Friendship's Bonds

This scholarly work examines how Victorian ideals of friendship intersected with queer and Jewish identities, creating a fascinating study of how nineteenth-century Britain grappled with concepts of otherness and belonging. Dellamora systematically analyzes literary and political discourses to reveal how the era's dream of perfect sympathy between friends constantly challenged societal capacity to imagine a world of fellow citizens rather than strangers.

The book's distinctive strength lies in its nuanced exploration of how these marginalized identities converged in Victorian culture, offering fresh perspectives on both canonical texts and lesser-known works. Readers interested in queer studies, Jewish history, and nineteenth-century literature will find this interdisciplinary approach particularly compelling as it illuminates the complex ways friendship bonds served as both radical possibility and social limitation in shaping modern citizenship.