‘Between The Sheets is an erotic fiction campaign designed to push the boundaries of library users and challenge their reading horizons.’ Coming to a library near you…
Aaargh! Have you come across this ‘campaign’ in your local library? And who are these mysterious ‘library users’? Are they male or female? Hetero? Bi? Lesbian? Gay?
How on earth could anyone put Fifty Shades of You-Know-What on any list of erotic fiction? And at Numero Uno. Ha! Erotic fiction for those for whom subjugation to the venal whims of a misogynistic, f***ed-up, controlling psychopath is a date with a dream? (Of course, it was all his mother’s fault, really. Poor dear.) But OMG foreplay has never been easier; all Mr Grey has to do is appear and our lovely heroine is climaxing with a moist gasp.
But come on, Women of Glasgow and Scotland and the World! What would YOU put on the Glasgow Women’s Library’s Top Ten List of Erotic Novels?
Below is the list of what the Between The Sheets campaign is offering in selected libraries, and god-only-knows, probably in Ann Summers too, with a free DIY come-as your-fave-heroine kit. Now, some of them (surely?) are ones that a good feminist could happily recommend to her daughters. But which? My seminal tome was Fear of Flying, Erica Jong. It made number 24. (Seminal? Oh dear, must stop these puns…)
Oh, and guess what? Of the four covers I saw promoting this venture, two featured blindfolded women. I bet they’d love it if only women kept those blindfolds on…
So here’s the challenge. Are any of these books ones you would recommend?
And if not, what would you recommend to grown-up women who enjoy both their reading and their sexuality?
Please, please tell me. I really need to know. And once I do, I’ll try to make sure we have them in GWL!
So what are you waiting for? The comments boxes are empty and longing for your suggestions…
Magi
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TOP TEN EROTIC NOVELS from the Between the Sheets public library campaign
1. Fifty Shades Of Grey by EL James
2. In Too Deep by Portia Da Costa
3. Sarah’s Education by Madeleine Moore
4.The Business Of Pleasure by Justine Elyot
5.The Initiation of Ms Holly by K.D. Grace
6. Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire
7. The Bride Stripped Bare by Nikki Gemmell
8. Vox by Nicholson Barker (sic)
9. Bared To You by Sylvia Day
10. The Apprentice by Carrie Williams
And just for the record – No, I haven’t bought, or even borrowed, 50 Shades. But I have read excerpts online and even had a quick read in Fopp, just to make sure that, yes, it’s as bad as I had been led to believe.
19 replies on “Feminist Top 10 Erotic Fiction?”
Magi, I support you to erm, the hilt. How utterly depressing, how retrograde.I blame it on the proliferation of bubblegum pink (to the exclusion of all else) in female children’s clothing.There is defo a social push (as post-war) to make women girlier and fluffier(and less threatening?)I’ll pass on the vajazzle, thanks.
Between The Sheets is the title of a fantastic book by Lesley McDowell that explores the sexual relationships between nine female writers of the twentieth century and their male literary partners. I hope this library campaign means more people read her book.
Good point, Moira. Sounds like a fascinating read. Not sure we have Lesley’s book in GWL, but obviously we should have. I’ll get in to that.
That should say, ‘on to that’. Freudian? Who knows?
Thanks for posting, Suzanne. I wonder how many people think that PINK is now a feminist issue? There’s a great book about that in GWL. I can see the cover, but can’t recall the title, so I’ll check on that when I’m in tomorrow. :)
Magi, I’ve tried to subscribe to your blog a few times and not managed yet. It’s just occurred to me that it may be Orkney Council’s filters, so I’ll try at the cottage – where I now have broadband – yay!
Strong stuff indeed for Monday morning! Good on ya. Alison x
My erotic knowledge at an early age was supplied reading Edna O’Brien, The Country Girls and Girls with Green Eyes and Bonjour Tristesse by Francoise Sagan. At this great distance, I can’t remember if they were actually erotic or if they just supplied me with much needed anatomical information! Worth a look anyway … Alison x
I reread Girl with Green Eyes just a couple of weeks ago (from GWL shelves). A great read, but, no, I don’t think we can let it on to our ‘erotic’ list! Ah, such simpler times back then…
Ruby Fruit Jungle!
Wow! Is that an Orcadian exclamation, a book suggestion, or an author’s name, Alison? I will check it out… And if it (or she) doesn’t exist, then maybe we should create it/her?
Uh-oh! Just wiki-ed it:
Rubyfruit Jungle is the first novel by Rita Mae Brown, published in 1973. It was remarkable, in its day, for its explicit portrayal of lesbianism.
Also just discovered what the reference actually is! So, yep, sounds like it should be on our Top Ten. Anyone got a copy they’d like to donate to GWL?
Orcadian exclamation – that’s good! But I see you’ve found it. Must reread Edna O’Brien too. She’s been topical for her memoir The Girl With Green Eyes. She’s a writer I lost touch with after my first tentative toe-dipping into erotic waters post Blyton! x
I noticed your bedside table groaning with erotica recently and thought ‘FANTASTIC!’ Turns out it was just research.
Are you quite sure your new post is taking you in the right direction?
And what were you doing looking on my bedside table?! Oh, almost forgot, you live with me, right?
I have ready 50 Shades and yes the writing is absolutely terrible. Still I read all 3??? I will however, read anything. I often wondered how they even got published? Ms Steele’s character is like one of the twins out of Sweet Valley High – did anyone ever read those when they were growing up? I loved them. Then I decided to look for the book that should’ve been 50 shades and read Sylvia Day’s Bared To You. Holy cow! Burn after reading, that is one dirty book! I couldn’t believe it was on sale in Tesco, a supermarket of all places! I normally pass all my books round my family, but would be the “talk of the Steamie” if my Granny got hold of that one! Needless to say that was quite enough erotica for me thank you very much!
Must take a look at Bared to You – wearing asbestos gloves and a protective visor of course! Thanks for the suggestion, Nicola.
Here’s a new erotic novel from a Syrian woman.
The Proof of the Honey by Syrian author Salwa al-Neimi – and we have it in GWL!
Magie, I couldn’t agree more with your remarks on the sinister underlay of this kind of ‘erotica’.
I really enjoyed Nicholson Baker’s ‘The Fermata’ because although it’s about a bloke being able to stop time in order to tinker with unwitting ladies, somehow the tone is fine and nobody is demeaned, male or female.
Magi, I meant, crikey, unforgiveable typo! Sorry!