Skip to content
TrackPodcasts
educationJun 23, 202235:14pending

The First American Gay Novel Revisited

About this episode

Send us Fan Mail

Welcome back!  George has been off for several weeks, and is back in the saddle with more of the complexities of Edgar Poe, his works, his times, and his influences.

This episode is about Joseph and His Friend - generally agreed to be the first novel about a same-sex relationship in the United States.  Reactions to the novel are dealth with, as well as a section that borders on the steamy!

  • 00:00 Introduction 
  • 05:00 Was Poe gay?
  • 06:52 Intro to Bayard Taylor 
  • 10:20 Edgar Allan Poe on Bayard Taylor
  • 11:00 Joseph and His Friend
  • 14:21 Plot of novel
  • 17:25 Reactions to novel
  • 19:22 Excerpt from Joseph and His Friend
  • 32:25 Preview of Pride Month and Future Episodes
  • 33:56 Sources
  • 34:33 Outro


  • EXPERIENCE the heart-wrenching story of Joseph and Phillip
  • Learn about what is generally agreed to be the first American gay novel
  • Learn about Bayard Taylor and why is not popular today
  • Learn about the REAL Joseph and his “friend”
  • Learn what Poe thought of Bayard Taylor

Support the show

Thank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Get every episode summarized

Each time Celebrate Creativity publishes, we email you a written briefing from the transcript — the topics, who appeared, and any specific claims, with the ad reads skipped.

Email me new episodes

Free for 3 shows. No card needed.

No transcript yet

This episode has not been transcribed. Request it and it moves to the front of the queue.

The First American Gay Novel Revisited

Celebrate Creativity

0:00
35:14

More episodes

More from Celebrate Creativity

View all episodes →