"...I was convinced that Story of O was going to
revolutionize the book trade, that I would sell hundreds of thousands of
copies across the world, and that moral attitudes would change
overnight. The audacity of this novel seemed to me to be liberating
rather than provocative. I perceived the promise of a new freedom. And I
expected to cause a shock."--Jean-Jacques Pauvert, from the
Introduction
When Story of O was first published in 1954
in Paris by Jean-Jacques Pauvert, it narrowly escaped censorship by the
Department of the Interior and eventually became the most widely
translated French novel in the world.
It describes in cool,
elegant language the experiences of a young woman as she willingly
enters a dark maze of perverse sexual practices within a clandestine
amoral society. Revelling in pure fantasy, its theme is total submission
through love to excesses of sadism and masochism, and the bond of
"ownership."
Now Doris Kloster, a photographer specializing in
issues of women's sexuality and power, has realized a long-standing
dream. She has created a photographic representation of one of the most
famous and controversial erotic novels ever published.
The result
is another sensation. The Illustrated Story of O presents over
50 superb images which mirror perfectly the intense eroticism of the
novel. Shooting entirely in Paris and its environs, Doris Kloster has
succeeded in matching characters, locations, costumes and props to the
original descriptions. And each magnificent color photograph is
accompanied by a short extract from the novel. In addition, there is a
Preface from Doris Kloster herself and an Introduction from Jean-Jacques
Pauvert, the original publisher of the novel.
The Illustrated
Story of O presents a rich visual feast that will delight fans of
Doris Kloster's work, and appeal strongly to connoisseurs of the darker
excesses of sexuality. It is destined to become a classic collector's
edition.