Brown, Rita Mae

High Hearts

New York, NY: Bantam Books, 1986. First Edition. Hardcover. Inscribed and signed by Rita Mae Brown. “Rich with all the color of history and characters that burst off the page into our lives, High Hearts reveal one of our most outrageous and delightful storytellers weaving her most ambitious and entertaining novel yet” (front flap). Set in Civil War-era Virginia, Rita Mae Brown (b. 1944) dives into the complexities of 19th century families and relationships in the South as well as the ever-present gender relations that get generalized and simplified through history. The civil rights movements of the preceding decades contributed to Brown’s unique development as a writer and a person, advocating for racial equality and the position of lesbians within the queer community, joining and founding several groups throughout the years as she fought for herself and her peers. The plight of the LGBTQ+ community in the seventies and eighties suppressed the reach and presence of queerness in literature and culture, and writers like Rita Mae Brown refused to allow it. Her first novel Rubyfruit Jungle was one of the earliest literary lesbian stories, an autobiographical coming-of-age story of a young queer girl, published in 1973. As a versatile academic and a civil rights advocate, Brown’s perspective brings a depth to her characters outside of stereotypical expectations. High Hearts flips the script on gender expectations in the violent and emotional context of war. The protagonist Geneva enlists as a man in the Confederate army to follow her newlywed husband, Nash, who turns out to be too sensitive to the atrocities of war while she is strengthened and empowered by the fight. One of Brown’s earliest novels in a bibliography that includes over 60 titles, this is a highly collectible volume for history buffs and queer collectors alike. [0-553-05120-2]. Hardcover in unclipped dust-jacket: First Edition, First Printing, as indicated by number sequence on copyright page. Inscribed and signed by the author on front endpaper in black ink: “Claudia - / kiss the woman / who gives you this. / Rita Mae” (see photos). Book is in Fine condition with speckling along the lining of the spine and minute shelf-wear to the bottom edge of the spine; otherwise covers are pristine and the pages are crisp and clean. Dust jacket is in Good condition with several closed tears to fine edges of flaps and spine and slight bumping to front, back covers; accompanying restoration tape can be found on the interior near the bottom of the spine. An extra handling fee will be adding for shipping due to the weight of this item. Fine / Good. [Item #5603]

Price: $35.00