This book examines contemporary novels that depict lesbian characters in recognizable historical situations. Some lesbian historical novels are based on archival evidence, others on gossip and fantasy. Lacking in pre-nineteenth century historical records, lesbian history is often confused or unknown.  Several scholars have explored the difficulties of researching lesbian history and theorized methods for providing a useful past for contemporary lesbians. Garber takes their work as a starting point for exploring the pursuits of fiction writers unconstrained by the dictates of academic discipline. This book blends historiography with contemporary fiction studies to interrogate the elusive domain of lesbian history, explaining why and how lesbians need the past.   weiterlesen