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Paperback The Price of Salt: Or Carol Book

ISBN: 0486800296

ISBN13: 9780486800295

The Price of Salt

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Format: Paperback

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Book Overview

A chance encounter between two lonely women leads to a passionate romance in this lesbian cult classic. Therese, a struggling young sales clerk, and Carol, a homemaker in the midst of a bitter divorce, abandon their oppressive daily routines for the freedom of the open road, where their love can blossom. But their newly discovered bliss is shattered when Carol is forced to choose between her child and her lover.
Author Patricia Highsmith is best known for her psychological thrillers Strangers on a Train and The Talented Mr. Ripley. Originally published in 1952 under a pseudonym, The Price of Salt was heralded as "the novel of a love society forbids." Highsmith's sensitive treatment of fully realized characters who defy stereotypes about homosexuality marks a departure from previous lesbian pulp fiction. Erotic, eloquent, and suspenseful, this story offers an honest look at the necessity of being true to one's nature. The book is also the basis of the acclaimed 2015 film Carol, starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara.

Customer Reviews

25 customer ratings | 7 reviews

Rated 5 stars
My Absolute Favorite

This is my favorite piece of f/f literature. Knowing that this book changed the trajectory of lesbian pulp only makes it that much better. I read this every single year during December and it never gets old.

4Report

Rated 5 stars
I first saw the movie Carol, which intrigued me about...

I first saw the movie Carol, which intrigued me about Patricia Highsmith. I loved the movie and the book. I think that the words of her genuine love story was delicately transferred to a movie script by Phyllis Nagy. The 50's came to life on the page and screen in an authentic way. Carol goes into my collection as one of my favorite reads.

1Report

Rated 5 stars
Coming Out in 1969

The Price of Salt changed my life. I used to drive an ice cream truck in Long Beach CA and would stop by the pier at a used book store to search the racks of pulp fiction for anything that had a modicum of same sex content. 21 years old, knowing that I wanted to meet others of my kind, and the only literature I knew was Well of Lonliness, prison studies and pulp that either had the butch lesbian dying tragically or reformming...

18Report

Rated 5 stars
Still relevant today

Although this book was first published in the early 1950's the majority of issues that both Therese and Carol confront are still applicable today. Sure, times have changed and we all want to believe that within the past five decades we, as a society, have become more enlightened about homosexuality but unfortunately there is still more room for improvement."The Price of Salt" is a moving story about the developing love between...

4Report

Rated 5 stars
a moving love story, which happens to involve lesbians..

I picked up the British edition of The Price of Salt (it's titled 'Carol' over here) purely on the strength of Patricia Highsmith's reputation; I hadn't bothered to read the back cover to see that was a (gasp!) story of lesbians. Having purchased the book I decided to read it despite my ambivalence to the subject matter. Well, I feel delighted to have read such a compact, moving story of human emotion. The Price of Salt,...

3Report

The Price of Salt Mentions in Our Blog

The Price of Salt in 23 May Releases We're Excited About
23 May Releases We're Excited About
Published by Ashly Moore Sheldon • April 16, 2024

No matter how long our TBR lists get, we're always finding new books we want to add! Here are 23 exciting May releases available for preorder, along with suggestions for similar reads you can enjoy right away.

The Price of Salt in The Essential Patricia Highsmith
The Essential Patricia Highsmith
Published by Ashly Moore Sheldon • May 23, 2023

Patricia Highsmith's life was marked by difficult personal relationships, self-destructive tendencies, and an endless pursuit to refine her work as an artist. A flurry of new television and film projects regarding the author have recently been announced. In the meantime, here are our picks for the essential Patricia Highsmith reading list.

The Price of Salt in Looking Back at New York Times Bestselling Romances
Looking Back at New York Times Bestselling Romances
Published by Ashly Moore Sheldon • February 12, 2023

Who are the bestselling romance authors of all time? We decided to find out. Here's a retrospective of authors who topped the bestsellers lists from the 1930s onward.

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