
A quietly powerful memoir unfolds in the summer heat of a Hungarian town, where the narrator wanders into a bustling café garden and encounters a solitary young officer. Through precise dialogue and translated correspondence, the author captures a moment of unexpected connection that sparks a deeper exploration of desire, identity, and the social constraints of the early 1900s. The prose blends poetic reflection with raw honesty, inviting listeners to feel the tension between personal yearning and the rigid expectations of the era.
Beyond the initial encounter, the narrative becomes a meditation on love, friendship, and the hidden currents of sexuality that pulse beneath everyday life. Written as a private confession meant for a trusted confidant, the work balances intimate revelation with broader philosophical questioning, offering a timeless glimpse into the struggle for self‑acceptance. Listeners will find themselves drawn into a richly textured portrait of a man wrestling with his own heart while the world around him churns with its own wars of mind and spirit.
Language
en
Duration
~3 hours (199K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
anonymous Project Gutenberg volunteers
Release date
2021-09-27
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1858–1942
An American writer, critic, and independent scholar who wrote with unusual openness for his time, he is remembered both for fiction and for some of the earliest English-language work on homosexuality. Writing under names including Xavier Mayne, he built a body of work that still draws interest from readers of queer history and literary culture.
View all books