The Price of Salt (Carol)

First published in 1952, "The Price of Salt" is Patricia Highsmith's unprecedented novel concerning the love affair between two women. Highsmith originally published the novel under the pseudonym "Claire Morgan" out of fear that she might be branded as a writer of lesbian literature and out of respect for the characters and occurrences depicted in the novel which referenced her own real life relationships. The story is concerned with the life of Therese Belivet, a young woman living in Manhattan who aspires to be a theatrical set designer. Despite the fact that she is dating a young man named Richard, Therese feels quite lonely as she does not truly love Richard or enjoy their intimacies. By day she works in the toy department at a New York department store. It is there that she meets Carol, an elegant woman in her early thirties, when she waits on her as a customer. The two soon spark up a friendship which eventually develops into a romantic relationship. Noted for being one of the first novels not to depict lesbian relationships in a completely unfavorable light, "The Price of Salt," or "Carol," as it was also published, has been adapted into a 2015 film which received numerous award nominations. This edition is printed in premium acid-free paper.