The Technique of the Love Affair: By a Gentlewoman

by Doris Langley Moore, Norrie Epstein (Notes)

This 1928 classic--playfully shocking and surprisingly practical--is now back in print, astutely annotated for the nineties. Originally published anonymously by the multitalented Doris Langley Moore (author of many books of nonfiction and fiction, and a much sought-after costume designer for film and theater), The Technique of the Love Affair is a masterfully written dialogue between the worldly "Cypria" and the naive and sentimental "Saccharissa" on how to conduct--with grace and restraint--successful love affairs.

        Moore outlines a pragmatic approach to sexual pursuit and conquest, peppering her advice with incisive comments on the nature of men and women--which (current self-help books notwithstanding) has remained virtually unchanged after seventy years.

        A sparkling period piece and a shrewd guidebook for those who consider pleasure a serious business, The Technique of the Love Affair is brimming with unassailable, timeless insight. Now, in this new premillenial edition, it is--more than ever--a wise and witty manual on the art of love for the thinking woman.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Relationships, Humor

222 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1928

About the author

Doris Langley Moore OBE (1902–1989) also known as Doris Langley-Levy Moore, was one of the first important female fashion historians. She founded the Fashion Museum, Bath, (as The Museum of Costume) in 1963. She was also a well-respected Lord Byron scholar, and author of a 1940s ballet, The Quest. As a result of these wide-ranging interests, she had many connections within fashionable, intellectual, artistic and theatrical circles.

(wikipedia)

Reviews

[Margaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

Man catching manual from the twenties, combining the insights of Darwin and Machiavelli.



The Good

Can't say if the man-catching strategies work or not. They seem to follow the general philosophy of The Rules, i.e. play hard to get, with quaint vestiges of Edwardianism. Norrie Epstein has added some interesting anthropological/historic/literary footnotes. It's because of them that I discovered E M Delafield, Helen K Fisher, and some anthropologists whose names I can't remember at the moment. Hopefully they'll come to me without my having to plow through the book again.



The Bad
Has the distinction of having been reviewed by Dorothy Parker. 90% of that review is actually devoted to a book called Favorite Jokes of Famous People. The book itself is curtly dismissed for its "abominable style and its frequent sandy stretches."
Also, some of those anthropological/historic/literary footnotes are ham-fisted and redundant.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I quite enjoyed this old-fashioned book on attracting and playing with men's affections. Although I don't think many women will be dumbing down anytime soon (some of the advice given). I still think there are some good techniques here that will forever remain timeless. I like how the author tells the reader not to repeat any of this information to men (evil) otherwise all of our cunning ploys will be foiled. God dammit it! A top-secret book.

[Suzie Quint · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a reprint of a 1920's book with annotations. Written as instruction from the older, more sophisticated woman to a younger, more naive one, it reminded me a lot of the more recent "The Rules." Probably shouldn't be too surprised since men haven't changed that much.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Socratic dialogue about something that actually matters.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun... I love books books of a 'certain age' addressing all to contemporary issues of my life!

[Melanie Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found the advice as apt today as the year it was written and will probably give a copy to my niece when she finishes college. Maybe even sooner.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inbetween long-term marriages, I'm going to give these advice tidbits a try, and report to my spinster gal pals the results.

[Juliana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actually useful and also interesting

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not what I was expecting! It is interesting in a historical way and I was hoping to get an interesting character study but got more of a weird 1920s Dear Abby flapper edition. I mean, for what it is it is cute but not what I really was expecting. Wah.

[Pam Mccullough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very erotic and shocking for a 78 yr old book. Common sense things women should already know but don't put into practice.