Prism
Tallahassee, FL: Naiad Press Inc., 1981. 1st Edition. Octavo, publisher’s stiff illustrated paper wraps.
First edition of Velma Tate’s mature lesbian love story, published by Naiad Press, the first publishing company dedicated to lesbian literature. Pseudonymous author Tate, who also published under the names Nacella Young and Francine Davenport, was a Quaker, a longtime activist, and a member of the American Socialist party and the Daughters of Bilitis. In her books, she "successfully avoided sensationalism and extraneous sex scenes and worked to normalize, humanize, and desensationalize the lesbian characters while keeping them central to each story" (The Queer Sixties, Patricia Juliana Smith, ed.) Founded by Barbara Grier, Naiad’s focus was preserving out-of-print lesbian classics and publishing the work of iconic lesbian feminist writers. Cover illustration by Tee Corrine, known for her erotic lesbian photos and portraits (and as a Naiad regular). Fine. Item #11825
$35.00