Obsession: An Erotic Tale [Hardcover]

Gloria Vanderbilt (Author)

Book Description

Release date: June 23, 2009

The marriages of desire . . .

From the multitalented and versatile Gloria Vanderbilt comes a passionate, sensual, witty, and puzzling tale of erotic obsession, beauty, and revenge, told in tandem by two women obsessed with the same man—and, ultimately, with each other.

Talbot Bingham is a renowned architectural genius who, with his formidable wife, Priscilla, creates an architectural community. When he dies unexpectedly in the middle of their tenth wedding anniversary celebration, the devastated Priscilla is left keeper of the flame of Talbot's genius. Going through her husband's archives, she comes unexpectedly upon a pile of neatly tied letters, and the shocking secret of her husband's intimate life—a discovery that shatters the foundation of her soul and spirit.

Obsession explores the mysteries of the human heart and the nature of sexuality and obsession, provoking questions about whom we choose to love, and why. The reader is left to decide if the other woman represents another facet of Priscilla, or if Priscilla her-self has invented the other woman who completed the world her husband so recently inhabited?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Vanderbilt—socialite, artiste and pioneer of designer jeans—dips into the realm of spanking, thrusting, creaming and opening as a flower toward the sun with this dressed-up pulp erotica tale—Chip Kidd designed the striking cover, which features white-haired mannequins that (a certain type of person might be inclined to conclude) slightly resemble the host of CNN's AC360. After renowned architect Talbot Bingham dies, his widow, Priscilla, designates their Maryland estate (of all our estates it was the one I loved most) as a museum. In going through Talbot's papers there, Priscilla discovers letters from a woman calling herself Queen Bee that describe a physical passion utterly foreign to Pris. Repulsed and fascinated by Bee's purple correspondence (Look Master, no doubt you didn't insist she wax her mons as you do mine), Priscilla falls into a labyrinth of pain and misery and becomes increasingly obsessed with Bee. As Vanderbilt nudges the two women together, the already soft-focused narrative becomes nearly hallucinatory. Sadly, this is no Story of O: the prose is terminally puffy, the sex has been done (and done and done) and Pris is an unendearing priss. (June)
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Review

“In her new novel, Gloria Vanderbilt has created a remarkable tapestry of human passion--an interior world of highly charged erotic mysteries that teasingly suggest, but ever elude, decoding. OBSESSION is a poetic tale on the nature of possession and obsession.” (Joyce Carol Oates)

“Warmth and zest and cheekiness...OBSESSION is erotica even your grandmother can love.” (The Daily Beast)

“Leave it to Gloria Vanderbilt to design a sensual novel for the material girl...” (USA Today)

“‘Obsession’...evolves into a clever psychological puzzle...great fun (Buffalo News)

“Bee’s letters are carnal, kinky, pulpy, lewd...they’re threatening but enthralling...” (Arizona Republic)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Ecco; 1 edition (June 23, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061734896
• ISBN-13: 978-0061734892
• Product Dimensions: 0.6 x 5.2 x 7.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 1.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #757,326 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Awful. The worst book I've ever read. Forget about it! September 29, 2009

By Linda Linguvic HALL OF FAMETOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I only attempted this book because it was hyped in some very reliable sources as an erotic tale written by Gloria Vanderbilt. I was curious.

Well, first of all, it is much too short to be called a book. It measures only 5 x 7, the type is humongous, there are wide margins and it is only 144 pages long. The theme is bondage amidst some pretentious over-described scenes. I read the whole thing in about a half hour and must say that this is the worst book I have ever read. It's boring, it's silly and the parts that are supposed to be erotic seem actually comic.

This book is awful. Don't bother with it.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars complete waste of time, money and space on my kindle! July 24, 2009

By Kelle Brucker

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

this was a horrible read. writing was bad, plot was hard to follow, and ending with a sentence that says this is the end of the book "dear readers"?? complete waste of my time.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Two thumbs down............... July 26, 2009

By Ruby D.

Format:Hardcover

..two thumbs to flip it into the trash can, It is a boring and bizarre plot. It is a bored, rich and frigid housewives fantasy, has a couple of 'c*ck' words in it, but the erotica is too Harlequin fantasy romance paperback type. If you must read it, wait a few weeks it will show up at the 99c store.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars One star is too high July 13, 2009

By J. Callanan

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

My book club thought this would be a fun summer read! It caused laughter for such a ridiculous pick but it was hardly a " fun read" It is not well written, a bit trashy/kinky and not even erotic! Never again will I use a Newsweek review or a NY Times review. What a waste of time.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Chloe March 16, 2012

By A reviewer

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Gloria wrote a beautiful book about her son. She is a wonderful person to hear talk, and has done beautiful design work. She can do better than this. I am unhappy for her.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Erotic but not obscene July 18, 2009

By Dana C. Ahmad

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This one was way out of my league, but worth reading. I read it as a book for understanding not as a book of exotica. I was happy with the way the book ended and felt good about the conclusion for both Bee and Priscilla. I have a better understanding of the book in my own way now. I could only recommend this book as a way to look in to obsessions of people and how far they will go for their obsession.

My friend brought to light a very good view point on this story. She suggested that Priscilla and Bee are the same person. That Priscilla is so obsessed with her idea of the facade she has going with the picturesque life she and Talbot have. Of her being this perfect demure wife. She has to create a whole different personality, home surroundings, everything in order to be the other half of who she is. So there is Bee. This made so much sense to me when looked at it like this. That is why everyone recognized Priscilla as Bee when she came in. Also covers the reason why they embraced at the end. She had realized that she could be her whole self after all. I enjoyed the book from an understanding stand point and really liked her take on the story. I think this is a great way to interrupter it. And I agree with her and can see how someone could be so obsessed with something that they would have or could easily create a new person to lead the life they feel they want to but can't. I would recommend this book to be read, but only as to further someones understanding into mental illness. I thought it was an interesting book.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Why waste the time? July 30, 2009

By Lacey N. Smith

Format:Hardcover

I don't know what to say...this was the most horrific waste of time I've ever spent behind the pages of a book. I just shook my head after reading each night. To be quite honest, I don't know why I went back after the first ten pages. I suppose I was hoping that I was missing the bigger picture. Not so. In addition, I am an English teacher. This book was very poorly written. On many occasions I had to re-read the text because of her ambiguous use of language, and lack of proper punctuation. Lastly, I found it not even remotely erotic. It was unemotive and lacking passion in writing. She should stick to hats and scarves.

3.0 out of 5 stars Not as racy as it sounds December 27, 2012

By 1st Grambo

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I've been interested in "Poor Little Rich Girl" since I was a young girl. (I was interested in fashion design.) She's had a fascinating life & I was interested to see how this translated into a book like this. I would say it's soft porn, I guess. Not quite "50 Shades..."