The library, located in Minneapolis, continues to be a vibrant community and resource for every sort of queer texts.Īll this juicy history aside, the novel doesn’t hold up so well from an entertainment perspective. They named it the “Quatrefoil Library” in honor of this influential book. These editions are likely what David Irwin and Dick Hewetson read, inspiring them so much that they eventually opened an entire lending library of queer literature to the public. Literary scholar Drewey Wayne Gunn went so far as to consider it 'one of the most important postwar documents.” Indeed, it is hard to imagine a better inside look at late 1940s gay issues in the military.Īs obscenity laws finally relaxed in the 1960s, reprinted editions were available to a new generation of readers. The novel is also significant for its post-WWII context. All this hullabaloo, mind you, for a book with absolutely zero sex scenes-not even a kiss! The only “problem” was its depiction of gay love in a positive light. Given this historical context, it’s no wonder the book became such a classic-and deemed so “obscene” that Greenberg, its publisher, was indicted on a federal charge of “sending obscene material through the mail.' After five years of legal woes, they eventually settled on a $3,500 fine and promised to keep the novel out of print. Tim and Phillip, one more experienced with his identity as a homosexual, the other still coming to grips, serve as stand-ins for readers going through their own journey. Often the plot functions more as self-help than fiction.

In the 1950s, Quatrefoil (pronounced cat-er-foil) became the bible for battling suicidal thoughts and embracing monogamous love, while simultaneously masquerading as straight to avoid blackmail and social ruin.

It is known for being the first American novel to depict gay relationships in a positive way. From an historical perspective, Quatrefoil is immensely significant.

Quatrefoil james barr