An Anglo-American Alliance: A Serio-Comic Romance and Forecast of the Future

Described by io9 as “the first lesbian science fiction novel,” An Anglo-American Alliance is a quasi-farcical tale of love, transformation, and geopolitics set in the far-flung futuristic year of 1960. In it, the titular Anglo-American Alliance has established itself as the world government, ushering in new age of technological and social revolution. However, even in this halcyon period, the “love that dare not speak its name” remains an anathema. The novel’s central narrative follows the long-burgeoning but secret romance between two women at a ladies’ seminary school in Cornwall: Margaret MacDonald and Aurora Cunningham. Throughout this tale, we follow their trials and tribulations as they grapple with secret longings and learn how to harness the powers of science and technology to make their dreams come true.

Note: Despite its fairly progressive views on sexuality and gender identity, this novel is nevertheless a byproduct of the period in which it was written. It contains unfortunate moments of ethnocentrism, antisemitism, and casual racism that might offend certain listeners. - Summary by ChuckW (3 hr 18 min)