Erotic Memoirs: redux

You know how I said that the Erotic Memoirs of Paris in the 1920s didn't have spanking in? Having now finished it, I have to confess that I was being rather presumptive, and entirely wrong.

While it only has a little bit of spanking, it also has large sections of M/f and F/m BDSM and non-consent play. Unfortunately the M/f scenes were a bit De Sade to really appeal to my tastes, and while the F/m scenes appealed rather more strongly in style, the gender orientation isn't one I particularly enjoy. Nonetheless, I feel compelled to correct my false assumptions.

In addition to unexpected dungeon scenes, I was pleasantly surprised to encounter well-written and wry stories about:

• the dangers of amusing oneself with worldly twelve-year-old girls


• corrupt priests taking advantage during Mass or confession


• lesbian schoolgirls


• the authoress, cunningly disguised as one of the characters

It's not a novel designed for the CP enthusiast, but it's rather kinkier than I initially thought.

My favourite thing about the whole book is the subtle and delicately handled, but very present, moralising which arises towards the end of many of the stories. Not conservative moralising, you understand, against the evils of promiscuity. Instead Anne-Marie offers amusing demonstrations of sensible and ethical practice for the modern libertine. Above all: use contraception, and be discreet.