The Undaunted

by Alan L. Hart

In 1936, Alan Hart published The Undaunted, his second bestseller. The novel, which follows young doctor Richard Cameron’s attempts to find an effective treatment for anemia, begins in the west coast city of Seaforth, a stand-in for 1920s Seattle. Within the medical-research plot, Hart also weaves the story of men—Cameron and radiologist Sandy Farquhar—whose personalities and bodies do not fit neatly within the norms of the social and medical establish-ment. Dedicated to medicine and the understanding that scientific knowledge can decrease human pain and suffering, Cameron and Farquhar must nevertheless pursue their careers at personal cost. Lauded in its time for its insights into the inner workings of the medical field, The Undaunted is also an important document of the struggle of the human heart.

Genres: Fiction, Queer, Transgender, Queer Lit

Unknown Binding

Published January 1, 1936

About the author

Alan L. Hart was a physician, radiologist, and tuberculosis researcher who pioneered the use of X-ray photography in tuberculosis detection. He worked in sanitariums and clinics in New Mexico, Illinois, Washington, and Idaho. For the last 16 years of his life, he headed mass X-ray programs that screened for tuberculosis in Connecticut. His work established the practice of using X-rays to screen for tuberculosis, which is still how tuberculosis is diagnosed today, and he is credited with saving countless lives.

As a fiction author, Hart published nine short stories and four novels, most of which were medical romances.

Sometime around 1917, Hart became one of the first trans men in the United States to undergo a hysterectomy.

Reviews

[Jimmy James · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a wonderful book to read and I was hooked for ever second of it. Truly, for a seemingly unremarkable medical fiction book about a young doctor searching for a treatment for anemia, it really is a captivating and emotional read. Alan Hart was a remarkable man for his time, being a highly successful trans man and radiologist in the early 20th century. And if you know anything about him at all you can really see the aspects of his own lived experiences that are projected onto these characters. It’s a truly remarkable book and I cannot recommend it enough. Please give it a read if you are interested in historical fiction or queer media from the early 20th century! It’s a very rich book.

[trains · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5