PatriciaHighsmith’sstoryofromanticobsessionmaybeoneofthemostimportant,butstilllargelyunrecognized,novelsofthetwentiethcentury.Firstpublishedin1952andtoutedas“thenovelofalovethatsocietyforbids,“thebooksoonbecameacultclassic.BasedonatruestorypluckedfromHighsmith’sownlife,ThePriceofSalt(orCarol)tellstherivetingdramaofThereseBelivet,astagedesignertrappedinadepartment-storedayjob,whoseroutineisforevershatteredbyagorgeousepiphany--theappearanceofCarolAird,acustomerwhocomesintobuyherdaughteraChristmastoy.Theresebeginstogravitatetowardthealluringsuburbanhousewife,whoistrappedinamarriageasstultifyingasTherese’sjob.TheyfallinloveandsetoutacrosstheUnitedStates,ensnaredbysociety’sconfinesandtheimminentdisapprovalofothers,yetpropelledbytheirinfatuation.ThePriceofSaltisabrilliantlywrittenstorythatmaysurpriseHighsmithfansandwilldelightthosediscoveringherwork.
