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Obsession: An Erotic Tale
The marriages of desire . . . From the multitalented and versatile Gloria Vanderbilt comes a passionate, sensual, witty, and puzzling tale of erotic obsession, beauty, and revenge, told in tandem by two women obsessed with the same man—and, ultimately, with each other. Talbot Bingham is a renowned architectural genius who, with his formidable wife, Priscilla, creates an architectural community. When he dies unexpectedly in the middle of their tenth wedding anniversary celebration, the devastated Priscilla is left keeper of the flame of Talbot's genius. Going through her husband's archives, she comes unexpectedly upon a pile of neatly tied letters, and the shocking secret of her husband's intimate life—a discovery that shatters the foundation of her soul and spirit. Obsession explores the mysteries of the human heart and the nature of sexuality and obsession, provoking questions about whom we choose to love, and why. The reader is left to decide if the other woman represents another facet of Priscilla, or if Priscilla her-self has invented the other woman who completed the world her husband so recently inhabited?
144 pages, Hardcover
First published June 23, 2009
29 people are currently reading
205 people want to read
About the author
Gloria Vanderbilt
36 books77 followersGloria Laura Vanderbilt was an American artist, author, actress, fashion designer, heiress, and socialite. She was a member of the Vanderbilt family of New York and the mother of CNN television anchor Anderson Cooper. Wikipedia
Gloria Laura Vanderbilt was the author of four memoirs and two novels. She contributed to various publications, including The New York Times, Vanity Fair, and Elle, and has received two honorary Doctorates of Fine Arts. She lived in New York City.
Gloria Laura Vanderbilt was the author of four memoirs and two novels. She contributed to various publications, including The New York Times, Vanity Fair, and Elle, and has received two honorary Doctorates of Fine Arts. She lived in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
January 25, 2022
4 Stars for Obsession (audiobook) by Gloria Vanderbilt read by the author.
I thought this story was interesting. A husband dies unexpectedly and his wife finds letters about a second life he was leading.
I thought this story was interesting. A husband dies unexpectedly and his wife finds letters about a second life he was leading.
April 25, 2013
I wanted to like this book, if for no other reason than simply because of all the catty and immature reviews on this site. Unfortunately, though their grade school reactions were hilarious, some had a point. This book was terrible. Think of an episode of Real Sex populated by the cast of "Bridges of Madison County" and narrated by a drunk, horny Stephanie Meyer. You'd think it would at least be amusing by how awful it truly was and how awkward the "erotica" was, but the writing was SO bad that it was simply annoying. And contrary to popular belief, the sex parts were not naughty. In fact, they were kind of lame and suburban...kind of like imagining your dad having sex (never your mom, that woman is a saint and conceived you by pure magic).
January 12, 2024
What a surprising, bizarre little story written and read by Gloria Vanderbilt. I don’t read Erotica but I was drawn to this because of Gloria Vanderbilt… quirky story about after a man dies, his wife finds erotic letters written to him by a lady named B and she finds out about his double life.
May 27, 2009
I do not read much erotic books but I won the book so....
I have to say I liked it. I did not expect Gloria Vanderbilt to write such a book but as for this book she did it with class. Thumbs up
I have to say I liked it. I did not expect Gloria Vanderbilt to write such a book but as for this book she did it with class. Thumbs up
July 5, 2023
In my defense, when I started, I didn't realize this book was just one, long monologue of foul dirty talk.
March 4, 2010
Hubby, famous architect, is dead. Wife goes through personal effects. Voila! A cache of letters tied together with magenta grosgrain ribbon...The dirty secrets therein...
Despite all of the reviews here to the contrary, this is actually quite well written, and surprisingly thoughtful at times. Vanderbilt writes about the kind of people she knows: rich and beautiful and popular; and about the sorts of expensive material goods she no doubt posesses in abundance. It's kind of her erotic Gatsby. The framework is not particularly original. It's like Bridges of Madison County for the Hamptons set. The book is short, (mildly) dirty and, for me, cheap ($1 clearance). As erotica, it has the set-up down good and the dreamy poetic voice, but is weak on the follow-through. It didn't make me all tingly and hard, alas. The opening chapter begins in an omniscient voice and then goes to a first-person and you're initially confused about who is talking, at least for a few pages (it's the wife, fyi). This change of voices occurs later in the book and the effect is awkward. It's not confusing, but detracts from the flow of the book because it sticks out as a distraction. Anyway, I did find the mistress, Bee, intriguing, for her blend of submissiveness, strength and erotic acumen. I think any man would. She is the sexual doppelganger of Priscilla, Talbot's wife--mirror images outside only. However, a Persona-like fusion awaits. The flights of fancy and revenge fantasies harbored by the rival women in the second half of the book are rather silly and florid, but fairly inventive and fun. The object of their obsession gone, they obsess over each other. It struck me, reading this, that Vanderbilt has a pretty good sense of the needs of both men and women. For spouses, this might serve as a good cautionary tale about not neglecting or rejecting each others' desires and fantasies. There are obvious links in spirit between this novella and Arthur Schnitzler's Dream Story and its Stanley Kubrick film adaptation, Eyes Wide Shut (both of which I love). I think if I handed this manuscript to a publisher I would be proud and pleased with myself. Really. I think a lot of the venom toward this book is just hoi polloi resentment toward Vanderbilt, which is something I understand, and why I was pleased to get this book on clearance for $1 and deny her royalties to make her even more obscenely rich. But, come on, when Talbot carries Bee and places her naked body on the open shell of the fountain sculpture and the water flows between her legs and he hands her a parasol, you gotta love it. I didn't expect much of this book, but derived enjoyment nonetheless. The writing is far better than Twilight (what isn't?) and the characters are adults caught up in healthy erotic perversions. Your mileage may vary.
Despite all of the reviews here to the contrary, this is actually quite well written, and surprisingly thoughtful at times. Vanderbilt writes about the kind of people she knows: rich and beautiful and popular; and about the sorts of expensive material goods she no doubt posesses in abundance. It's kind of her erotic Gatsby. The framework is not particularly original. It's like Bridges of Madison County for the Hamptons set. The book is short, (mildly) dirty and, for me, cheap ($1 clearance). As erotica, it has the set-up down good and the dreamy poetic voice, but is weak on the follow-through. It didn't make me all tingly and hard, alas. The opening chapter begins in an omniscient voice and then goes to a first-person and you're initially confused about who is talking, at least for a few pages (it's the wife, fyi). This change of voices occurs later in the book and the effect is awkward. It's not confusing, but detracts from the flow of the book because it sticks out as a distraction. Anyway, I did find the mistress, Bee, intriguing, for her blend of submissiveness, strength and erotic acumen. I think any man would. She is the sexual doppelganger of Priscilla, Talbot's wife--mirror images outside only. However, a Persona-like fusion awaits. The flights of fancy and revenge fantasies harbored by the rival women in the second half of the book are rather silly and florid, but fairly inventive and fun. The object of their obsession gone, they obsess over each other. It struck me, reading this, that Vanderbilt has a pretty good sense of the needs of both men and women. For spouses, this might serve as a good cautionary tale about not neglecting or rejecting each others' desires and fantasies. There are obvious links in spirit between this novella and Arthur Schnitzler's Dream Story and its Stanley Kubrick film adaptation, Eyes Wide Shut (both of which I love). I think if I handed this manuscript to a publisher I would be proud and pleased with myself. Really. I think a lot of the venom toward this book is just hoi polloi resentment toward Vanderbilt, which is something I understand, and why I was pleased to get this book on clearance for $1 and deny her royalties to make her even more obscenely rich. But, come on, when Talbot carries Bee and places her naked body on the open shell of the fountain sculpture and the water flows between her legs and he hands her a parasol, you gotta love it. I didn't expect much of this book, but derived enjoyment nonetheless. The writing is far better than Twilight (what isn't?) and the characters are adults caught up in healthy erotic perversions. Your mileage may vary.
October 5, 2009
Wow. That was awful. I only read 5 pages and knew it was awful and I should have stopped after that, but then I skimmed it to see if there were any good sexy bits, as it was an "erotic tale", but it sucked. And not the good "erotic tale" kind of suck.
November 11, 2015
Awful. It has a fragmented story, a undeveloped main man and a naive leading lady. Also, the author needs to look up what "Erotic" means. What I read was bland and at times disgusting, skimming over erotic and going for explicit. Not a good read.
January 3, 2023
WOW...that was bad, bad, bad. I have to wonder if the readers who read this book who rated it 2 stars or above read the same book I did. Thank goodness it was only 144 pages...I kept hoping it would get better.
November 15, 2009
was okay. A little confusing as to who was "narrating". And the ending was kinda dumb.
April 12, 2014
If you have to tell me more than twice that someone has waxed their privates in a book that is under 150 pages that is not erotica it is just stupid. YucK!
November 26, 2021
I found this on the Libby app on audio and was curious because I'd never heard of it. It's very short so I decided to give this curiosity a go. I can easily report that this was god awful.
September 14, 2019
Una historia corta enfocada en un hombre, un arquitecto de gran renombre que poseía a la esposa perfecta y la vida perfecta. Eso hasta que muere y Priscilla descubre que su perfecto esposo conducía una segunda vida cargada de sensualidad con otra mujer, en otra casa, con otra identidad que ella misma nunca llegó a conocer. Lo peor es saber que aquella mujer era muy parecida físicamente pero se perdía en los placeres de la sensualidad que a su marido fascinaban. Ella podía haber sido la esposa, pero la otra era la Reina.
Es interesante leer las cartas de aquella otra mujer porque descubrimos los verdaderos intereses del esposo, y la obsesión gradual de la mujer por su ausencia cuando estaba con La Esposa. Si bien la narración es fácil de leer, carece del atractivo que pretende impartir, lejos de parecer erótico, las escenas de cama suenan demasiado teatrales y faltas de profundidad.
El único aspecto reivindicante es cómo en la narración de Bee y Priscilla podemos ver la obsesión que últimadamente sienten la una por la otra, sabiendo que su hombre compartía la otra parte de su vida con aquella. Aún así, pudo haberse desarrollado más pero terminó abruptamente.
Lo mejor
Lo corto de la historia.
Lo peor
Las escenas eróticas dejan mucho que desear.
Citas
Dominated by mutual obsession, two eagles are now one. They travel, sweeping across mountains and valleys, oceans, deserts, toward each other, across forest by day, in dark of night, at incredible speed...
Es interesante leer las cartas de aquella otra mujer porque descubrimos los verdaderos intereses del esposo, y la obsesión gradual de la mujer por su ausencia cuando estaba con La Esposa. Si bien la narración es fácil de leer, carece del atractivo que pretende impartir, lejos de parecer erótico, las escenas de cama suenan demasiado teatrales y faltas de profundidad.
El único aspecto reivindicante es cómo en la narración de Bee y Priscilla podemos ver la obsesión que últimadamente sienten la una por la otra, sabiendo que su hombre compartía la otra parte de su vida con aquella. Aún así, pudo haberse desarrollado más pero terminó abruptamente.
Lo mejor
Lo corto de la historia.
Lo peor
Las escenas eróticas dejan mucho que desear.
Citas
Dominated by mutual obsession, two eagles are now one. They travel, sweeping across mountains and valleys, oceans, deserts, toward each other, across forest by day, in dark of night, at incredible speed...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 6, 2020
What a horrible waste of time — even for a book as short as this. In fact, that was the only positive, it being mercifully short.
I'm truly paying it a compliment by saying it is a disorganized, frustrating, run-on mess. It has absolutely no structure. It is the perfect example of what a book should not be. This shit was SO bad that if it were thrown into a raging inferno it would not catch because even the flames would try to avoid contact with it. Mercy! My poor brain.
I'm truly paying it a compliment by saying it is a disorganized, frustrating, run-on mess. It has absolutely no structure. It is the perfect example of what a book should not be. This shit was SO bad that if it were thrown into a raging inferno it would not catch because even the flames would try to avoid contact with it. Mercy! My poor brain.
February 6, 2019
Interesting story. It just jumps right into the story of a wealthy widow woman that finds out through letters she finds in her husbands files of his other life. He belonged to a "club" where he had a mistress that looked alot like his wife. A well know architect built and maintained a house for his mistress through the life of their marriage.
February 17, 2022
I went outside of my normal genres...almost quit very early on when I realized "erotic" meant submission and domination in this instance...decided to try a little more...thought once again about quitting...realized I was pretty close to the end and so powered on to the end. I should have gone with my gut, I guess.
January 4, 2024
I didn't like this at all. It was all over the place and so technical for "erotica". The description of the clothing was more enjoyable than this book. I only finished because it was so short, otherwise it would have been a DNF for me.
November 5, 2017
Atrocious.
February 25, 2018
If I could give this book 0 stars, I would. It was HORRIBLE. The plot didn't make any sense, weird words, so confusing. Only finished reading to be able to mark a square in my book bingo group.
May 9, 2019
It wasn’t good, but it wasn’t bad. Some parts were interesting, it was an easy read but overall nothing I would remember.
July 6, 2019
2.5 stars. Audiobook. Hearing Gloria Vanderbilt say “cock” repeatedly was too much! LOL.
November 21, 2019
Oh for gods sake! What did I just read? But it was fun, I guess.
December 20, 2019
There was more in Gloria Vanderbilt's head than making
jeans.
jeans.
February 3, 2020
Ahhhhhhgg. What did I just read? 1.5 stars.
April 29, 2020
I have the audio book, which I've listened to a couple times, and it's the only one of GV's books that I wouldn't give a higher rating to.
January 7, 2022
An utter disappointment. The timeline was so difficult to follow and the whole thing felt rushed and plain unbelievable.
January 5, 2025
Sucked. Hated it. So weird and gross and strange. Didn't like how women were portrayed within the dynamics present in the narrative. Just ew, big thumbs down.
February 13, 2017
A seemingly happily-married woman loses her husband suddenly while celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary. While going through his belongings, she uncovers a series of letters which reveals a hidden life he was living. Along with feeling shocked and betrayed, she becomes obsessed by the woman/women who knew about her all along, for years.
Using information from the letters, she starts to unravel the mystery left behind...I think. It was a bit confusing. Some parts seemed to be dreams or just ravings from a grief-stricken woman. The ending also leaves you wondering, "What just happened here?" I listened to the audio version of this book, read by the author. Perhaps if I had a different version I could have more easily gone back and re-read parts to clear up confusion I had. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this enough to care.
Using information from the letters, she starts to unravel the mystery left behind...I think. It was a bit confusing. Some parts seemed to be dreams or just ravings from a grief-stricken woman. The ending also leaves you wondering, "What just happened here?" I listened to the audio version of this book, read by the author. Perhaps if I had a different version I could have more easily gone back and re-read parts to clear up confusion I had. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this enough to care.
September 4, 2009
Reading Obsession is like dining at a fancy restaurant. First there's the anticipation from the buzz: "Octogenarian heiress with a history of four marriages and affairs with notable men writes an erotic novel." Priscilla Bingham loses her famous architect husband Talbot at their tenth anniversary party to a massive heart attack, only to find among his papers letters wrapped in magenta grosgrain ribbon from his maitresse. A mysterious, sensual women named Bee had been chosen by Talbot from an exclusive sex club to "organize his erotica" from the palatial compound he built for her; her letters detail the pleasures of their kinky sex life. Priscilla, sexually tepid at best, becomes obsessed with Bee, who may or may not be a figment of her own imagination, or she of Bee's. Then there's the ambience -- all the kinky details are presented tastefully, in lavish, lush language that ushers one into a world where exotic things happen simply because the extremely wealthy wills it. Yet what does Vanderbilt--who identifies herself with Bee in the New York Times Book Review interview--really say about love, obsession, sex and the imagination? While it was an extravagant experience, this novella by the mother of CNN newscaster Anderson Cooper isn't very substantively filling.
January 8, 2014
Saw Anderson Cooper say that his mother asked him to proof a book she had written and he was a little embarrassed reading it. I remembered I had this one in my "to-read" pile and decided to see how embarrassed I would be. The book switches between the author and the main character as narrators without any signal. That was hard to follow. Then it goes from reality to dreams. The end was kind of weird. I guess I'm supposed to see that the obsession had ended, but it just wasn't enough for me.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews