The Story of Venus and Tannhauser [Paperback]

Aubrey Beardsley (Author), John Glassco (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1995

1927. A romantic novel in which is set forth an exact account of the manner of State held by Madam Venus, Goddess and Meretrix, under the famous Horselberg, and containing the Adventures of Tannhauser in that Palace, his repentance, his journeying to Rome and return to the Loving Mountain. Aubrey Beardsley was one of the most controversial artists of the Art Nouveau era, renowned for his dark and perverse images and the grotesque erotic themes which he explored in his later work. His eroticism is manifest, and must be accepted as simply as the fact that he had auburn hair and long hands.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 146 pages
• Publisher: Foxrock; New edition edition (September 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1562010891
• ISBN-13: 978-1562010898
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,692,629 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Hoping for more, February 8, 2004

By 

wiredweird "wiredweird" (Earth, or somewhere nearby) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Story of Venus and Tannhauser (Paperback)

I very much enjoyed Beardsley's bizarre, effete narration. His writing style is very different from the plain, clean lines of his drawing. The text nearly smothers the reader in adjectives and tangential detail - an affectation that reinforces the description of dissipated foppery.

Unfortunately, not all of the writing is Beardsley's. His early death left this work unfinished. A "posthumous collaborator" in the 1950s finished it, perhaps to his own satisfaction but not to mine. The break in style is quite abrupt where the modern writer took over, and I found his turn of plot inauthentic. [I think the first paragraph p.80 is where the impostor began writing. See ISBN 1871592127 for a comparison text.]

The book does reproduce a few of Beardsley's wonderful illustrations. There are only a few of them, though - this book is not primarily about Beardsley's drawing. If it were, I'm sure the printing and paper would have been upgraded to show more of the pictures' detail.

Any fan of Beardsley's art will gain insight from his writing. The reader should take care, however, in distinguishing Beardsley's writing from anyone else's.

(By the way, this is not for the squeamish. This is part of Beardsley's history, and some history is not very nice.)

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars best erotica available, March 22, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Story of Venus and Tannhauser (Paperback)

This erotic fiction is a very fine piece of work.For the collector of erotica this book is a must buy.The story focuses on one Tannhauser's sexual frolics in the abode of the goddess Venus.The erotica is mostly implied or subtle, which makes the book all the more fascinating instead of disgusting as some works of erotica are.All in all,a vintage literary gem.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mezmorizingly Bizzare Love Story, September 27, 2011

By 

Charles Barron (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Story of Venus and Tannhauser (Hardcover)

I got ahold of a used copy of this treasure, back when it was hard to find. Interested readers are so fortunate to have it back in print. One of those books that had me breathlessly mumbling incantations of how badly I wished I had written this. Clearly C.S. Watson "didn't get it." That's ok, Venus & Tannhäuser isn't for everyone. The writing is highly stylized and fantastical, with over-the-top descriptions that simultaneously parody Victorian literature, while standing as a gorgeous example of the style. There's tons of wit, humor and amazing imagery. If you're into surrealist, fun, erotic, and just generally hilarious over-the-top Victorian writing, I recommend giving this one a whirl.