The Well of Loneliness

One of the most influential gay and lesbian novels, The Well of Loneliness

recounts the life and loves of Stephen Gordon, a defiant woman who

simply wants to be true to herself. Named by a father who wanted a

boy, Stephen is a keen fencer, horse rider and lover of women. Her less-

than-feminine behaviour causes a rift between her and her mother and

eventually she leaves home, living on her own terms and experiencing a

series of affairs. Her journey of self-discovery takes her from bohemian

Paris to the battlefield of World War One, where she becomes a hero

– while we witness her joy and pain at being an ‘other’. Banned for

obscenity in 1928 and not republished until 1949, The Well of Loneliness

is a compelling exploration of sexuality and gender identity.