Book: 50 Shades of Grey's Trilogy

Content :- Too mild

Rumor has it that the stuff is Twilight fan-fic with cosmetic changes to distance it from its origins.

Sex columnist Dan Savage recently wrote that, while he has no intention of reading the damn thing, " . . I think it's wonderful that this book is inspiring a whole new generation of American women to get their kink on."

Hear, Hear! I can certainly drink to that!

Well, it's not like there isn't a whole genre of books like that. Woman meets perfect man, succumbs to her submissive side, helps him overcome his dark secret and learn to love again.
And yes, if more women (the author is British, I believe, so it's not just American women) get their kink on, that can only be a good thing!

For those interested, there's an article on E L James in a recent 'Independent':

http://www.independent.co.uk/hei-fi/entertainment/why-erotic-fiction-is-turning-...

Even she was surprised by the success of the 'book concept'.

Hope for us all?

Good article. Thank you.

Once again, the porn industry moves technology forward. If I remember correctly, one of the reasons why Blu-Ray won the hi-def competition is because the porn industry used that format.

Makes you wonder...what if there was a similar situation back in Gutenberg's day? "Sure, we could use it to print Bibles, but that's not where the real money is..."

> 6

Those curious about the erotic applications of the early European printing technology should see Hypnerotomachia Poliphili as a cardinal example, and read Taking Positions as a relevant historical study.

(Now that's how I like a thread to go OT!)

What will they think next ?

Pornography viz Playboy and Penthouse in 3D format ?

>7 paradoxosalpha:

Thanks, paradoxosalpha. Useful references.

Yes, paradoxosalpha, thank you for that. Now, where's a review? I could have my library get it, but I don't have time to read it.

>5 CliffordDorset:

Interesting point that neutral packaging - bland covers or discreet e-texts - were boosting erotic fiction / porn sales. Should have thought of that sooner ...

I just got a copy of Tom Poulton: The Secret Art of an English Gentleman which was provided by the publisher (Taschen) with a singularly rude dustcover that reverses to become Kant's Principles of Critical Philosophy. Brilliant!

#11-that's brilliant!
Makes me think there would be a cottage industry in making fake paperback covers for erotica...either real books or made up ones.

Venus in the Country - "The Rural Edification and Enlightenment of a Victorian Family"

Miriam - "A Course in Manners for the Proper Young Lady"

The Story of O - My Utmost for His Highest

Its taken me a while to get around to reading this book (only read the first of the trilogy) as I was suspicious of all the hype. I was expecting something along the lines of Mills & Boon, vividly floral descriptive passages, gushy sex scenes and inaccurate or misleading BDSM....was I disappointed? A little.

Anyone looking for a quick fix would have tired after the first 20 pages and moved onto something more immediately 'satisfying'.

If this is thinly disguised Twilight fan fic - then its totally missed its mark with me...I haven't touched Twilight in any shape or form so wouldn't recognise it if I fell over it!

I did feel that there was an underlying humorous element to the whole escapade; almost as if the author was indulging in one huge private joke and scarcely believing her luck that she had garnered an initial online audience that clamoured for more!

I wonder how much advertising revenue she is pulling in - her product placement certainly can't have harmed Blackberry or Mac sales. ;)

She's making a LOT. Check this article, and scroll through the comments.
http://www.avclub.com/articles/fifty-shades-of-grey-hits-10-million-copies-sold-...

14

I had a bit of a trawl through the comments, thanks.

Still wondering why it is that there are so many out there that equate BDSM with scat play.... are they all "trying to be cool" teenagers pretending they know what is involved? There's quite a deal more to the dynamic as I'm sure we are all aware.

I tried, but gave up after about 5 pages. I can see where the whole Twilight vibe comes from-supposedly clumsy narrator, absolutely perfect guy, terrible writing.
I'd say, if someone loans you a copy, give it a try for curiosity's sake. Otherwise, you're not missing anything.
Which reminded me to have my library order a copy of Endless Love, by Scott Spencer. If I remember correctly, it was the Twilight of the late 70's. Badly written, insane characters, incredibly popular.

Remember, Peyton Place and Return To Peyton Place by

Grace Metalious , a rave novel of the sixities and seventies.

> 16, 17

I am also reminded of the hype-driven soft erotica that appeared in 1969, just as the world was becoming erotically liberal: Penelope Ashe – Naked Came The Stranger. It was written by a co-operative of US journalists and for the erotic literature specialist I think it is now only of historical interest.

Incidentally, I was in a UK charity shop on Saturday, and I noted the presence (top shelf, but perhaps that was coincidental!) of all three of the 'Grey' trilogy. My first thought was to muse on how quickly these volumes had become 'give-away' items, and I'd just wandered over to the CD section of the shop when two charming young ladies appeared in front of the bookshelves, and one of them made a grab for them, and took them quickly to the cashier! Her companion looked quite disinterested, but the purchaser hung onto the three books as though they were the last lifeboat on the Titanic!

For some reason the image came to mind of the way an adolescent male, in the nineteen-fifties, would approach a female pharmacist in his quest for some of the condoms that both knew were stored under the counter.

I'm sure there's a story in there somewhere - perhaps more interesting than those of Ms James!

Oh, CD, your good fortune. Here in the states you can not find a used copy of that, or Hunger Games, anywhere. It's a running joke among the used booksellers I've talked to.

Apparently people are reading it and loaning it to others. Which, frankly is a good sign. I would never loan any of my treasured Grove Press books out (my Precioussss...).
But if they're open enough with their porn (no matter how badly written) to loan it to others, then maybe we'll see a resurgence in the stuff!

> 18

At least Naked Came the Stranger has the excuse of being written to lampoon Jacqueline Susann's Valley of the Dolls, among other contemporary bestsellers. Supposedly some contributions were heavily edited on the grounds that they were too well written.

Having said that, I'm not philosophically opposed to the occasional light-weight read. However I've encountered some books which are so badly written (and plotted, if I read far enough to discern one) that they are harder to slog through than the good stuff.

Perhaps as a service to one another, we should reveal our personal nominations for a Bulwer-Lytton Award - in the erotica category, of course.

I'll nominate Sweetie, Baby, Cookie, Honey. I think I spent the fall of 1977 pondering it. It was pretty dreadful.

Well, Ed King by David Guterson (who lives in my county) did win Britain's Literary Review's "Bad Sex Award," for the worst sex scene:
http://www.literaryreview.co.uk/badsex2011.php
I don't know what I'd nominate. If it's really bad, I usually get rid of it and try to forget.

Agreed. I've always disliked the idea of the "Bad Sex Award" - it seems like an attempt to shame literary writers out of writing about sex altogether.

I think it adds to the book sales, if only to pique interest. It did get me to pick up a copy. I couldn't make it to the sex scenes. Guterson's really in love with his own voice.
Now, one would hope that a really good writer would, in response to such an award, load up his or her next book with terrific sex scenes!
Learn from your mistakes, I say. If you've been thrown from that particular horse, you just have to mount up and plunge right in again.

So, boys and girls, I have read all three of the series...and it appears there's promise of more to come from the author, whether it will chronicle more of the Grey story or not is unknown.

To suggest that this series of novels has anything serious to do with bringing BDSM into the light in a positive manner is laughable. It does, however, put the topic out there in a light and fluffy manner that may encourage some reluctant women (the target audience) to reveal their interest in things a trifle kinky.

This series is poorly dressed romantic fiction where love conquers all and where both the hero and the heroine are redeemed. Accidents, kidnapping and 'thrilling' chase scenes in the final volume tend to make the whole escapade seem like an escapist fantasy.

For the serious collector of erotic fiction, my advice is don't waste your time. If you are someone who is fascinated by the human condition, then reading this will perhaps give you some insight into the lives of those who are drawn to this style of book.

There are those who have criticised the impact and the importance attached to the Harry Potter books, suggesting that there is a great deal more to children's fiction than these stories. Might I suggest that, in this age where technology rules, to find people attracted back to the book as a preferred form of entertainment is not a bad thing?

to find people attracted back to the book as a preferred form of entertainment is not a bad thing?

I can't agree. If the magnet is bad--and this one seems to be horribly, hilariously bad--what's the point? They'd be better off watching Secretary. Or, heck, admiring the lovely rainbow patterns on the surface of soap bubbles.

The comparison with Harry Potter doesn't stand (quite apart from the fact that Rowling's prose is at least serviceable). Children--the main audience for HP--grow and develop. In their case getting hooked on reading by mediocre or even badly written books happens often and doesn't matter so much.

But people who are suddenly at fifty reading some horrible tripe, and LIKING it, as far as I can tell, are only likely to pick up more of the horrible tripe.

>26 LolaWalser: to find people attracted back to the book as a preferred form of entertainment is not a bad thing?

I'm with Lola here. If it's garbage that gets readers, that will only lead to a vicious cycle degrading the medium and filling it with garbage. But who imagined we could break Sturgeon's Law anyhow?

26 & 27> I gotta disagree with you on this. I work in a bookstore and a library. I'm seeing 20 somethings coming in for Fifty Shades all the time. It's junk, yes, and it'll lead to more junk but it's not like there isn't a lot out there already.
I think, that if more women (and men) read romances with kinky sex, they're more likely to seek out and read more. And they might talk about what they've read with their partners. Which will eventually make erotica more socially acceptable, just like it was in the 70's.
And before you know it, we'll be seeing erotica book groups run out of the library.
I have a dream...

But that's a completely different issue, whether this is making erotica socially acceptable etc.

As to that, no idea. Personally, I find the notion rather irrelevant (admittedly, it's easy to do so living in Western society with fairly large range of civil liberties).

"The comparison with Harry Potter doesn't stand (quite apart from the fact that Rowling's prose is at least serviceable). Children--the main audience for HP--grow and develop."

I would hope that, as a reader/learner, that I never stop growing and developing. If that is what happens when reaching an adult reader age, then there's no hope for any of us! I'm 57 and still studying, still learning, still growing and loving every minute of it!

Harry Potter has been the subject of banning, withdrawal from school libraries, criticism from religious groups for its inappropriate nature and much discourse about the fantasy world it promotes. Considering some of the press/criticism that 50 Shades has received, I believe the comparison valid.

As a teacher in a former life, specialising in the "reading challenged", I fought the powers that be to be able to use what they would regard as left of centre material for the teaching of reading. I was aiming to engage my students with age appropriate subject matter rather than whether they were presented with material of 'quality' at the apparent skill level. The quality material was generally so inappropriate for their age, it served to estrange the kids even further. By engaging their interest in the subject matter, you have the basis on which to build their skills as well as develop their appreciation as to what a book can bring to their lives.

I recall teaching some extremely disengaged 13 year old boys (with reading skill levels of about 5-6 year olds) the value of being able to read by presenting them with a carburettor from a 50 year old French car, copies of the workshop manual (in English) and suggesting we learn how to fix it...they were successfully reading in context, material that was technically complex and achieving the desired outcome. Yes - they put my carbie back together and it worked.

Some of the people coming back to reading 50 Shades will no doubt fall into the category of reluctant readers. To see them reading by choice has to be a step in the right direction. Not every one has the benefit of a sound education that equips them with the understanding of what makes good writing and what doesn't.

>30 australwind: Right on. I couldn't agree more. Get the readers something to engage them, and they'll read. The carburetor book was a stroke of genius.
It's like we tell the parents when they complain about the kids reading manga or comics: "At least they're reading!"
In this case (with adults, of course): "At least they're reading porn!"

Meanwhile, SOG is breaking sales records, for the printed version - maybe we should get together and bang out a 21st century Naked Came the Stranger ...

At least sales boosts are likewise being reported for sex toys, so perhaps there will also be a boost for erotica with a little more meat (no pun intended).

OOhhh yes.... I wonder who could be coerced into contributing to such a book?

Perhaps we could build an email tree where the passages are shipped back and forth between a group of people to add their contributions?

Of course we would have to consider the value of epub as well....

I'm in!
My preference would be to make it historical (Victorian, whatever). But I'll go with whatever the consensus is.

If you are truly interested in BDSM erotica go to www.bdsmlibrary.com. They have over nine thousand stories, mostly short, completely free. If you use the Advanced Search function (upper right corner), you can select the stories with the themes most interesting to you. Stories range from 'Light' to 'Extreme' in intensity-something for everyone.

Hate to drag this up again, but this review is too good, too well written, and too utterly damning not to share:

http://heresycorner.blogspot.com/2012/07/fifty-shades-of-grr.html

Anyone read any GOOD erotica recently?

Thanks for the link....and no, I haven't so there's nothing I can recommend!

Thank you! I'm so glad others have been coming forward to say exactly what I've been thinking! And I also really liked the other reviews/blogs she linked into her own review. I try to explain the problems with Ana and nobody gets it. I was an English major in college. And what I learned is this: most (and I do mean the vast majority) of English majors are perverts. We are not naive about sex because literature is FULL of it. From ancient myths to contemporary poetry, everything is filled to the brink with sex, sex, sex. All kinds of sex too. So for this Ana to claim she has no idea? Spare me. I guess this is why I only made it about halfway through the first one...

I try to tell everyone who asks that Fifty Shades is nothing close to true erotica, nor is it irrefutable evidence of the BDSM community. But the stereotypes are still there, sadly. But I will continue to do my part in my circles!

> 38 most (and I do mean the vast majority) of English majors are perverts

Well, most English authors maybe. Based on my experience, one should not underrate the ability of students and scholars to ignore what's staring them in the face.

>39 paradoxosalpha:, valid point about English authors. I guess I was in the right classes because we always dove straight into the sex, especially during grad school when it would made the undergrads so uncomfortable.

I remember when we did a production of Romeo and Juliet at the local community theatre and we had to tone down the opening scenes so as not to offend the "blue hairs."

41 > For contrast: A theater here in Richmond, Virginia is sexing up its production of The Rocky Horror Show:
http://www.styleweekly.com/richmond/camp-revamped/Content?oid=1734655

Dr. Frank N. Furter lords over a remote sex club rather than a castle. The costumes have been upgraded from bustiers, pumps and fishnets to all-out sado-masochism gear with lots of leather, straps and spikes. Gone is the electrified, rainbow ritual to create the monster. "In this version, Rocky is not manufactured, he is created," Smith says. "He comes into the club and is converted into Frank N. Furter's submissive through drugs and bondage. He is a willing participant."

I'm seeing it August 3.

'Fifty Shades ... ' has spawned quite a few parodies, and not a few 'lookalike' cover styles which try to sell imitations, but to my sense of humour - and, OK, humour is very personal - I laughed a lot at Fifty Sheds of Grey. A collection of pictures of garden sheds, etc., accompanied with (mostly short) jokes. To give a flavour:

'She knelt before me on the shed floor and tugged gently at first, then harder until it came. I moaned with pleasure. Now for the other boot ... '

Long enough to keep you amused, and short enough not to be exhausting (as it were), a lovely little book!

This little number turned up on the email rounds recently... Read it aloud for best effect...

Fifty Shades of Grey

The missus bought a Paperback
down Dymocks Saturday,
I had a look inside 'er bag
T'was Fifty Shades of Grey.

Well I just left her to it,
At ten I went to bed.
An hour later she appeared;
The sight filled me with dread.

In her left hand she held a rope
And in her right a whip
She threw them down upon the floor,
And then began to strip.

Well fifty years or so ago
I might have had a peek.
But Doris hasn't weathered well,
She's eighty four next week.

Watching Doris bump and grind
Could not have been much grimmer.
Things went from bad to worse
When she toppled off her Zimmer!

She struggled up upon her feet;
A couple minutes later;
She put her teeth back in and said
I 'ad to dominate her!!

Now if you knew our Doris,
You'd see just why I spluttered,
I'd spent two months in traction
For the last complaint I'd muttered.

She stood there nude, just naked like
Bent forward, just a bit.
I thought what the hell,
Stepped forward,
and stood on her left tit!

Doris screamed, her teeth shot out,
My god what had I done?
She moaned and groaned then shouted out:
Step on the other one!

Well readers, I can't tell no more
'bout what occurred that day.
Suffice to say me jet black 'air,
Turned fifty shades of Grey.

Author Unknown

This is priceless! Probably better than the book itself ...

An amusing report in today's 'i' (an erudite and cheap UK tabloid) indicates a dramatic increase in fire service call-outs to free distressed damsels from their handcuffs. They blame the popularity of 'Fifty Shades'! It seems that such occurrences have now exceeded cock ring rescues!

Of course it has nothing whatever to do with the attraction of being seen to by strong men in uniform!

Mmmm, firemen, hot men dousing flames in steamy conditions while smoke gets in your eyes... Why, I can almost feel a trilogy... coming on.

CliffordDorset - that little gem of information appeared in the "Odd Spot" of our morning daily today as well:

Quote:

The popularity of erotic fiction such as "Fifty Shades of Grey" could be to blame for the increase in calls to fire crews from people trapped in handcuffs, the London Fire Brigade has said. In the past three years it has turned out to 79 such "emergencies". The brigade urged people to "always keep the keys handy".

The Age - Wed 30 Jul 2013 p1.

I had wondered if they deliberately waited until the number had reached 79 before making the press release.

Oh my, that's funny!

> 48 While familiar with soixante neuf, of course, I finally had to resort to the internet to reference 79 ... well, I wasn't going to endure reading FSOG to find out. The Sex-Lexus dictionary failed me, but the Urban Dictionary supplied three quite divergent postures.

Only one fit the context - essentially 69 whilst one or possibly both are handcuffed, which sounds challenging (not to say uncomfortable). And no doubt embarrassing when the fire brigade must be summoned, no matter how buff the firemen may be ...