Memoirs of Fanny Hill John Cleland 9781482546231 Books
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Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure (popularly known as Fanny Hill) is an erotic novel by John Cleland first published in England in 1748. Written while the author was in debtors' prison in London. One of the most prosecuted and banned books in history, it has become a synonym for obscenity. The book is written as a series of letters from Frances "Fanny" Hill to an unknown woman, with Fanny justifying her life-choices to this individual. At the beginning of her tale, Fanny Hill is a young girl with a rudimentary education living in a small village near Liverpool. Shortly after she turns 15, both her parents die. Esther Davis, a girl from Fanny's village who has since moved to London, convinces Fanny to move to the city as well, but Esther abandons Fanny once they arrive who thereafter plunges into a world of vice. John Cleland (24 September 1709 – 23 January 1789) was an English novelist best known as the author of Fanny Hill or, the Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure.
Memoirs of Fanny Hill John Cleland 9781482546231 Books
... At the same time, allow me to place you here an excuse I am conscious of owing you, for having, perhaps, too much affected the figurative style; though surely, it can pass nowhere more allowable than in a subject which is so properly the province of poetry, nay, is poetry itself, pregnant with every flower of imagination and loving metaphors, even were not the natural expressions, for respects of fashion and sound, necessarily forbidden.Although rife with typos (were they ALL in the original edition?) and currently unavailable, this is a serviceable (fre)e-book of an 18th Century classic.
Fanny is the female Odysseus- she sees the ways of many men, and then sails home again.
Men, and monsters.. Let me quote an early passage at length:
Imagine to yourself, a man rather past threescore, short and ill-made, with a yellow cadaverous hue, great goggle eyes, that stared as if he was strangled; an out-mouth from two more properly tusks than teeth, livid lips, and breath like a Jake's: then he had a peculiar ghastliness in his grin, that made him perfectly frightful, if not dangerous to women with child; yet, made as he was thus in mock of man, he was so blind to his own staring deformities, as to think himself born to please, and that no woman could see him with impunity: in consequence of which idea, he had lavished great sums on such wretches as could gain upon themselves to pretend love to his person, whilst to those who had not art or patience to dissemble the horror it inspired, he behaved even brutally. Impotence, more than necessity, made him seek in variety, the provocative that was wanting to raise him to the pitch of enjoyment, which he too often saw himself baulked of, by the failure of his powers: and this always threw him into a fit of rage, which he wreaked, as far as he durst, on the innocent objects of his fit of momentary desire.
Cleland wrote this as a 'pot-boiler' to get himself out of debtor's prison, but the language is clear and forceful, not elegant but also never coarse. I could easily quote a 'warm' scene or two, but instead listen to this:
As soon as he had disengaged, the charming Emily got up, and we crowded round her with congratulations and other officious little services; for it is to be noted, that though all modesty and reserve were banished from the transaction of these pleasures, good manners and politeness were inviolably observed: there was no gross ribaldry, no offensive or rude behaviour, or ungenerous reproaches to the girls for their compliance With the humours and desires of the men. On the contrary, nothing was wanting to soothe, encourage, and soften the sense of their condition to them. Men know not in general how much they destroy of their own pleasure, when they break through the respect and tenderness due to our sex, and even to those of it who live only by pleasing them.
Although not quite as fond of this book as when I first read it, I still rate it very high among books of its time, and among books of its kind.
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Tags : Memoirs of Fanny Hill [John Cleland] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure (popularly known as Fanny Hill) is an erotic novel by John Cleland first published in England in 1748. Written while the author was in debtors' prison in London. One of the most prosecuted and banned books in history,John Cleland,Memoirs of Fanny Hill,CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform,148254623X,Erotic fiction,Erotica - General,FICTION Erotica General,Fiction,Fiction - General,Fiction Erotica
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Memoirs of Fanny Hill John Cleland 9781482546231 Books Reviews
This book is the very first pornographic novel ever written (not the first sexual literature, but the first NOVEL to be deemed pornographic). So, if you are as obsessed with novels (classic novels) as I am, then this will make a great addition to your collection. Plus, if you have a kindle, you can just get this book from for FREE! You can't beat free. The story itself is comical, graphic, and kind of a snooze fest. The sexual descriptions are very drawn out and wordy with lots of flowery language and interesting euphemisms and metaphors. I did not feel at all "hot and bothered" while reading it, but I'm old and jaded, so I'm guessing my 13 year old self would have found this novel pretty steamy.
If only today's erotica could be written so beautifully and lyrically. So tastefully done that I am trying to figure out how to get a copy to my 20 year old daughter since I dont think I could speak so frankly to her about sex, love making and anatomy.
Ordered this often referred to book on . Inside is 6 pages of what I can only guess is advertisement for financial services. Never had that happen w a purchase before. Hoping it isn't a trend.
This is by no means to be taken as a factual or documentary account of an actual country girl's exploits in 18th century London. In addition, this is not one man's perverted erotic tale meant to amuse himself in prison. If you should read this book, word for word, you will understand a few things, aside from the exploitation of young women into sexual slavery, of course, that is the main tragedy of the book, but I think Cleland wants us to somehow look past that and into this bizarre world, whether his vision is accurate or not, and to see the persistence and optimism of a young woman who has lost every shred of control a human could hope for over her life. Not only that, but through this scenario, Cleland permits himself to explore the delights of the body, the mind, and the heart. It is believed that, since one of his early dear friends wrote a document about homosexual male sex, that perhaps he and Cleland had been lovers. The chain of conclusions then leads to the proposition that Cleland himself was homosexual and that he adopted the voice of a young woman to explore the delights of the male gender. However, I propose that aside from heterosexuality or homosexuality, Cleland constructs a world in which the reader, if willing, is prompted to open up to ideas of the beautiful variations of the shape of the human body, its secret rewards, surprises, and pleasures. Cleland, if anything, is pansexual, as is Fanny Hill. Notably, the book's single homosexual scene, witnessed by Fanny, via the ever-present spy hole in the wall at the brothel, leaves her incensed! She runs away in revulsion, which, given her history, seems an unduly harsh reaction; her exclamation regarding the incident? "They had sex without a woman! There was no woman involved!" At the end of the day, Fanny Hill is a story of humanity, sexuality, gender roles, gender rights, exploration and liberation.
Clearly, the forward use of metaphors and similes in such a skillful and unabashed manner distinguishes the book as a literary Great.
The eloquent skill aside, Cleland paints a torrid imagery on the canvas of 1740s London.
The story is full of sexual overtones, innuendos, euphemisms and double meanings. It is wordy in the style of English conversations in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The sentences are wayyyy toooo long and hard to follow. The romance theme is typical of romance novels of years past as well as modern times I.e., an early teen age sexual incident followed by years of separation then a loving reunion at the end. It is a classic considering the time of publication and banned, no doubt, by the men (who were in control) so that females could be kept ignorant of the sexual activities contained in the book.
... At the same time, allow me to place you here an excuse I am conscious of owing you, for having, perhaps, too much affected the figurative style; though surely, it can pass nowhere more allowable than in a subject which is so properly the province of poetry, nay, is poetry itself, pregnant with every flower of imagination and loving metaphors, even were not the natural expressions, for respects of fashion and sound, necessarily forbidden.
Although rife with typos (were they ALL in the original edition?) and currently unavailable, this is a serviceable (fre)e-book of an 18th Century classic.
Fanny is the female Odysseus- she sees the ways of many men, and then sails home again.
Men, and monsters.. Let me quote an early passage at length
Imagine to yourself, a man rather past threescore, short and ill-made, with a yellow cadaverous hue, great goggle eyes, that stared as if he was strangled; an out-mouth from two more properly tusks than teeth, livid lips, and breath like a Jake's then he had a peculiar ghastliness in his grin, that made him perfectly frightful, if not dangerous to women with child; yet, made as he was thus in mock of man, he was so blind to his own staring deformities, as to think himself born to please, and that no woman could see him with impunity in consequence of which idea, he had lavished great sums on such wretches as could gain upon themselves to pretend love to his person, whilst to those who had not art or patience to dissemble the horror it inspired, he behaved even brutally. Impotence, more than necessity, made him seek in variety, the provocative that was wanting to raise him to the pitch of enjoyment, which he too often saw himself baulked of, by the failure of his powers and this always threw him into a fit of rage, which he wreaked, as far as he durst, on the innocent objects of his fit of momentary desire.
Cleland wrote this as a 'pot-boiler' to get himself out of debtor's prison, but the language is clear and forceful, not elegant but also never coarse. I could easily quote a 'warm' scene or two, but instead listen to this
As soon as he had disengaged, the charming Emily got up, and we crowded round her with congratulations and other officious little services; for it is to be noted, that though all modesty and reserve were banished from the transaction of these pleasures, good manners and politeness were inviolably observed there was no gross ribaldry, no offensive or rude behaviour, or ungenerous reproaches to the girls for their compliance With the humours and desires of the men. On the contrary, nothing was wanting to soothe, encourage, and soften the sense of their condition to them. Men know not in general how much they destroy of their own pleasure, when they break through the respect and tenderness due to our sex, and even to those of it who live only by pleasing them.
Although not quite as fond of this book as when I first read it, I still rate it very high among books of its time, and among books of its kind.
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