Bertram Cope’s Year

Set at a small Midwestern university, this quietly subversive novel follows Bertram Cope, a handsome young English instructor who arrives to finish his degree and soon finds himself the object of desire for nearly everyone around him. Wealthy patrons, admiring women, and one devoted male companion all press their claims while Cope tries, with mild exasperation, to keep his own life intact. Fuller writes with a light, ironic touch, letting the comedy of manners carry a frank undercurrent that was daring for 1919. Often called the first American novel to treat homosexuality as ordinary rather than tragic, it drew little notice in its day and has since been reclaimed as a pioneering work. Free PDF and EPUB editions are available here.