good book for holiday reading? (21)

Liasons is a wonderful book indeed. Terrifying and beautiful. I just wish De Sade could write that well.

I would like to suggest 1610 or "A sundial in a grave" by Mary Gentle. It's a very nice historical romance with D/s and crossdressing.

Also I book I can rant about angrily for long, but which is interesting in its "oh no" kind of way is "An Exchange of Hostages" by Susan Matthews. Science fiction with a very much non-consensual S/M content.

Oh and - non fiction, but one of my favourite books of all time, "The Sadeian Woman" by Angela Carter. You need to be prepared for a serious sociological and political discussion of sex and power, but for all that, it's the book that changed my view of pornography and sadism forever. And it ends with a quote by Emma Goldman. Not sure if it's good for pool-border reading though.

If you want a non-kinky book, off the top of my head the best books I have read recently: "Matter" by Iain M. Banks, back to his usual fun stuff (it's one of his science fiction ones), "Making History" by Stephen Fry, whom I would marry in an instant if he wasn't gay - not a new book but I just read it and it's hilarious and immensely well written, and, well, pretty much anything by Christopher Brookmyre with my preference going probably for "One fine day in the middle of the night", or "A big boy did it and ran away" - these are sort of action thrillers full of dark, dark humor by a guy from Glasgow. Just pick up "One find day" and read the first page and you pretty much will know what I mean.

Another book that I found very good and possibly interesting for kinkster even if it's not really kinky is "Black Man" by Richard Morgan. It's science fiction (you'll have sussed out my guilty secret by now - I am a sci-fi fan) and full of blood and guts and a bit of sex too IIRC. Come to think of it, "Altered Carbon" by Morgan is also a very good read (better than the books he wrote in between IMHO), and it does have quite a bit of sex and violence. And genetic engeneering and downloadable identities and torture and sex and, hum... a fun read.

Another one, a non-fiction but a total page-turner (much to my surprise), is "Scott and Amundsen" by Roland Huntford. It will badly bruise your national pride if you are English, but you can then recover by reading the bio of Shakleton by the same author.

These last are all cracking good reads and not particularly taxing - the Brookmyres in particular are fun, fun, fun.

I've read this and really enjoyed it.

Over the knee by Fiona Locke was another brilliant book. Problem with the really good ones is I read them in a day and then get disappointed that I've finished it.

Edit: Jeanette Winterson is also a good choice.

If you are willing to look at another person's behaviour towards you as a reflection of the state of their relationship with themselves rather than as a statement about your value as a person, then you will, over a period of time, cease to react to them

Edited 26 Apr 08, 7:37 PM by RastaPasta

french_slave_the_Crucified is MmeDeSade

Totally endorse! Took a week not so long ago to just chill but the reaction this book made in me was not for public viewing!!!!!! Niki Flynn is an amazing woman and her book has given me so much inspiration, not just for private perving, but as a human-being on the scene and just wanting to be me... weeks later, i remember a scene and am totally hot and waiting for the consequences...

I would also recommend Jenny Diski's Nothing Natural, a beautifully written novel about a woman who finds herself in her first sado-masochistic relationship. I read it years ago, before I was immersed in kink myself, and loved it then. In fact I think I will buy myself a copy to re-read on my holidays this year.

Whatever you dream you can do begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now. Goethe

Huh? To me that sounds a bit like looking for a book that would appeal to someone with blue eyes or an R in their name. It would be far easier to suggest something if we knew what style of literature you prefer.

But if you're going to read it lounging by a pool, I suggest Dorothy Parker, or Nancy Mitford.

To counter the Anne Rice and so on, try also Northanger Abbey, and Thomas Love Peacock.

I like to take a mix of things away - something tough, something comforting, something off the wall (or two of each for 2 weeks) and then you can account for varying moods.

I had forgotten about 'A Man with a Maid' - think it was the first BDSM book I read 20 odd years ago. It was wonderful but in a moment of puritantical pique I threw it and too sequels out. Have never seen a copy for sale since. Must check amazon.

Lol I have those moments sometimes, too...

Never mind the quality; feel the width
Member and Pantsonhead-hunter for the Pants On HeadClub

I was hoping that by posting under bdsm I would get recommendations for bdsm related literature but there have been some interesting non kink titles that I will be taking a look at.

Thanks everyone