Overview
Set in the nineteenth century, Isabel Miller's classic lesbian novel traces the relationship between Patience White, an educated painter, and Sarah Dowling, a farmer, whose romantic bond does not sit well with the puritanical New England farming community in which they live. Ultimately, they are forced to make life-changing decisions that depend on their courage and their commitment to one another. First self-published in 1969 in an edition of 1,000 copies, it garnered increasing attention to the point of receiving the American Library Association's first Gay Book Award. Patience & Sarah is a historical romance that was a touchstone for the burgeoning gay and women's activism of the late 1960s and early 1970; it celebrates the joys of an uninhibited love between two strong women with a confident defiance that remains relevant today. This edition features an appendix of supplementary materials, as well as an introduction by Emma Donoghue, whose numerous books include Stirfry, Hood, and Life Mask, which was shortlisted for a 2005 Lambda Literary Award and the Ferro-Grumley Award.Early in the 19th century, in a puritanical New England town, two women fell in love with one another. And with nothing and no one to guide or support them, Patience and Sarah tried to follow their hearts. "A remarkable story."--Publishers Weekly. Reissue.
Synopsis
Set in the nineteenth century, Isabel Miller's classic lesbian novel traces the relationship between Patience White, an educated painter, and Sarah Dowling, a farmer, whose romantic bond does not sit well with the puritanical New England farming community in which they live. Ultimately, they are forced to make life-changing decisions that depend on their courage and their commitment to one another. First self-published in 1969 in an edition of 1,000 copies, it garnered increasing attention to the point of receiving the American Library Association's first Gay Book Award. Patience & Sarah is a historical romance that was a touchstone for the burgeoning gay and women's activism of the late 1960s and early 1970; it celebrates the joys of an uninhibited love between two strong women with a confident defiance that remains relevant today. This edition features an appendix of supplementary materials, as well as an introduction by Emma Donoghue, whose numerous books include Stirfry, Hood, and Life Mask, which was shortlisted for a 2005 Lambda Literary Award and the Ferro-Grumley Award.
Publishers Weekly
Miller's 1972 landmark lesbian novel depicts a love affair between two women in early 19th-century New England. (June)