5 June 2011

A Most Odd Recommendation

All my exams are over, and it will soon be time for summer. This meaning that I'm on the lookout for something to read that doesn't resemble my curriculum at all. Especially nothing from the English literary canon, so I took a trip to the local library, went to the A-shelf, and looked at the back of books. What a way to pick a book. I ended up with a small book, with a pink and green cover, by Guillaume Apollinaire. It looked quite ordinary to say it the least, but when I opened it I was taken aback by its language, its form and its humor. I think I aught to give you its title....

"The Eleven Thousand Rods" - Les Onze Mille Verges

This is erotica...no, it's porn...well, I don't really know what to call it, and very few can actually say something neutral about it.
This brings a question to mind: how many dare to say that they read this sort of literature, who dare to say that "yes, I read pornographic literature" ?
I've come a long way just to admit this fact, but I do this from an artistic point of view. I simply want to know what all the fuzz is about...


Apollinaire has managed to use all the clichés from the sausy novels, lots of humor which challenge your idea of what you can allow yourself to laugh at, and a language which keeps you on the edge of your seat. To sit and read this on the bus was a rather strange experience, almost afraid that someone would have a peek over my shoulder.
i've just read Blasted by Sarah Kane, but this is so much worse in some respects. I don't want to go into any details, but I actually recommend this book. Wow, I never thought I would say something like that....
But it is a book one should read in French (sadly, I cannot...but the Norwegian translation is really good) and it is a book you only read once.

2 comments:

Steve said...

I've heard of this book, but I haven't gotten to reading it yet. I think that I would read a lot more erotic books like this if there were more great modern writers in this style, but the only good erotic books I've read are classics like The Story of O and Anais Nin's stories, most of the modern examples I look through in bookshops seem so trashy. I'll let you know what I think if I ever get to reading this :)

The Banshee of the North said...

I agree :) My plan this summer is to get through the classics like The Story of O. Finished this book today, and started immediately on "Fanny Hill".

It's fascinating to see how one grows as a human being through books like this, and how ones ideas and apprehension changes :) on the lookout for good books in this genre :p