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Cover of The young and evil

The young and evil

by Charles Henri Ford, Parker Tyler, Charles Henri Ford

FictionGay menFiction, lgbtq+, gayArtists, fictionNew york (n.y.), fictionLGBTQ fiction before StonewallFiction, general

A stunning work, first published in 1933 by Obelisk Press (Jack Kahane's legacy), The Young and the Evil is a non-judgmental depiction of gay life and men who earn their living there, told through characters like Julian (modeled on Ford) and Karel (based on Tyler). With the added interracial connotations (book was set in Harlem and Greenwich), err, anyone surprised that this title didn't clear customs across the Channel or the Pond? Girodias later republished this work as part of the Traveller's Companion series. Authors such as Djuna Barnes and Gertrude Stein praised it unflinchingly.

Writing a summary for young readers…

For young readers

Book data: Open Library