Story of O by Pauline Reage

[BlueSugar]

Has anyone read or heard of this book? It was reconmended to me last night, I bought it last night and as of 3:17pm today I am hooked on the book and up to page 109 of 200.

It is a D/s story where the women's name is omitted and is called "O." Very well written, I'm not going to say anymore abuot the book for those who haven't read it... but go... out... right now... and buy this book and read it... please. You will not regret it.

 

[D's mariposa]

Glad you're enjoying it! It's a bit of a classic round here.

 

[da grunt]

Has anyone read or heard of this book?

Yes. Its a classic, and to a large degree has defined our desires.

 

[Chicklet]

?

My copy of "The story of O" is by "annonymous" - is this one you're reading a different book?

 

[da grunt]

http://www.storyofo.co.uk/Corridors1.html

 

[da grunt]

http://www.angelfire.com/in2/lasoldeleo/O1.html

 

[Pure]

It's a classic, BlueSugar, one mark of that being it's copied in endless stories at literotica and elsewhere.

It's by (pen name) Pauline Reage (actual name D. Aury [a woman])

It had quite an impact at the time I read it and some scenes are still with me decades later. One feature that makes it good, imo, is the sparseness of pornographic detail. You will not find words like 'cunt' etc. there.

If you want to talk about it in this thread (there have been others) I'm game.

J.

Chiclet: The real story begins thus (in D'estree's English trans.), so you can determine if you have a pirate copy, or unrelated ripoff.

"Her lover one day takes O for a walk in a section of the city where they never go--the Montsouris Park, the Monceau Park. After they have taken a stroll in the part, and have sat side by side on the edge of the lawn....."

The whole text is on the net, btw. see the angelfire url, in the nearby posting.

 

[DVS]

The version I have starts the same as the one you mentioned, so I guess I have the correct one. It is also in four parts.

I also saw the movie, back in the early 80s?, or lates 70s?. I think it was done in French, and dubed in English.

It wan't too bad, but kind of cheesy. And, in it's defense, I saw it at a drive-in theater.

 

[navarre]

I first read this when I was a sophmore in college.

It's not bad as far as fantasy fiction goes. It is that and nothing more.

Sir Stephen will not be coming to life.

 

[TantaLiza]

I read it too... kept it in my collection. The Beauty series is a good one to read, too if you're just starting out! Enjoy!

 

[Chicklet]

Chiclet: The real story begins thus (in D'estree's English trans.), so you can determine if you have a pirate copy, or unrelated ripoff.

"Her lover one day takes O for a walk in a section of the city where they never go--the Montsouris Park, the Monceau Park. After they have taken a stroll in

Well I let a friend of mine borrow it. I would hope Borders wouldn't sell me a fake.

 

[Etoile]

Glad you're enjoying it! It's a bit of a classic round here.

Heh, yeah. I'm usually kind of surprised when people find out about stuff that I've known about for years. The Beauty storyline (by Anne Rice writing as A.N. Rochelaure) is also a great set for newbies.

It's funny, I don't really like Story of O very much. I kind of feel people place too much importance on it when it's just a story.

 

[ImmortaleAmante]

I think it is a good story, i reread it several times and felt that that was what it needed, i am glad you are enjoying it.

 

[BlueSugar]

Done and done... took me a little less then 3 1/2 hours to read the entire book. I have the white copy translated from french to english by a women... there is one other copy and then there is a yellow copy which was translated by a man, which has a bit missing, omitted, or paraphraised....

It wasn't extraordinary, I was reading it bc I had heard it was a classic reciently and I was in a book store that had it.

I enjoyed that it didn't use 'cunt' etc, but I wish that the scences were elaborated a little bit. "and he took her...." (5 days later of traveling and "does he love me, i love him) "and they took her.." ... Just a sentence or two more would have been fine, summing everything up in a sentence didn't do it for me. And the lashings could have been more in her point of view. (the way it was originally written.) And in my copy, I disliked the ending, the transposer ended after the ball and in italics wrote

there is another chaper where they take her back to Rossiary, Sir Stephen/Rene` doesn't love her anymore and is enamored with Jacqueline ((my name )) and she chooses to die, and they kill her.

 

[BlueSugar]

I enjoyed the book and it has put wonderful images and scenes etc into my head, its not much to write home about, but I'm glad I did read it. Besides the Ann Rice book Etoile mentioned, any others I "must read" ?


I must say I enjoyed reading of Ann Marie and of The Rossiary the most.

 

[Psia]

It IS a classic, but honestly not my favorite. I think everyone should give it a read, there are some very erotic moments.

It is what it is, but I really don't think it is the holy text of BDSM.
I'm glad you got to give it a read, though!
Psia

 

[Daedalus77]

I think of it fondly because it was the first book I ever read that let me know I wasn't the only one thinking this way.

 

[James G 5]

I think of it fondly because it was the first book I ever read that let me know I wasn't the only one thinking this way.

You're not
Fond memories for me, too

 

[le_kinklet]

Story of O

Yes,, hehehe ,,, i have read it several times and a girl still can't get enough!! glad you are enjoying it too!!

 

[BlueSugar]

The person that reconmended me the book was in his first year of highschool when he read it and thought it was the best thing ever... I think bc I read it when i was a bit older then he was when he first read it... it took away some of the "incredableness" bc I've been reading literotica and other various works ... before i was legal to... maybe I was a little numb to it bec I have been exposed to it?

 

[Seattle Zack]

I also enjoyed 9 1/2 Weeks (the book, not the crappy Mickey Rourke-Kim Bassinger film, which is nothing like the book). Published under a pseudonym, supposedly a true story -- not sure if that's really the case or just advertising copy.

--Zack

 

[SexyChele]

Yes, I've read it. Didn't do anything for me at all, but since people said it was a classic, well, you know. Funny thing is, a lot of people will state it's a classic while at the same time admitting they didn't care for it. Sorta makes one wonder what constitutes a classic. Perhaps it was published at a time when it was considered "shocking"? Not sure. I've always hoped the original version in French would be better, but I don't read French and I've no desire to learn the language just to read a book I didn't like to begin with.

If people get something out "O" that's good thing. But books are subjective so not all readers get the same out of them.

 

[Peter2002]

Dear SexyChele

Yes, I've read it. Didn't do anything for me at all, but since people said it was a classic, well, you know. Funny thing is, a lot of people will state it's a classic while at the same time admitting they didn't care for it. Sorta makes one wonder what constitutes a classic. Perhaps it was published at a time when it was considered "shocking"? Not sure. I've always hoped the original version in French would be better, but I don't read French and I've no desire to learn the language just to read a book I didn't like to begin with.

If people get something out "O" that's good thing. But books are subjective so not all readers get the same out of them.

Wish I had more time but here goes. Your hunch is right, because it was published in France in the late 40s or early 50s. I think O endures because it is a fairy tale, certainly an adult fairy tale, but a fairy tale nonetheless. As such, I think it has assumed an almost cannonical (did I spell that right?) importance. It is for many an early touchstone. It doesn't read as well to me today as it did 30 years ago. But it still resonates. More later. Must run.

 

[Owlz]

Checking in...

waving to Blue.

I've heard of 'Story of O,' have not read it.

 

[catalina_francisco]

I first read it 30 years ago when I did not realise the book I found high up on the shelf in a newsagent was a classic....but knew I loved it then, and still do, and find few which can compare without resorting to outright gratuitous pornography and over the top fantasy. I did not enjoy the movie much though, but I think that is typical of most books adapted to film.

As for the reality factor, I am a little puzzled as to why people do not see it as a reality type situation. Maybe I have been mixing in circles which are a little different to others, I don't know, but I did not find anything in the text from memory that does not, or has not, taken place in reality for some on this earth. I agree the events and circumstances may not be commonplace, but they do and have happened in varying forms and contexts.

Catalina