Joseph and His Friend: A Tale of Pennsylvania
NP: NP, ND. A modern undated facsimile of the 1870 first edition. Octavo, vi, 361 pages, bound in gilt-lettered black cloth covered boards. Joseph and His Friend: A Story of Pennsylvania is a novel by Chester County author Bayard Taylor, first published in 1870. Set in rural Pennsylvania during the mid-nineteenth century, the story centers on Joseph Aster and his intense emotional friendship with Philip Held, contrasting their bond with Joseph’s unhappy and manipulative marriage. The novel is frequently regarded as one of the earliest works of American fiction to explore homoerotic affection and the possibility of romantic love between men, although its treatment of the subject remains indirect and shaped by the social conventions of its era. It is significant both as a pioneering work of LGBTQ literary history and as a depiction of domestic life, personal identity, and social expectations in nineteenth-century Pennsylvania. Minimal wear, else in near fine condition. Item #464
Price: $65.00