Confessions of O: conversations with Pauline Réage

by Pauline Réage, Régine Deforges, Sabine d'Estree (Translator)

Book by DeForges, Regine

Genres: Fiction, Erotica

150 pages, Hardcover

Published October 24, 1979

About the author

Fifty years ago, an extraordinary pornographic novel appeared in Paris. Published simultaneously in French and English, Story of O portrayed explicit scenes of bondage and violent penetration in spare, elegant prose, the purity of the writing making the novel seem reticent even as it dealt with demonic desire, with whips, masks and chains.

Pauline Réage, the author, was a pseudonym, and many people thought that the book could only have been written by a man. The writer's true identity was not revealed until 10 years ago, when, in an interview with John de St Jorre, a British journalist and some-time foreign correspondent of The Observer, an impeccably dressed 86-year-old intellectual called Dominique Aury (born Anne Desclos) acknowledged that the fantasies of castles, masks and debauchery were hers.

Aury was an eminent figure in literary France, and had been when she wrote the book at the age of 47. A translator, editor and judge of literary prizes, for a quarter of a decade, Aury was the only woman to sit on the reading committee of publishers Gallimard (a body that also included Albert Camus) and was a holder of the Légion d'Honneur. She could scarcely have been more highbrow, nor, according to de St Jorre, more quietly and soberly dressed, more 'nun-like'.

Read the full text at http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2004/...

Reviews

[Mimiorphee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Depending on what you're looking for in this book, you'll either love it or be utterly disappointed.
Personally, I loved feeling like a little mouse witnessing these to monumental women. With completely different personalities, and 27 years of age gap, they never backed down during this interview. I could feel Deforges' spirit, unrestrained, unapologetic, curious, whereas Aury was a lot more secretive and evasive.
Nonetheless, they broached many topics that were closet o their hearts or their experiences. Of course, many ways of thinking will appear, today, completely outdated, and some ideas, completely shocking.
Anyhow, I had the impression this was a discussion between my grandmother and my great-grandmother, I kept my mind open, replaced their words in their era, and enjoyed O M'A DIT to no end.
Feminism, war, clandestinely, jealousy, menage, the place of women in society and couples, sexuality, and of course O's personality and how STORY OF O was perceived by the literary community, as many topics that I loved exploring through the eyes of the two women who definitely marked the XXth century.

[Salo]

Dunno man it's hot but also racist and pedo-y

[A'ledyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had very exotic views on BDSM, and left me feeling very erotic.

I learned that love is a dangerous mechanism when it goes uncontrolled.

I feel this book was missing an ending... My book stopped with the chapter 'Owl'

[Yuliana]

I forgot about having read this book, a book that all women must have read in secret, until reading Catherin Millet's book. I believe I found it all the more shocking and titillating when I was 19 than I do now.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why no reviews? :)

[Nautile · Rating 3 out of 5]

在图书馆偶然发现居然还有这本书，才临时起意拿过来看。
就很有意思，《O娘》作者的一些性格特质有明显的时代特征，而一部分观点又即使是拿到今天来讲也不过时……