A Previous Life

Mehr zum Buch

'Elegant, filthy – and quite possibly the queerest thing you will read all year.' - Guardian 'Intriguing and inventive.' - Electric Literature, "Most Anticipated LGBTQ+ Book of the Year" 'A dizzyingly enticing and kaleidoscopic take on the spectrum of sexual experiences.' - Publishers Weekly, starred review This daring, genre-defying novel from a National Book Award honored author delves into themes of polyamory, bisexuality, aging, and love. Ruggero, a Sicilian aristocrat and musician, and his younger American wife, Constance, decide to break their silence and share their pasts by writing their Confessions. Previously, they avoided discussing their histories to protect their relationship, but now, as they alternate reading their memoirs, secrets unfold. Constance recounts her marriages to older men, while Ruggero reveals his affairs with various partners, including a passionate relationship with the author himself. Set against the backdrop of a Swiss ski chalet, the narrative expands across Europe and the United States, challenging conventional notions of sexual orientation. With a blend of humor and honesty, the novel introduces some of White's most intriguing characters yet. It offers a candid exploration of physical beauty and its decline, while also examining love and age through diverse perspectives. Delightfully irreverent and experimental, this work reaffirms White's status as a master of American literature.