Palatable Poison

Palatable Poison gathers together significant new essays from across the spectrum of critical responses, and will reignite debates about The Well of Loneliness. This anthology gives us the best of both worlds: a vivid history of the reception of the novel and a reassessment of it in the light of new developments in criticism and theory. -- Suzanne Raitt, College of William and Mary

"The Well of Loneliness" - the Radclyffe Hall novel at times referred to as 'the Bible of lesbianism' - was released in Britain in 1928 and was immediately controversial. This title presents classic essays on Radclyffe Hall's book - beginning with Havelock Ellis and early reviews - as well as pieces by critics Esther Newton and Judith Halberstam.The Well of Loneliness-the Radclyffe Hall novel at times referred to as "the bible of lesbianism"-was released in Britain in 1928 and was immediately controversial. Pronounced obscene following a sensational trial, the book has become a cultural icon as well as a source of considerable debate, especially among feminists, lesbians, and transgendered persons. Palatable Poison gathers together classic essays on Radclyffe Hall's book-beginning with Havelock Ellis and early reviews-as well as pieces by such contemporary critics as Esther Newton, Judith Halberstam, Teresa de Lauretis, and Terry Castle. Providing an understanding of how views of the book have changed over time and covering such topics as race, the nation at war, and melancholy, the collection presents new and provocative ideas about the immense cultural impact of The Well of Loneliness and its unique place in the literature of sexual nonconformity. Palatable Poison gathers together classic essays on Radclyffe Hall's book-beginning with Havelock Ellis and early reviews-as well as new pieces by such contemporary critics as Esther Newton, Judith Halberstam, Teresa de Lauretis, and Terry Castle. Providing an understanding of how views of the book have changed over time and covering such topics as fetishism, inversion, and melancholy, the collection presents new and provocative ideas about the immense cultural impact of The Well of Loneliness and its unique place in the literature of sexual nonconformity.