Skip to content

The Beautiful Room Is Empty
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

The Beautiful Room Is Empty Paperback - 1994

by Edmund White

Moving with sinuous ease from a claustrophobic Midwestern college town in the 1950s to Greenwich Village on the night of the Stonewall rebellion, Edmund White's poised yet scalding autobiographical novel is a portrait of the artist as a young gay man finding his way within a country that has no room for sexual dissidents.


From the publisher

When the narrator of White's poised yet scalding autobiographical novel first embarks on his sexual odyssey, it is the 1950s, and America is "a big gray country of families on drowsy holiday." That country has no room for a scholarly teenager with guilty but insatiable stirrings toward other men. Moving from a Midwestern college to the Stonewall Tavern on the night of the first gay uprising--and populated by eloquent queens, butch poseurs, and a fearfully incompetent shrink--The Beautiful Room is Empty conflates the acts of coming out and coming of age. "With intelligence, candor, humor--and anger--White explores the most insidious aspects of oppression.... An impressive novel."--Washington Post book World

From the jacket flap

When the narrator of White's poised yet scalding autobiographical novel first embarks on his sexual odyssey, it is the 1950s, and America is "a big gray country of families on drowsy holiday." That country has no room for a scholarly teenager with guilty but insatiable stirrings toward other men. Moving from a Midwestern college to the Stonewall Tavern on the night of the first gay uprising--and populated by eloquent queens, butch poseurs, and a fearfully incompetent shrink--The Beautiful Room is Empty conflates the acts of coming out and coming of age.
"With intelligence, candor, humor--and anger--White explores the most insidious aspects of oppression.... An impressive novel."--"Washington Post book World

Details

  • Title The Beautiful Room Is Empty
  • Author Edmund White
  • Binding Paperback
  • Edition Reprint
  • Pages 240
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher Vintage, New York, New York, U.S.A.
  • Date October 4, 1994
  • ISBN 9780679755401 / 0679755403
  • Weight 0.56 lbs (0.25 kg)
  • Dimensions 7.98 x 5.18 x 0.64 in (20.27 x 13.16 x 1.63 cm)
  • Themes
    • Sex & Gender: Gay
    • Topical: Coming of Age
  • Library of Congress subjects Gay men, Bildungsromans
  • Dewey Decimal Code FIC

About the author

Edmund White was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1940. His fiction includes the autobiographical trilogy A Boy's Own Story, The Beautiful Room Is Empty, andThe Farewell Symphony, as well as Caracole, Forgetting Elena, Nocturnes for the King of Naples, andSkinned Alive, a collection of short stories. He is also the author of a highly acclaimed biography of Jean Genet, a short study of Proust, a travel book about gay America--States of Desire--and Our Paris. He is an officer of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and teaches at Princeton University. He lives in New York City.
Back to Top

More Copies for Sale

The Beautiful Room Is Empty: A Novel (Lambda Literary Award)
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

The Beautiful Room Is Empty: A Novel (Lambda Literary Award)

by White, Edmund

  • Used
Condition
UsedGood
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780679755401 / 0679755403
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£1.81
£2.42 shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
UsedGood. Corners are bent. Stains on outside cover/inside the book. Cover has some rubbing and edgewear. Access codes, CD's, slipcovers and other accessories may not be included.
Item Price
£1.81
£2.42 shipping to USA
Beautiful Room Is Empty
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

Beautiful Room Is Empty

by White, Edmund

  • Used
  • as new
  • Paperback
  • first
Condition
As New
Edition
First Trade
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780679755401 / 0679755403
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Slate Hill, New York, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£5.67£2.83
Save £2.83!
£3.85 shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
New York, NY, U.S.A.: Knopf Publishing Group, 1994. First Trade . Trade Paperback. As New/No Jacket, as Issued. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Bit of corner wear, else new, unread. 5th printing. 014 glf
Item Price
£5.67£2.83
Save £2.83 !
£3.85 shipping to USA
The Beautiful Room Is Empty: A Novel (Lambda Literary Award)

The Beautiful Room Is Empty: A Novel (Lambda Literary Award)

by White, Edmund

  • Used
  • Acceptable
  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Acceptable
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780679755401 / 0679755403
Quantity Available
2
Seller
Seattle, Washington, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£5.06
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Vintage, 1994. Paperback. Acceptable. Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
Item Price
£5.06
FREE shipping to USA
The Beautiful Room Is Empty : A Novel

The Beautiful Room Is Empty : A Novel

by Edmund White

  • Used
  • good
  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780679755401 / 0679755403
Quantity Available
8
Seller
Seattle, Washington, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£5.09
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 1994. Paperback. Good. Disclaimer:A copy that has been read, but remains in clean condition. All pages are intact, and the cover is intact. The spine may show signs of wear. Pages can include limited notes and highlighting, and the copy can include previous owner inscriptions. At ThriftBooks, our motto is: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
Item Price
£5.09
FREE shipping to USA
The Beautiful Room Is Empty : A Novel (Lambda Literary Award)
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

The Beautiful Room Is Empty : A Novel (Lambda Literary Award)

by White, Edmund

  • Used
Condition
Used - Good
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780679755401 / 0679755403
Quantity Available
2
Seller
Mishawaka, Indiana, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£5.74
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. Used - Good. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages.
Item Price
£5.74
FREE shipping to USA
The Beautiful Room Is Empty : A Novel (Lambda Literary Award)
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

The Beautiful Room Is Empty : A Novel (Lambda Literary Award)

by White, Edmund

  • Used
Condition
Used - Good
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780679755401 / 0679755403
Quantity Available
2
Seller
Reno, Nevada, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£5.74
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. Used - Good. Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages.
Item Price
£5.74
FREE shipping to USA
The Beautiful Room Is Empty: A Novel
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

The Beautiful Room Is Empty: A Novel

by Edmund White

  • Used
  • good
  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780679755401 / 0679755403
Quantity Available
1
Seller
HOUSTON, Texas, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£6.82
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Vintage, 1994-10-04. Paperback. Good.
Item Price
£6.82
FREE shipping to USA
The Beautiful Room Is Empty: A Novel
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

The Beautiful Room Is Empty: A Novel

by White, Edmund

  • Used
Condition
Used - Very Good
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780679755401 / 0679755403
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Frederick, Maryland, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£7.16
£3.23 shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. Used - Very Good. Very Good condition. A copy that may have a few cosmetic defects. May also contain light spine creasing or a few markings such as an owner’s name, short gifter’s inscription or light stamp.
Item Price
£7.16
£3.23 shipping to USA
The Beautiful Room Is Empty: A Novel
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

The Beautiful Room Is Empty: A Novel

by Edmund White

  • Used
  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Very Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780679755401 / 0679755403
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Saugerties, New York, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£8.08
£4.04 shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Vintage, October 1994. Trade Paperback. Used - Very Good.
Item Price
£8.08
£4.04 shipping to USA
The Beautiful Room Is Empty: A Novel
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

The Beautiful Room Is Empty: A Novel

by White, Edmund

  • New
  • Paperback
Condition
New
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780679755401 / 0679755403
Quantity Available
746
Seller
Fairfax Station, Virginia, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 2 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£8.90
£3.23 shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Vintage, 1994-10-04. Paperback. New.
Item Price
£8.90
£3.23 shipping to USA