Lesbian Love Story
A Queer History of Sapphic RomanceSelect a format:
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Summary
WINNER of the 2024 LAMBDA Literary award for Best Lesbian Memoir/Biography!
'A rare treat ... utterly fascinating' Julia Armfield | 'Compelling, loving stories of lesbians' New York Times | 'Full of warmth and hope - readable, inventive and scholarly' Sunday Times | 'Thoroughly enjoyable' Paula Akpan | 'Gorgeously, quintessentially lesbian' Lily Lindon | 'A glowing mosaic of shared experience' Kate Charlesworth | 'A radical act of queer love' Kestral Gaian | 'An incredible, affirming book' Lois Shearing | 'I love this book' Alim Kheraj
Lesbian Love Story is a genre-defying history of sapphic romance like no other. On her quest to discovering lesbian role models from the past, Amelia Possanza uncovers seven incredible love stories in the archives. Expertly blending her subjects' own words with richly imagined and vigorously researched moments from recorded archives and other fragments, Possanza weaves together a vivid narrative around the construction of lesbianism. She takes us with her as she uncovers each lesbian's story, yearning and longing alongside them and growing into her own queerness.
This is a celebration of women who love women - sapphics - and a paean to those who have long existed outside of traditional definitions of sexuality and gender, defying the confines of heteronormativity. Each of the lesbians in this collection moved through the world in their own way and helped the world. Their stories illuminate a forgotten and demonised history and show us all a new way to understand what love means when there is nothing material to be gained.
'A rare treat ... utterly fascinating' Julia Armfield | 'Compelling, loving stories of lesbians' New York Times | 'Full of warmth and hope - readable, inventive and scholarly' Sunday Times | 'Thoroughly enjoyable' Paula Akpan | 'Gorgeously, quintessentially lesbian' Lily Lindon | 'A glowing mosaic of shared experience' Kate Charlesworth | 'A radical act of queer love' Kestral Gaian | 'An incredible, affirming book' Lois Shearing | 'I love this book' Alim Kheraj
Lesbian Love Story is a genre-defying history of sapphic romance like no other. On her quest to discovering lesbian role models from the past, Amelia Possanza uncovers seven incredible love stories in the archives. Expertly blending her subjects' own words with richly imagined and vigorously researched moments from recorded archives and other fragments, Possanza weaves together a vivid narrative around the construction of lesbianism. She takes us with her as she uncovers each lesbian's story, yearning and longing alongside them and growing into her own queerness.
This is a celebration of women who love women - sapphics - and a paean to those who have long existed outside of traditional definitions of sexuality and gender, defying the confines of heteronormativity. Each of the lesbians in this collection moved through the world in their own way and helped the world. Their stories illuminate a forgotten and demonised history and show us all a new way to understand what love means when there is nothing material to be gained.
Reviews
Possanza is refreshingly frank about how her biography influences her writing, and what she wants from the lives she conjures up, however different they may be from hers. Lesbian Love Story is full of warmth and hope - readable, inventive and scholarly ... Attraction, love, compassion, hope: all are brought to life by the author's sharp, lively observation. These remarkable figures deserve to have their stories told - and listened to.
Erica Wagner, Sunday Times