Entering Sappho

By Sarah Dowling

An abandoned town named for the classical lesbian leads to questions about history and settlement.

Driving along the Pacific Coast Highway, you come to a road sign: Entering Sappho. Nothing remains of the town, just trash at the side of the highway and thick, wet bush. Can Sappho's breathless eroticism tell us anything about settlement--about why we're here in front of this sign? Mixing historical documents, oral histories, and experimental translations of the original lesbian poet's works, this book combines documentary and speculation, surveying a century in reverse. This town is one of many with a classical name. Take it as a symbol: perhaps in a place that no longer exists, another kind of future might be possible.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1552454185
• ISBN13: 9781552454183
• Release Date: November 2020
• Publisher: Coach House Books
• Length: 112 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 4.9" x 8.0"