Chloe Plus Olivia : An Anthology of Lesbian Literature from the 17th Century to the Present

by Various, Lillian Faderman

This text explores lesbian sensibility in 20th century fiction. From the verse of Sappho in 600 BC to Radclyffe Hall's "The Well of Loneliness", published in 1928, there is little women's writing that is recognised as "lesbian". It is short because while romantic friendship between women was an accepted social institution from the Renaissance to the 19th century, and sex between women appears to have been a staple of pornography since the incarnation of that genre, the possibility of seeing oneself as "a lesbian" had to wait until the emergence of English sexologists in the last decades of the 19th century, who defined lesbianism as a social and sexual category. If by "lesbian literature" we mean work in which the subject of lesbianism is the centre, the history is even shorter. Is there a "lesbian sensibility" that can be identified in literature that may not be concerned specifically with lesbian sexuality? Examining works as diverse as Willa Cather's "My Antonia", the poetry of Gertrude Stein, the fiction of Carson McCullers, and the lesbian heroine in the novels of Margaret Atwood, the author seeks to redefine the canon.

Genres: LGBT, Queer, Fiction, Lesbian, Anthologies, Feminism, Poetry

848 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1994

About the author

Various is the correct author for any book with multiple unknown authors, and is acceptable for books with multiple known authors, especially if not all are known or the list is very long (over 50).

If an editor is known, however, Various is not necessary. List the name of the editor as the primary author (with role "editor"). Contributing authors' names follow it.

Note: WorldCat is an excellent resource for finding author information and contents of anthologies.

Reviews

[Emerson Lane · Rating 5 out of 5]

this anthology was left at my house by a friend before she moved a few states to the east. as a women's studies and english student in my undergrad, i enjoyed this collection greatly. i read it as background for a senior independent study project on queer lit. very useful. also, as i make a habit of naming my chickens after lesbians who lived and loved on the west bank of france in the 1930's, this anthology is also a useful reference.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This anthology is thorough, though not always entertaining. Academically it's an excellent collection; the contents are in chronological order and split into sections named by the general type of representation in literature predominate for lesbians in each period covered. You can really see the spectrum and evolution of how lesbians and queer characters were viewed in different eras of literature.

But as far as merely wanting to read more early lesbian themed literature... there's certainly a lot of it in this book, and if you're reading it merely for informative purposes or historical context, this is perfect. However, if you're looking for romance, happy endings, positive or at least neural images of queer characters and women in relationships with other women... I would honestly suggest trying a more modern anthology instead. From reading this anthology, it seems early queer literature was more about demonizing, diagnosing, or in some other way attempting to 'explain' lesbians and bisexuals rather than really representing them. (And that includes some things written by lesbians and bisexuals themselves.) It's only positive if in reading it you can hold onto the thought that, well, at least we've come a long way.

[Miranda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection has something for everyone. I found new gems such as Amy Lowell who, like Gertrude Stein, was writing in a time when it was wisest to obfuscate. I get great pleasure out of imagining certain of Amy Lowell's contemporaries reading "The Weather-Cock Points South" and sayin' "oh that's just lovely, I love flowers too".

[Sonnydee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my new Bible. I'm gonna keep it on my bedside table. A great collection, kinda Euro-centric and by no means definitive, but Faderman explains why she made the decisions she did with what to include. A damn good entry (probably first entry!) in the field of lesbian literary tradition. Glad to see my fave, Joanna Russ, included. Faderman is the best.

[David]

A very different collection from Alberto Manguel's Meanwhile, in another part of the forest. Faderman ranges over more time and more genres in her collection, and there is a scholarly component providing further reading for each author. The women seem to be, generally, more genteel and less specific than the men. I have the same general reaction to this book as to its male counterpart: I am more interested in texts which engage the emotional challenges and consequences of the same-sex relationships than in those which address explicitly the physical practices.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't adore every piece in this - in fact there was one I found super uncomfortable, and several I didn't particularly jive with - but as a reference book it's absolutely phenomenal. And since that's its purpose, I'm not going to approach rating it like I would any other anthology.

[Kat Wasberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the organization and scope of this anthology. The book is split up into themes based on the way lesbianism and bisexuality was being represented in writing at the time (romantic friendship, a man trapped in a woman's body, exotic and evil lesbians, etc.) A brief biographical sketch precedes each excerpt by a female writer, giving historical and personal context to the pieces.

Not all of the writing is gripping, but overall it's a good review of the evolution of lesbian writing, and a great insight into the lives of lesbian and bisexual authors.

[Michele Chamberlain · Rating 4 out of 5]

I fell in love over and over reading this book. It is stunning, captivating, gripping and emotional. Every page take the reader into a new place. Sometimes grabbing you, wanting to clinch the book and not let go. I took my time reading this book, I was on a quest to fill a void of purpose. This book taught me everything I know and love about being a woman! A must read for any woman open to experience.

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Willing to lend this one out if you are asked to select a reading for a lesbian wedding, but you have to give it back because it was a gift!

[Vasha7]

My journal entry

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written anthology.

[Andi Plouffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well done collection of lesbian works of art.

[megan]

anthologies are just always so problematic.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

a must have if you read lesbian writing. great reference material.

[Lauren Wilson]

want to read

[Maren]

everything is in this book. i love it and keep it on the shelf next to my bed.

[Dom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Still continuing the anthology. Eventually, it's pages, once read, will live on as art. Not all of the work is all-star material, but I'm grateful for this book's existence in the world and it is surely a worthy exploration.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I usually liked the author bios more than the actual literature, funnily enough. I was sometimes mystified at certain author's selected works, but overall it was very interesting.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't have time to read it cover to cover but focused on overviews and biographies of each author. Such a tapestry of literature. It's a world unfolding in a single volume.

[Radclyffe U-Haul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some favorites so far:
-Michael Fields' poems
-Helen Rose Hull's The Fire
-Constance Fenimore Woolson's Felipa
-The excerpt from Colette's The Pure and the Impure
-Willa Cather's Tommy the Unsentimental
-Henry Handel Richardson's Two Hanged Women
-The excerpt from Vita Sackville-West's journals
-Rose O'Neill's poems
-The except from Jewelle Gomez' The Gilda Stories: Expanded 25th Anniversary Edition

[Michi Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Otherwise too "classic" for my tastes, this book is thoroughly enjoyable and does get good and sexy. It's also very validating of a natural woman's sexual feelings. It's obviously very beautiful and poetic and is great to read a little bit of each evening.