John Boswell

From back cover: Boswell's highly acclaimed study of the history of attitudes toward homosexuality in the Christian West challenges received opinion and our own preconceptions about the Church's past relationship to its gay members, among whom were priests, bishops and even canonized saints. The historical breadth of Boswell's research (from the Greeks to Aquinas) and the variety of sources consulted ... make this one of the most extensive treatments of any single aspect of Western social history. The product of ten years of research and analysis of records in a dozen languages, this book opens up a new area of historical inquiry and helps elucidate the origins and operations of intolerance as a social force.

Years ago, Ysande Cazalet had been like any other bride-to-be, until tragedy destroyed something precious. And now she had to stay away from the handsome stranger who made her dream again of marriage and family. For how could Ysande spend her evenings in Rufer Jardine's strong arms when her rightful place was beside a hospital bed? For months Rufer had tried to get to know Ysande, and for months she ignored him. It wasn't just her sad beauty or complete indifference to him that drew Rufer to her - with Ysande, he felt whole for the first time in his life. But then he learned the shocking truth of what threatened to keep them apart forever. . . . Ysande Cazalet is involved in a car crash at 19, a few days before her wedding and her finacee saves her life but becomes a quadriplegic who also can barely talk. Ysande devotedly visits him, reads to him, feeds him etc in hospital for the next 10 YEARS. When Rufer Jardine meets her and starts pursuing her, she rejects him due to her commitment to paralysed fiancee. She is persuaded into an affair with Rufer while still visiting fiancee and reject's Rufer's marriage offer due to her 10-yr long commitment.