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In this groundbreaking anthology, Lillian Faderman aims to redefine four centuries of lesbian literature, addressing a long-standing gap with a comprehensive collection of works by lesbian writers, each contextualized historically and literarily. This scholarly work illuminates the evolving concept of "lesbian literature" and explores six distinct genres: Romantic Friendship, Sexual Inversion, Exotic and Evil Lesbians, Lesbian Encoding, Lesbian Feminism, and Post-Lesbian Feminism. Faderman analyzes a diverse array of texts, including Willa Cather's My Antonia and Virginia Woolf's Orlando, alongside poetry from Gertrude Stein and Amy Lowell, and fiction by Carson McCullers, Helen Hull, and Alice Walker. The anthology also features writings by men who explored women's relationships, highlighting their role in the development of lesbian literature, especially in eras when women faced greater challenges in publishing. The fluid nature of lesbian writing, shaped by changing social attitudes and women's voices, defies the notion of a singular "great tradition." Faderman's personal quest for a definition of lesbian literature enriches the historical scope of this pioneering work, establishing it as a foundational reference for future studies in the field.