All True Lovers

by Sarah Aldridge

This is a sensual, sensitive feast about two teenage women, growing up during the Great Depression and fighting their way out of the trials they inherit. It's a love sotry for and about all true lovers.

Genres: Fiction, Lesbian, Historical Fiction, Gay, Queer, LGBT, Lesbian Fiction

282 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1978

About the author

Sarah Aldridge was the pen name of Anyda Marchant, attorney, publisher and novelist. Marchant was born Anne Nelson Yarborough De Armond Marchant in Rio de Janeiro and moved with her family to Washington at 6. She called herself Anyda, using the initials from her long name. She graduated and received a law degree in 1936 from the old National University law school, now part of George Washington University. She spent almost forty years of her working life in New York City and Washington, D.C. as a lawyer in both public and private practice.

Upon retiring in 1972, she began a career as a writer and publisher. She originated the Naiad Press and was co-founder (along with Barbara Grier, Donna McBride and Muriel Crawford) when it was incorporated in 1974. In 1995 she and her lifelong companion Muriel Crawford withdrew as co-owners of the Naiad Press and founded a new publishing venture, A&M Books. Naiad published the first eleven Sarah Aldridge novels and A&M Books published the last three. Her final novel, Oh Mistress Mine was released when the author was 92. In January 2006, Anyda Marchant passed away, two weeks shy of her 95th birthday. Her life partner of 57 years, Muriel Crawford, followed her in death only four months later.

A literary icon in the world of lesbian/feminist publishing, Anyda Marchant as Sarah Aldridge provided some of the first novels to have both lesbian protagonists and happy endings. All of her fourteen classic novels are still in print and available for purchase. As a lasting tribute to her vast and varied contributions to lesbian literature and publishing, Sarah Aldridge was awarded the Golden Crown Literary Society Trailblazer Award posthumously in June 2007.

Reviews

[Laffi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! I found it randomly, on a $1 book shelf in a feminist bookstore, and it's honestly the best $1 I've ever spent. You've got to get used to the 70's writing style (I love 70's lit though, so I felt right at home), but the story ended up being so incredibly sweet and surprisingly, incredibly relatable to me. It's really rare to find a story about two women who love each other deeply, and have to deal with life and a complex love all together. The story centers on a few years of their life together, from when they meet at 16 years old, to four years later at 20. Because this is set during the Great Depression, it really resembles the current economic state, and it's refreshing when Andy and 'Bel often talk about how to get 'Bel into school, where she will be able to live, and how she'll be able to make money. Though Andy lived a more charmed life, she had to deal with the anxieties of hiding her relationship with 'Bel from her mother, who disapproved the friendship. Its a real relief to find a lesbian novel that focuses on life as a whole, and not just a specific event, or a quick high school romance that gets rocky and then ends up okay. I've already read it twice, and I wish I could find more lesbian romances like this.

[Andy Denson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What a detailed and thoughtful novel about growing up gay in affluent circles of Washington DC in the 1930's. I love the descriptions and mentions of locations in DC, Maryland, and Virginia. To know this book was written in a place where I lived as a young woman the same age as these girls was wonderful. The bravely and strength these ladies showed to continue their lives together. Quite a remarkable book.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

this is a book about 2 tennage girls in love, set in the 30's. it is repetitive and poorly written, but i bet i would have loved it when i was 14 or so. sigh. it made me jealous that i'd never had young dyke love.