The Sinner's Grand Tour: A Journey Through the Historical Underbelly of Europe [Paperback]

Tony Perrottet (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 10, 2011

Sex and travel have always been intertwined, and never more so than on the classic Grand Tour of Europe in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Today the Continent is still littered with salacious remnants of that golden age, where secret boudoirs, notorious dungeons, and forbidden artifacts lured travelers all the way from London to Capri. 

In The Sinner’s Grand Tour, celebrated historian and travel writer Tony Perrottet sets off to discover a string of legendary sites and relics that are still kept far from public view. In southern France, an ancient text leads him inside the château of the Marquis de Sade, now owned by fashion icon Pierre Cardin. In Paris, an 1883 prostitute guide helps him discover the Belle Époque fantasy brothel Le Chabanais and the lost “sex chair” of King Edward VII. Renaissance documents in the Vatican Secret Archives point the way to the Pope’s very own apartments in Vatican City, wherein lies the fabled Stufetta del Bibbiena, a pornography-covered bathroom painted by Raphael in 1516. 

With his unique blend of original research, sharp wit, and hilarious anecdotes, Perrottet brings us a romping travel adventure through the scandalous backrooms of historical Europe.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Hugely entertaining... Perrottet has a wonderful knack for ferreting out the obscure, the offbeat, and the just plain weird. A real eye opener.” 
—Booklist
 
“Lots of people write about sex, and lots of people write about history, but nobody writes about either quite the way Tony Perrottet does. His well-informed wit is front and center in his latest—and, for my money—best book to date. . . . The perfect read for anyone blessed with a sense of humor and a touch of perverse curiosity.”
—Chris Ryan, New York Times-bestselling author of Sex at Dawn: The Prehistoric Origins of Modern Sexuality

"This X-rated version of “National Lampoon’s European Vacation” segues into an amusing — and absorbing — series of quests...  (Perrottet) tears away Europe’s decorous historical facade he pays spirited homage to the rakes and reprobates who subscribed to Casanova’s motto: “I have devoted my life to the pursuit of pleasure.” 
-- The New York Times Book Review
 
“Delightful and edifying... Undercover historian Tony Perrottet presents the Tour with a twist: studying the Continent’s most famous, or infamous, sites and relics associated with human sexuality, from the belle epoque brothels of Paris to a secret Vatican bathroom covered with erotic panels by Raphael.”
—Trip Lit, National Geographic Traveler
 
“A terrifically funny writer . . . informative and twice as quirky. 
—Boston Globe

About the Author

TONY PERROTTET is the author of four previous books: Off the Deep End, Pagan Holiday, The Naked Olympics, and Napoleon's Privates. He lives in New York City.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Broadway (May 10, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0307592189
• ISBN-13: 978-0307592187
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.8 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #354,446 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

The need for perpetual motion has always been Tony Perrottet's most obvious personality disorder. While studying history at Sydney University, the Australian-born Perrottet regularly disappeared hitch-hiking through the Outback, sailing the coast of Sumatra or traveling through rural India (enjoying a brief and inglorious career as a film extra in Rajasthan). After graduation, he moved to South America to work as a "roving correspondent," where he covered the Shining Path war in Peru, drug running in Colombia and several military rebellions in Argentina. A brief visit to Manhattan fifteen years ago convinced him that New York was the ideal place for a rootless wanderer to be based. From his current home in the East Village of Manhattan, he has continued to commute to Iceland, Tierra del Fuego, Wyoming, Tasmania and Zanzibar, while contributing to international publications including the New York Times, Smithsonian Magazine, Conde Nast Traveler, Slate, Esquire, Outside and the London Sunday Times.

Perrottet is the author of five books - a collection of travel stories, Off the Deep End: Travels in Forgotten Frontiers (1997); Pagan Holiday: On the Trail of Ancient Roman Tourists (2002); The Naked Olympics: The True Story of the Greek Games (2004); Napoleon's Privates: 2500 Years of History Unzipped (2008); and The Sinner's Grand Tour: A Journey Through the Historical Underbelly of Europe (2011, Broadway Books). His travel stories have been widely anthologized and have been selected four times for the Best American Travel Writing series. He is also a regular television guest on the History Channel, where he has spoken about everything from the Crusades to the birth of disco.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buckle Your Seatbelts, May 23, 2011

By 

Elizabeth Flock - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Sinner's Grand Tour: A Journey Through the Historical Underbelly of Europe (Paperback)

He's done it again, folks. Tony Perrottet's new book is chock full of history, humor and one-of-a-kind detail you will NOT find anywhere else. Whether you're planning a European adventure or you're looking to spice up your dinner party banter, Perrottet has got you covered. How could anyone resist titles like "Love In the Time of Body Lice" and "The Attic of Royal Sex"? I couldn't. And I consider myself the better for it. Seriously. Invite me to your next dinner and you'll see: thanks to Perrottet I'll be the life of the party. I loved his book "Napoleon's Privates"...and I love "The Sinner's Grand Tour." Maybe even a smidge more. Buy this book immediately. You won't be disappointed.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars one naughty travelogue, May 22, 2011

By 

Susan Hitchcock (new york) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Sinner's Grand Tour: A Journey Through the Historical Underbelly of Europe (Paperback)

I never thought learning about the more raunchy side of history could be so entertaining until I picked up this book. I highly recommend you read this naughty travelogue so you can impress and shock your friends with stories about Casanova's escape from prison and King Edward VII's sex chair. I admit this book made me blush, but it also made me laugh at how there never seems to be a lack of erotic escapades throughout history. A great read

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Thrilling, Sexy Joy-Ride Through History, May 11, 2011

By 

William Doyle - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Sinner's Grand Tour: A Journey Through the Historical Underbelly of Europe (Paperback)

Tony Perrottet has done it again and knocked the ball out of the ballpark. This is a hilariously funny, richly detailed and impeccably researched work of scholarship that is simultaneously entertaining in the extreme. Highly recommended, great fun and very naughty.