LGBTQ+ Literature Lesbian Pulp Paperback Collection 1963 to 1967 Early Mass Market Fiction and Queer Identity Formation

Lesbian Pulp Novels

Collection

Mid-century lesbian pulp paperback collection, 1963–1967, documents the circulation of queer identity through mass-market fiction at a time when lesbian experience remained largely excluded from mainstream publishing and public discourse. These works provided readers with some of the only widely available narratives of same-sex desire, presenting stories framed through melodrama, confession, and pseudo-clinical analysis while also introducing language, social settings, and interpersonal dynamics associated with queer life. Titles such as Lesbianism Around the World adopt an observational tone, describing themselves as “an enlightening study…which in no way condemns nor condones but merely reveals,” while others foreground intimacy and discovery through taglines including “It was a totally new world of love for Elaine” and “From New York to Hollywood, Lisa knew only one love, that of another woman.” The presence of female authors within the collection, including Donna Richards and Linda Whitmore, is notable within a genre frequently dominated by male writers using pseudonyms, marking points of authorship that engage more directly with lived experience.

Collection of six mass-market paperback novels published between 1963 and 1967, each approximately 4.25 x 7 inches and ranging from approximately 140 to 220 pages, with illustrated or photographic covers frequently depicting paired female figures in intimate or domestic settings. Titles include:
[1] Hasselrodt, R. Leighton. Lesbianism Around the World. New York: Midwood (Tower) Publications, 1963. First edition pulp presented as a global case study of lesbian identity.
[2] Matthews, Leone. A Kind of Marriage. New York: Domino Books, 1964. First edition pulp centered on a student and teacher relationship.
[3] Richards, Donna. Take Me in Passion. New York: Domino Books, 1965. First edition pulp authored by a woman, emphasizing emotional and physical intimacy.
[4] Whitmore, Linda. Another Woman’s Bed. New York: Domino Books, 1965. First edition pulp, with cover and text emphasizing urban nightlife and interpersonal conflict.
[5] Lord, Sheldon. The Hours of Rapture. New York: Domino Books, 1966. First edition pulp featuring domestic and relational tension.
[6] Trelos, Tony. A Lesbian Happening. North Hollywood: Brandon House Books, 1967. First edition pulp set between New York and Hollywood.

Produced during a decade preceding the gay liberation movement, lesbian pulp fiction occupied a distinct position within twentieth-century print culture, balancing commercial appeal with the introduction of queer subject matter to a broad readership. The recurring visual motifs of women in close proximity and the framing of narratives through desire, secrecy, and social tension contributed to a recognizable subgenre that circulated widely through bookstores and newsstands. These works support research into publishing history, gender and sexuality in popular literature, and the limited avenues through which lesbian identity entered public discourse prior to the late 1960s. Minor edge and spine wear consistent with handling; overall very good condition.

Item #19902

Price: $850.00