Joseph and His Friend

‘Joseph and His Friend: A Story of Pennsylvania’ was written by American author Bayard Taylor. After marrying a wealthy woman, young Joseph discovers a deep and powerful love for his friend Philip. Confused by his feelings and unhappy with his manipulative wife, Joseph’s love for Philip grows stronger. Considered to be the ‘first gay novel’ in America, the book discusses the friends' special attachment and their romantic but not sexual relationship. Noted for its enigmatic treatment of homosexuality, critics were divided over their interpretation of the novel with many arguing it was a political argument for gay relationships while others thought it an idealization of male spirituality. A great read for fans of E. M. Forster's novel 'Maurice' and 'Brokeback Mountain' by Annie Proulx. Bayard Taylor (1825–1878) was an American poet, author, literary critic and diplomat. Widely travelled, he was known primarily for his travelogues, which were popular in the UK and the United States. Visiting California at the height of the gold rush, Taylor published a hugely successful travel book called ‘El Dorado; or Adventures in the Path of Empire’ (1850). His other works include ‘Views Afoot, or Europe seen with Knapsack and Staff’ (1846), ‘A Journey to Central Africa; or Life and Landscapes from Egypt’ and ‘A Visit to India, China and Japan in the Year 1853’ (1855). Taylor is also credited with writing the ‘first gay novel’ in America, with his 1870 novel ‘Joseph and His Friend: A Story of Pennsylvania.’ His later work included Poems of the Orient (1855) and his famous translation of ‘Faust’ (1870–71).