” works. Insofar as it may fall short of completeness (through the end of 1958) it is only by mischance, and it is to be hoped that any works missed are in the less significant categories. The Second Edition is tentatively scheduled for March, 1961 and in the meantime, the publisher will be pleased to receive any suggestions for changes or additions for the next edition. It will be noted that with respect to new titles in 1959 and 1960, a half-page remains blank in the Primary section (at the end) and there is a whole page for 1959 and for 1960 which can be filled in by pencil or pen as new titles come to the reader’s attention.

While the intention has been to be as objective as possible, there is inevitably an element of personal opinion, both as regards the asterisk-rating and the distinction between Primary and OTP. As there are, frankly, a few dozen works which could be considered as falling into either the Primary or the OTP section on the basis of the definition used, these will be found to have at the end of the citation the notation “OTP-x?” when placed in the Primary section, and the notation “Primary?” when placed in the OTP section.

The chronological arrangement has been chosen in preference to one alphabetical for two reasons: 1) To provide a convenient picture of the increase of the number of works in historical perspective (which is, after all, a chronological one); 2) To make it simple to keep the bibliography up to date (an alphabetical listing would require revision as each new work is published). Readers wishing to find all the works of a well-known author included herein, will in most cases find the author listed in the Authors’ Index (p. 32); however, even when an author’s name is not found in this index, the reader will in most cases know at least the decade of publication, and from that point it will only require glancing at the appropriate alphabetical position on a few successive pages to locate the name and work.

In addition to the Authors’ Index, there are four other indexes at the end of this bibliography, ranging over national locales, special locales, professions and special occupations, and special topics, roles etc. The reader will find these indexes very useful, whatever his special interests may be. The abbreviations applicable to the Indexes are explained in a note at the beginning of the index section (p. 29).

The sources for this bibliography are of course many, but acknowledgments are due especially to the following: To Donald Webster Cory for his pioneer bibliography in Homosexual in America, continued for several years in his book service; to the Village Theater Center, which has been especially helpful for contemporary British works; to the Mattachine Society of New York which, in preparing the Mattachine bibliography (on a somewhat different basis), has acted as a clearing house for many contributors, especially P.M.

Noel I. Garde, Editor February, 1959.