"Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure", commonly known as "Fanny Hill", has been shrouded in mystery and controversy since John Cleland completed it in 1749. The Bishop of London called the work 'an open insult upon Religion and good manners' and James Boswell referred to it as 'a most licentious and inflaming book'. The story of a prostitute's rise to respectability, it has been recognized more recently as a unique combination of parody, sensual entertainment and a philosophical concept of sexuality borrowed from French libertine novels. Modern readers will appreciate it not only as an important contribution to revolutionary thought in the Age of Enlightenment, but also as a thoroughly entertaining and important work of erotic fiction, deserving of a place in the history of the English novel beside Richardson, Fielding and Smollett.
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About the Author
John Cleland was born in 1710, the eldest son of William Cleland, an officer and friend of Pope. He entered Westminster School in 1721 and remained there until his sudden departure in 1723. Later he joined the East India Company, where he rose from simple soldier to businessman and eventually secretary of the Bombay Council. However, his good fortune did not last and he left Bombay around 1740 and returned to London in 1741. Thereafter Cleland followed a career as literary hack, Grub Street writer and journalist. The life was extremely competitive and though Cleland pursued every promising avenue, both literary writing and factual reporting, he was in costant financial difficulty. He was imprisoned for debt on several occasions and on one of these, between February 1748 and March 1749, he usefully employed his time by revising and rewriting a draft of a novel entitled Fanny Hill. Both volumes of Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure, the final title, were published before his release. Cleland enjoyed some success with Fanny Hill and he hoped to exploit this with a sequel, Memoirs of a Coxcomb; but this and his other attempts at erotic fiction sank into oblivion. Impoverished and virtually unknown, John Cleland died in Westminster in January 1789
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Realistic Morality,
By sandra (California) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Fanny Hill (Penguin Popular Classics) (Paperback)
In this time of erotic fiction galore, where novels of sexual content line bookstore shelves, and purchasing one is as easy, common place, and unembarassing as picking up a bar of chocolate at a grocery store, the true significance of Fanny Hill may not be quite fully understood. The story documents a young girl's experiences following the untimely death of her parents, which leaves her in an adult situation at a tender age. Penniless and alone, she strives to locate a means of survival for one in her position, unexperienced in the world. Not surprisingly, and as the title proclaims, she becomes a woman of pleasure.What is surprising, however, is the morality of the characters, how Cleland emphasizes their humanity and conscience, how he illustrates that their profession has no baring on their propensity for evil, provides no leniencey for a souless disposition. Cleland continuosly establishes this point throught the course of the novel, explaining, through Fanny, that courteseans and the like are regular people. That they work, eat, and play, just like everyone else. This is not necesssarly the main point of the novel, merely an important observation to remember with regards to the period the work was written. This perspective, in addition to the erotic material, must have clashed with the traditional, conservative beliefs of the time, been considered blasphemy. The author must have realized this, and knowing this fact while reading the material makes me have a bit more respect for the writer. As for the rest, the memoir is privy to an extensive English vocabulary, and the choppy, comma-spliced sentences maintain a unique elegance in contrast with the regular style of uninform diction. All in all, I found it a really stellar work, and picking it up I had pretty low expectations considering the basic story line, which serves as the framework for so many novels today. I actually wound up reading the entire work in one sitting, and finding it an enticing blend of romance and intrigue, action and realistic adventure, advancing the ideals of morality from a mature and logical standpoint.
1.0 out of 5 stars
Not the spanish edition,
This review is from: Fanny Hill (Penguin Popular Classics) (Paperback)
for those who are looking for the spanish edition of fanny hill, look somewhere else. this is the unillustrated english version and is made with recycled paper.on the positive side, if you want to help your environment and get your jollies reading one of the most well known erotic novels, i say go for this one. the price is probably one of the best you'll find.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Va-Voom!,
By
This review is from: Fanny Hill (Penguin Popular Classics) (Paperback)
I'd always been curious about this one, ever since the scene in the film The Impossible Years where the younger sister's eyes pop (along with her bubble gum bubble) as she reads it.All I can say is, if you're looking for beautifully written erotica that stands up to the test of time (read: It'll turn on even us 21st-century, uncensored folks), this is for you. Enjoy!
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