First published almost 70 years ago, Giovanni's Room is a literary masterpiece and an essential work of queer fiction. It is by turns deeply moving, bitterly heartbreaking and formative.

In this Folio edition, an introduction by the erudite writer and critic Hilton Als sheds light on the novel's themes and its characters, its flaws and its beauty – and the life and mind of the author behind it. The story of David and Giovanni is rendered in intimate and expressive charcoal illustrations by the artist Lela Harris. A study of Paris by night, tender portraits and a dining room still life – newspapers, wine bottles and all – capture the essence of this modern classic.