The Italian Invert: A Gay Man's Intimate Confessions to Emile Zola

The Italian Invert is a queer autobiography that was first published in 1896. It is the first complete, unexpurgated version in English of the autobiography, which is based on the recently discovered manuscript of the Italian's letter to the doctor. The book offers a striking glimpse of gay life in Europe in the late nineteenth century and brings to light the powerful voice of a young man who expressed his desires and affirmed his right to pleasure.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 05 July 2022
Publisher: Columbia University Press

Each of us possesses unique preferences that are deeply ingrained within our minds and hearts. Whether we choose to satisfy our desires with remorse or delight, we must inevitably fulfill them. It is essential that we allow others to follow their own innate nature, recognizing that our destinies shape us and guide us throughout our lives. Attempting to resist this fate would be an futile, foolish, and reckless endeavor.

In the late 1880s, a charismatic young Italian aristocrat made a remarkable confession to the renowned novelist Émile Zola. Through a series of candid letters, he openly shared his sexual encounters with men, including his teenage seduction by a close friend of his father and his initial love affair with a sergeant during his military service. Regrettably, Zola deemed the account too controversial and entrusted it to a young doctor, who, in 1896, published a censored version in a medical study on sexual inversion, as homosexuality was then known. Upon discovering this distorted portrayal of his life story, the Italian was deeply shocked and penned a lengthy, audacious, and unrepentant letter to the doctor, defending his right to love and the freedom to live as he desired.

This remarkable queer autobiography is now presented in its entirety, unedited and unexpurgated, for the first time in English. The text is based on the recently discovered manuscript of the Italian's letter to the doctor, providing a faithful rendition of his words. Additionally, the book includes an introduction that traces the textual history of the documents, analytical essays, and supplementary materials that contextualize the work within its historical framework. By offering a captivating glimpse into gay life in Europe during the late nineteenth century, The Italian Invert sheds light on the powerful voice of a young man who fearlessly expressed his desires and eloquently affirmed his right to pleasure.

Weight: 392g
Dimension: 152 x 225 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780231204897