This study re-examines the twentieth-century novel as a form shaped by its problematic, often scandalous relation to the public sphere. Discussing ten texts against the challenges of their milieus, it considers twentieth-century fiction as a tradition of transgression, perennially caught between license and licentiousness, erudition and sedition.

Riven by world wars and cold wars, atrocities and genocides, the twentieth century was also one of sexual, cultural and ideological revolutions, each inscribed across the fictions it produced. This fascinating new collection of original essays re-examines the twentieth-century novel as a form shaped by its problematic, often scandalous relation to the public sphere. Such iconic texts were crucial in negotiating a public space and voice for fiction in the twentieth century, repositioning their readers and challenging popular notions of privacy and probity. Leading contributors consider ten novels that changed readers' lives as well as public perceptions of the purpose of fiction: The Satanic Verses, Lady Chatterley's Lover, Beloved, On The Road, Disgrace, Ulysses, The Well of Loneliness, A Man of the People, Native Son, and The Hand that Signed the Paper. Three were the subject of famous trials for obscenity; others were accused of being blasphemous, libellous, seditious, even racist. Rewriting the critical consensus, the collection is an attempt to think afresh about the twentieth-century novel as a tradition of transgression, perennially caught between license and licentiousness, erudition and sedition.

If you like Bridgerton, you'll love Scandalous! A sweeping historical romance from New York Times bestselling author Candace Camp. When an injured stranger appears on her doorstep, fleeing danger, Priscilla Hamilton is moved to help him. And she’s intrigued by this man without a past. Why would someone want to kill him? And why can’t he remember anything? Priscilla has always been a model of propriety, the dutiful daughter and loving sister who puts her family above all else. No one has ever guessed at the shocking secret she keeps hidden…or the desire that burns inside her at this stranger’s touch. One thing is certain: their love could be nothing less than scandalous.

Originally published by in New York by Pocket Books, 2008.

Kendra and her boyfriend are sharing the same girl. This tale chronicles the lives of several women who navigate life in silence. They find strength in one another, dealing with drug addiction, assault, personality disorders, closeted behavior, hopelessness and denial. A society forged on the edge of the mainstream; right at the very thin line between love and hate, with no rules on the inside, and minimal intrusion from the outside. Anything might happen over the period of a weekend that could change a woman's life, legacy or virtue.

Virginia State assemblywoman Vaughn Hamilton is only a heartbeat away from her lifelong dream of winning a coveted congressional seat. Yet few know the desperate secret that has haunted her for so many years…a secret that her powerful family will do anything to keep hidden forever. When Vaughn meets business tycoon Justin Montgomery at a Washington D.C., fundraiser, the desire that flares between them soon sweeps her into a passionate and reckless love affair. But the liaison ends abruptly when Justin decides to run against her in the election. Shattered by his betrayal, Vaughn vows never to let a man into her life…and her heart…again. What she doesn't know is that Justin unwittingly holds the key to her past, and to the love that binds them together….