Der Tanz um die Lust

by Ariadne von Schirach

A grandiose journey through the erotic big city jungle – clever, surprising, and provocative Youth and beauty are the decisive objects of desire in a society in which nearly everything, including sex, can be bought. How then can erotic encounters still be possible in such an overly aestheticised world? How do we present ourselves as desirable, and how can we desire ourselves? The 28-year-old Ariadne von Schirach has taken on these questions – and has discovered smart, surprising, and provocative answers. She considers many topics, including pornography, erotic strategies, and the modern-day forms of the hunt for a sexual partner. And she hazards the thesis that the only way out of this aesthetic alienation – still, and always – is found in love and in the risk of a true partnership. Here are philosophical, social and very personal thoughts on this subject that has been propelling and affecting people throughout sex and love. Press “Ariadne von Schirach, the unbelievably alive blond and clever siren. No sooner was her wonderful article on the sexualisation of everyday life and fashion printed in Spiegel magazine than publishers gathered around her in droves.” Matthias Matussek “She writes about sex so drastically, openly and intelligently that while reading, you’re made to feel as if you’re standing naked in front of the mirror.” Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung “Ultimately, her book has to do with pornography. Actually, against pornography. But above all, pornocharacteristics. (...) This is considerably irritating, but it reads well. Everything lively, with wild formulations. Sometimes truly sensual. … With these sort of reflections in her back, Ariadne von Schirach dissects the nightlife of people shortly before the phase of life in which they must become about the job, about the relationship, about the family. She has distilled pointed dialogue from her circle of friends, nearly a soap opera in book form, a ‘Sex in the Berlin City’. She provides her protagonists with fantasy names. These would brighten up any porno.” die tageszeitung Author Ariadne von Schirach, born in 1978, studied philosophy at Freie University in Berlin.

388 pages, Paperback

First published February 28, 2007

Reviews

[Juliane Häring · Rating 5 out of 5]

H a Doppelm e r

5/5

wundervoll geschrieben, spannende Thesen wunderschön formuliert

und bezaubernde Hintergrundgeschichten

[Adrian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ich habe das Buch vermutlich zu spät gelesen. 2026 wirkt es etwas veraltet und aus der Zeit gefallen.