The Return Of The Petticoat

by Warwick Deeping

An unnamed woman decides that she cannot live the way she wishes to live as a woman, and assumes the identity of Mr Richard Dathan, a wealthy immigrant from Australia. He purchases the Red Ghyll Farm outside of a town called Ravenshoe, and hires a laborer named Tom Swaine to work the farm. Over the weeks and months, Mr Dathan finds himself drawing closer to Tom and must make a decision about how to handle the growing affection.

Despite being published over a century ago, The Return Of The Petticoat deals with themes that are only slightly less controversial today as they were at the time: gender identity and gender roles. Even more surprising is the manner in which these themes are addressed. The author is respectful in the of pronouns, simply using "he" when the protagonist is presented as male and "she" when the protagonist is presented as female. This romance novel is a must-read for anyone interested in LGBT literature.

318 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1907

About the author

George Warwick Deeping was a prolific novelist and short story writer, who is best known for his 1925 novel "Sorrell and Son."

Deeping was educated at Merchant Taylors' School, then Trinity College, Cambridge to study medicine and science, and then to Middlesex Hospital to finish his medical training. During the First World War, he served in the Royal Army Medical Corps. He later gave up his job as a doctor to become a full-time writer.

Deeping's early work was primarily historical romances. His later novels can be seen as attempts at keeping alive the spirit of the Edwardian age. He was one of the best selling authors of the 1920s and 1930s, with seven of his novels making the best-seller list. His short fiction also appeared in several US magazines, including the Saturday Evening Post and Adventure.