L'histoire D'o

[Atheist]

Has anyone here read L'histoire d'O (the Story of O)? My version (English translation) claims to be unexpurgated, but ends without an ending! I find it far more literary than 'Grey'. Fascinating exposition of womens' view of sexuality. Is it porn or is it literature? What's the difference?

[Atheist]

Sorry to post an obscure book. I won't be insulted if it takes too long to research or if it doesn't appeal if you find it. I'd be interested in any input from a francophone.

[woofgang]

I know about it, but its not a woman's view of porn...the author is a woman, yes but she wrote it to please her male lover...so she wrote what would turn him on and not a woman's view of sexuality...google it.

[JimF]

I found it tedious, to be honest, and not erotic in the slightest. Maybe you need to be into S&M or sub/dom to find any frame of reference.

[davebro]

Haven't read the book but I would say the film fits the definition for porn.

[woofgang]

oh PS, its not that obscure, we had a couple of photocopies circulating at college....I belive She magazine once printed excerpts.

[AuntPollyGrey]

Have you read the epilogue? maybe your version did not include the Epilogue?

[Atheist]

woof. I think that her depiction of some women's appetites is plausible. I think she could have done a better job of titillating her male lover if that was her sole aim. She certainly dwelt at some length on the woman's feelings and emotions.
Of course (jim) bdsm is not everyone's cup of tea.
Dave, I haven't read the book in French and I haven't seen the film; but I suspect that the film would be more pornographic than the book - books deal more with internal feelings than films do.

[Atheist]

APG, my copy finished abruptly with mention of two alternative endings:
1 Sir Stephen dumps her at Roissy
2 O, having expressed the wish to die when Sir S leaves her, receives his permission to do so.
I personally was expecting her descent into slavery to lead to her death, so I think that option 2 was more likely.
I didn't have a version with an epilogue, apart from the two suggestions which described the 'suppressed endings'

[Atheist]

APG, what did you think of 'her' literature? Psychologically, I thought that it probably was written by a woman.

[ladybirder]

So long ago since I read it I can't remember.
Mind you if I'd ready it yesterday I'd have forgotten as well:-(

[Atheist]

lady... my only memory from years ago was the ***. Re-reading it now I see much more.

[douglas9401]

"Is it porn or is it literature? What's the difference?"

You can usually tell by the number of tattoos, Caesarian section scars and pneumatic mammaries.

I'm told.

[Atheist]

Well Doug, in this book there are brands (rather than tattos) no Caesars, and breasts which are only generous in contrast with the slim torso.
Make your own judgment.

[AuntPollyGrey]

Athiest I've not read the book, not something I would be remotely interested in. The content was largely dictated by the gauntlet her lover , Jean Paulhan, threw down when he insisted that women were incapable of writing powerful erotica like the Marquis de Sade, whom he greatly admired. I think a lot was lost in the Translation from French to English.

[DTCwordfan]

Fouets, pagaies et cravaches pour la nuite à venir, tout le monde. Après tout, c'est vendredi soir.

[Atheist]

pkwa pas, DTC?

[douglas9401]

I like my French literature like I like my American poets.

Still in Waterstones.

[Atheist]

APG; if you haven't read it in French, how can you comment on the quality of the translation into English?

[Peter Pedant]

god if I want to read pornography: I read Jane Austen (Noel Coward)

[Prudie]

Yes I read it years ago as a student when it was doing the rounds, created quite a stir at the time but any story content has passed me by. Is it porn or literature? Surely that's in the eye of the reader and their attitudes.