The Charioteer Av Mary Renault

<p><b><i>''The Charioteer</i> remains compelling both as a snapshot of a particular - and particularly fascinating - cultural moment, and as a deeply romantic story of love fulfilled against the odds. It has all those qualities that make Mary Renault so memorable as a novelist: craft, subtlety, intelligence, and a terrific natural sympathy with the intricacies of honour and desire'' SARAH WATERS</b><br><br><b>''An explosive and courageous book'' SIMON RUSSELL BEALE</b><br><br>First published in 1953, <i>The Charioteer</i> is a tender, intelligent coming-of-age novel and a bold, unapologetic portrayal of homosexuality that stands with Gore Vidal''s <i>The City and the Pillar</i> and James Baldwin''s <i>Giovanni''s Room</i> as a landmark work in gay literature.<br><br><br>Injured at Dunkirk, Laurie Odell, a young corporal, is recovering at a rural veterans'' hospital. There he meets Andrew, a conscientious objector serving as an orderly, and the men find solace in their covert friendship. Then Ralph Lanyon appears, a mentor from Laurie''s schooldays. Through him, Laurie is drawn into a tight-knit circle of gay men for whom liaisons are fleeting and he is forced to choose between the ideals of a perfect friendship and the pleasures of experience.<br><br><b>''Emotionally intelligent, beautifully written and deeply moving, it transcends categorisations'' <i>Telegraph</i></b></p>