Venus in Furs (Penguin Classics)
by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch
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Read in January, 2008
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Read in January, 1993
recommends it for:
kids who are just getting into the velvet underground
If I remember correctly, this book was stupid. It also seems to have contributed to a lot of ridiculous behavior, and has led indirectly to many horrendous cultural products such as "people taking their silly sex hang-ups waaaaay too seriously," "fetish nights," "vinyl outfits," and "that irritating kid in your freshman dorm who walked around with a leash around his neck."
BUT, on the PLUS side, having read it made me feel way more knowledgeable about t...more
BUT, on the PLUS side, having read it made me feel way more knowledgeable about t...more
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Read in October, 1998
recommends it for:
Fans of the Velvet Underground and German romantics
Shiny shiny shiny boots of leather whiplash girlchild in the dark... This is a rock n' roll book these days, since Lou Reed put it all into stone way back when. Sacher-Masoch should at least get some due credit for writing this stuff in the first place, since convention has forced his slightly feminist perspective into an everlasting (at least until cultural studies dies out at the college) opposition with Sade. That's where the term 'Sado-Masochism' came from, y'know. German artists always s...more
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Read in July, 2008
Nothing particularly deep here, but an interesting enough story. It's also worth reading once just for its historical importance as masochist literature. And Sacher-Masoch is a much, much better author than de Sade--I don't understand how anyone can stand to read de Sade's tedious laundry lists.
Sacher-Masoch was contemporary with Nietzsche, and this novel is pretty creepy in light of the rise of Nietzschean irrationalism with its assumption of the point of view of "masters" against...more
Sacher-Masoch was contemporary with Nietzsche, and this novel is pretty creepy in light of the rise of Nietzschean irrationalism with its assumption of the point of view of "masters" against...more
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Read in May, 2007
This book speaks to me. It's the first love story I've read that seems honest regarding the cruelty and torment that relationships can have, though granted to the extreme. For instance, you know how most love stories are about this undying passion that two characters have for each other, but they're driven apart by circumstances outside their control? You won't find that here. These two torment each other for the sake of torment and the outside world influences them only so far as they let it.
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Read in February, 2008
recommends it for:
people interested in transgressive texts, psychology
No surprises here. If you're familiar with the premise of Venus in Furs then you know what to expect. Sacher-Masoch develops the book's singular theme - his obsessive connection between intamcy and domination - through classical allegories rather than the type of sophisticated psychological introspection that a modern reader might expect. The rare moments when Sacher-Masoch's prose achieve the dynamism of his classical references make this short novel worth reading. Otherwise, the real value of ...more
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I was a little ambivelant about reading this book. I was worried it might be another "Histoire de l'Oeil," but it's not. It's surprisingly philosophical. Even though the story is fantastical, the two main characters show humanity in the end.
"The moral is that woman, as Nature has created her and as she is currently reared by man, is his enemy and can be only his slave or his despot, but never his companion. She will be able to become his companion only when she has...more
"The moral is that woman, as Nature has created her and as she is currently reared by man, is his enemy and can be only his slave or his despot, but never his companion. She will be able to become his companion only when she has...more
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Read in January, 2004
I read _The Story of O_ around the same time as _Venus in Furs_, which lead to a bit of a comparison. The plotlines of the two books are very similar, but _Venus in Furs_ stands out as the "original" of the DeSade-inspired genre, full of passion, rage and purpose. I wouldn't bother reading modern renditions in the tradition of the "sadomasochist" novel, they lack the inspiration of novels by originators like DeSade and Sacher-Masoch, often coming off as gratuitous and trite.
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Read in September, 1975
I probably read this b/c of the Velvet Underground song of the same name & b/c I wanted to read the 1st "masochistic" novel. I've just guessed on the publication date on this - there's none listed. The guess is based on the cover's being from the days when sex bks had to have a reserved external appearance for discrete sales. Anyway, this bored me, I just wanted the main character to get his shit together & fuck the woman instead of always grovelling.
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Read in October, 2007
Somehow I survived Brown University without having read this. And I never knew that it takes place in the Ukraine, or that "Venus in Furs" referred to a statue of Venus wrapped in fur.
"Her head was wonderful despite the dead stone eyes, but that was all I saw of her. The sublime being had wrapped her marble body in a huge fur, and, shivering, had curled up like a cat."
And the book, too, is wonderful despite its dead stone eyes!
"Her head was wonderful despite the dead stone eyes, but that was all I saw of her. The sublime being had wrapped her marble body in a huge fur, and, shivering, had curled up like a cat."
And the book, too, is wonderful despite its dead stone eyes!
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in May, 2008
recommends it for:
masochists, literature students, or masochistic literature students
This book reads more like a philosophical treatise on Sacher-Masoch's type of love than it does a novel. By today's standards, it is actually extremely chaste.
I found it very romantic and sweet, except for the fact that Sacher-Masoch puts his main character through horrible ordeals, usually involving whippings of some kind.
Also interesting is the fact that the story closely parallels incidents from his life with his wife Wanda.
I found it very romantic and sweet, except for the fact that Sacher-Masoch puts his main character through horrible ordeals, usually involving whippings of some kind.
Also interesting is the fact that the story closely parallels incidents from his life with his wife Wanda.
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Read in July, 2007
recommends it for:
Sadists and Masochists
I have far too much to say about this book. I need to let it ruminate. I am trying to figure if this is the Most misogynist book I've ever read or if Female Supremacy/Femme Domme is always something that can be interpreted as misogynist within a female/male context narrated by the male sub/slave. I want to know if there is a version of this story written from the female character's perspective...hmm.
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Read in January, 2006
So if you've ever been in a relationship and didn't quite understand why you were devoting so much of yourself emotionally with little in return, or perhaps you knew exactly what you were doing and enjoyed playing the martyr to another's occasional blind eye and only slightly replenishing affections, this book will resonate and arouse psychologically. That is my reading rainbow review.
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Read in February, 2008
I liked this book for several reasons:
1) 'Cause I'm a freak for etymology (i.e. the origin of the word 'masochism' as well as the context for the infamous Velvet Underground song)
2) 'Cause the prose is poetic, flamboyant, and totally over the top.
3) 'Cause Severin calls his mistress 'my goddess'
4) 'Cause it is enjoyable to read aloud in bed to lovers.
1) 'Cause I'm a freak for etymology (i.e. the origin of the word 'masochism' as well as the context for the infamous Velvet Underground song)
2) 'Cause the prose is poetic, flamboyant, and totally over the top.
3) 'Cause Severin calls his mistress 'my goddess'
4) 'Cause it is enjoyable to read aloud in bed to lovers.
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Read in March, 2005
really fucked with my brain and confirmed all my paranoid obsessions about relationships, why they exist and why they continue. really, reading this book was indulgent, and i'm glad i now view it as nothing more than a work of ficiton that details the hot/cold push/pull or relationships. really its like the original s&m handbook of all times.
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Read in August, 2007
This novel completely defies the social norms of the 19th century concerning sexualty and gender roles. Obsession, the collapse of masculinity, brutal physical violence, and sexual perversion all in one 122 page bookm yet it gives the reader an in depth look on the aspects of dominant/submissive relationships.
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Read in October, 2007
recommends it for:
Philosophers and Romantics
Brings up the question of all relationships - Must there always be a hammer and an anvil? Is companionship truly possible? Not nearly as pornographic as one might assume, and addresses some overt perceptions of relationships in a severe manner. While his submission is whipping, one might ask, what is yours?
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recommends it for:
masochists, kinky folks, well read people who think they know it all
the edition i had read of venus in furs had a short story after it, as i recall the short story, the black czarina, was a million times better than the tale that is known for giving masochism it's name! besides that, check out the confessions of wanda von sacher-masoch (RE/SEARCH)!
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I think this is the first book I've read that uses the phrase "heaving bosom." Actually, some of the language is interestingly surprising: the male character says "What a woman!" and the female character uses the phrase "That's the ticket." I didn't know either phrases were in use in the 1800s.
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Read in March, 2008
Definitely affected me the most at night. The most bizarre dreams of my life.
Educational, nonetheless. Although at times I wanted to bash in the heads of both main characters... which I suppose just reveals my own ignorance of the sadomasochistic mindset?
I'll stick with 'Secretary.'
Educational, nonetheless. Although at times I wanted to bash in the heads of both main characters... which I suppose just reveals my own ignorance of the sadomasochistic mindset?
I'll stick with 'Secretary.'
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book data (includes all editions)
avg rating (all editions): 3.71 (303 ratings) avg rating (this edition): 3.73 (257 ratings) number of reviews: 44popular shelves
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quote
""Now her eyes meet mine like green lightning-they are green, these eyes of hers, whose power is so indescribable-green, but as are precious stones, or deep unfathomable mountain lakes."
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