Bayard Taylor 
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.-