It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for something you are not

"André Gide was one of the most important French writers of the twentieth century. His diverse output numbers more than sixty titles in which are represented nearly all literary genres. Gide's work is remarkable on cultural and historical levels, for it gives the modern reader insights into the social and political issues of the time, particularly in regard to Gide's activism for sexual freedom.

The major sources of inspiration of his writing were his relationships, friendships, and travels. The story of Gide's homosexuality is set out forcefully in several works, most directly in Si le grain ne meurt and in the essays on homosexuality Corydon.

David Walker explores the early correspondence of Gide and Eugène Rouart which reveals most immediately Gide's frame of mind when he was actually coming to terms with his sexuality. These exchanges trace the evolution that eventually led Gide to insist on asserting his right and duty to speak openly about his nature. These letters not only discuss Gide's 'coming out' but provide interesting testimony to what this meant in the 1890s."

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