A Groundbreaking Literary Classic of LGBTQ Literature by Klaus Mann, First Published in Germany in 1926. Set in the Gay Underground of Berlin and Paris's Nightclub Scenes, the Novel Features the First Unapologetic Transgender Character in 20th-Century Literature. The Pious Dance (Der fromme Tanz) , Klaus Mann's first novel published when he was just twenty years old, stands as a groundbreaking work of early modernist German literature and a significant milestone in LGBT+ literary history. Written with the raw authenticity of youth, this semi-autobiographical work captures the spirited and tumultuous atmosphere of Weimar-era Berlin through the eyes of its protagonist, Andreas Magnus, a thinly veiled version of Mann himself. The novel's autobiographical elements are unmistakable, as Mann draws heavily from his own experiences as a young gay artist navigating Berlin's vibrant and permissive cultural scene of the 1920s. Through Andreas, Mann explores his own struggles with artistic identity, sexual awakening, and the search for meaningful connection in a world of fleeting encounters. The protagonist's journey through Berlin's cabarets, artistic circles, and underground gay venues mirrors Mann's own explorations of the city's liberal atmosphere during the Weimar Republic. Historically, The Pious Dance provides an invaluable snapshot of a unique moment in German cultural history, documenting the brief period of sexual and artistic freedom between World War I and the rise of Nazism. The novel's frank depiction of Berlin's gay subculture, drag shows, and bohemian artistic circles offers modern readers a rare contemporary account of this sexually liberated era. The novel is particularly noteworthy for its pioneering representation of LGBT+ characters. Mann's matter-of-fact portrayal of homosexual relationships and desire was revolutionary for its time. The character of Paulchen, a transgender performer, is especially significant as one of the first sympathetic depictions of a transgender character in 20th-century literature. Mann presents these characters without moral judgment or sensationalism, a radical departure from contemporary literary treatments of such subjects. This new edition features: A New English Translation from the Original German Text - An Introduction by the Editor - Endnotes to each Act of the Novel - Chapter By Chapter Critical Analysis - Author Biography - Three Scholarly Essays The three scholarly essays: Klaus Mann's "The Pious Dance": A Work Beyond Definition - Beyond Binary: Early Trans Representation in Klaus Mann's Der fromme Tanz and the Evolution of LGBTQ+ Literature - Dancing Toward Tomorrow: Queer Utopian Longing in Klaus Mann's "The Pious Dance"