Object

This edition of The Well of Loneliness, preserved and digitized by the British Library, was published by Obelisk Press in France in 1935.  At this time, the novel was no longer banned in the United States, but was still banned in the UK; it is unclear why the title page declares that it cannot be purchased in America. It is possible the publisher wanted to capitalize on the novel’s reputation in order to attract more readers, or that this edition contains some limited feature not included in American copies. In his paper on the obscenity trial of The Well McCleery lists Obelisk Press as a publishing house known primarily for seeking out “challenged” texts, having also published the banned book Amour, French for Love in 1933 (50). Thus, it makes sense for the company to emphasize the illegal nature of the book to increase sales; this copy is an example of how an idea, and a printed object, can become more attractive in the public eye once it has been suppressed by law.