Carol

Carol, originally published in 1952 under the title The Price of Salt, was written by Patricia Highsmith under the pseudonym Claire Morgan. Highsmith penned the novel during a period when the representation of lesbian relationships in literature was heavily constrained by social stigma and legal censorship. The story was inspired by a fleeting, chance encounter Highsmith had with a woman in a department store while she was working as a toy salesperson in 1948, which sparked the narrative of an unlikely and transformative connection between two women.

The design and tone of the book were marked by its departure from the prevailing tragic tropes of mid-century queer literature, as it offered a rare narrative where the protagonists were not punished for their desires. Highsmith’s prose is noted for its psychological depth and precise, observational style. While the novel received a modest initial reception due to the author's need to publish under a pseudonym to protect her career, it eventually gained recognition as a landmark work of queer fiction, particularly after the author’s identity was revealed and it was reissued under the title Carol in 1990.