Giovanni's Room
An American in Paris, engaged to one person and in love with another, in Baldwin's shortest novel.
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The Price of Salt
by Patricia Highsmith
Two women fall in love while the conventional futures expected of them close in.
- 1952
The story, briefly
Spoiler-freeA young department-store clerk becomes fascinated by an elegant older woman. Their relationship threatens the lives expected of them, but Highsmith allows possibility to survive the pressure around it.
What's inside
Attraction becomes a relationship that forces two women to measure love against what the outside world will permit.
Why we recommend it
Impossible love with possibility
Like Baldwin, Highsmith understands the exhaustion of loving under constant social scrutiny.
What this book explores
Book editions
Paperback
- Paperback
Reader reviews
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References
References
The sources below include the primary text, editions, scholarship, archival materials, and other records that informed this page. They document The Price of Salt, its publication, and its place in literary history.
1The Price of Salt — Open Library ISBN catalogue
Official recordOpen Library, Internet ArchiveUsed forOpen Library ISBN catalogue used to verify the title, ISBN, and publication metadata.
2The Price of Salt — Google Books edition record
Official recordGoogle BooksUsed forGoogle Books catalogue record used to cross-check the title and edition metadata.
3The Price of Salt — Internet Archive ISBN catalogue
Official recordInternet ArchiveUsed forInternet Archive ISBN catalogue used to cross-check the edition and its availability in library holdings.
4The Price of Salt — Library of Congress books catalogue
Official recordLibrary of CongressUsed forLibrary of Congress books catalogue used to cross-check the bibliographic record by ISBN.
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Why these sources are here
The primary text is the baseline reference for every book page. Additional references document publication history, interpretation, and historical context where that evidence is available.
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