LGBTQ Lesbian Pulp Fiction Archive Bradley Aldrich and Mid-Century Authors Paperback Collection 1952–1970

Ann Aldrich Marion Zimmer Bradley Lilyan Brock

Collection

Ives, Morgan; Aldrich, Ann; Mark, Edwina; Flamond, Pierre; Brock, Lilyan. Lesbian pulp fiction collection, 1952–1970, documenting the development of lesbian representation within mid-twentieth-century mass market literature. These works situate same-sex desire within popular fiction at a time when such themes were often constrained by censorship and mediated through pseudonymous authorship. The collection includes both female and male-authored texts, with several written by women, including figures associated with early pro-lesbian pulp, offering insight into how narratives of identity, desire, and social transgression were constructed and circulated within mid-century print culture.

Collection comprises 5 mass market paperback novels ranging from approximately 150 to 250 pages and measuring about 4.25" x 7". [1] Ives, Morgan (pseudonym of Marion Zimmer Bradley). Spare Her Heaven. Derby, Connecticut: Monarch Books, 1963. First edition. Narrative centers on a charismatic female leader of a communal group, presenting themes of sexual autonomy and resistance to conventional gender roles. [2] Aldrich, Ann (pseudonym of Marijane Meaker). Carol in a Thousand Cities. Greenwich, Connecticut: Fawcett Publications, 1960. First edition. A collection blending fictional and documentary-style accounts of lesbian life across multiple settings, extending Meaker’s engagement with reader correspondence and community experience. [3] Mark, Edwina (pseudonym of Edwin Fadiman, Jr.). My Sister, My Beloved. New York: Berkley Publishing Corporation, 1958. A narrative framed around taboo relationships within a domestic setting, reflecting mid-century pulp conventions of sensational subject matter. [4] Flamond, Pierre. Gays & Dolls. New York: Bee-Line Books, 1970. Depicts a suburban milieu in which female same-sex relationships emerge within social networks, presented through the stylistic and marketing conventions of later pulp fiction. [5] Brock, Lilyan. Queer Patterns. New York: Eton Books, 1952. Originally published in 1935, this reissued work presents an early narrative of same-sex attachment framed through conflict and social constraint. Across the volumes, cover art frequently depicts pairs of women in stylized poses, employing visual tropes of intimacy and tension characteristic of the genre.

Produced during a period when lesbian themes were marginalized within mainstream publishing, these works demonstrate how pulp fiction operated as a primary medium for the circulation of queer narratives. Authors such as Meaker contributed to expanding the range of representation available to readers, while the inclusion of both male and female authors highlights the varied perspectives shaping the genre. Light wear to covers and minor handling visible; textblocks remain intact; overall very good condition. This collection offers a representative grouping of lesbian pulp fiction illustrating shifts in authorship and narrative approach across two decades.

Item #21051

Price: $650.00