The Sexual Life of Catherine M. (Serpent's Tail Classics)

Catherine Millet has written a thoughtful memoir of her sexual activities with many people over an indeterminate amount of time. Predominately she is descriptive of her activities, her partners, and her thoughts and physical feelings. There are no dialogs or regrets, just a straightforward presentation. The book contains a lot of graphic description of sexual acts that may shock some readers. The author does go into quite a bit of abstract intellectual thought about meanings. This can either enhance or distract from the flow of the narrative. Unlike My Life And Loves by Frank Harris, this book is not a chronological journal. It is arranged into four chapters called Numbers, Space, Confined Space, and Details. In "Numbers" Millet talks about her fondness for many physical relationships. Although she has sexual friendships and lovers, most of her encounters are with anonymous partners. "Space" is a chapter devoted to her joy in making love outdoors. "Confined Space," on the other hand, describes her need to find privacy with her lovers in stairwells, alleys, storerooms, etc. The small intimate facts and observations on lovemaking are saved for the last chapter, "Details." What I find most interesting is how little else there is in the book to provide background or setting. Only a few locations and the first names of a few men are given. Never are dates provided which gives the work a timelessness like an erotic adult fairy tale. I found out through other sources that the author was born in 1948, and has been in a monogamous marriage for over ten years. I needed that much of a setting to make some sense of this work. With the current fear of AIDS and herpes, I found it difficult to imagine a person today engaging so freely in the activities described in this book, and began to think of it as an extremely well-detailed fantasy. However, when I realized that the setting for most of the material was probably the Sexual Revolution of the late 1960s and the 1970s, then I saw this book as the report of an adventurous explorer giving a meticulous account of that time and its unique morality as it worked itself out in her own life.

This book is not erotica, it is mainly about sex but it is not written to turn you on. If that's what you are looking for I suggest you find another book to read. It is written honestly and without regard for what you may think of it or her life or how you may judge her. She writes intelligently and with humour about herself. It was a great read.

This sexual autobiography published ten years or so ago is sooo French! It's a glacial, loveless, joyless account of a woman who lends herself to every kind of penetration in every conceivable location, generally involving several (usually male) partners; but it is devoid of the slightest tenderness or passion - it's neither erotic nor even pornographic, and the activities are glossed over with a kind of vacant philosophising which is supposed to give it weight and depth. It may have been a shocker when it came out, but when one recalls that THE STORY OF O appeared in 1954, itself a pale pastiche of the work of the Marquis de Sade in the late eighteenth century, one gets the picture. If you want either titillation or serious thought, read de Sade. As for striking a blow for women, it tends to do the opposite. Worth remembering, too, that 'Pauline Réage' wrote THE STORY OF O to prove to her male lover that a woman could write just as well in the same vein as de Sade. De Sade is more respectful of women.

This book came highly recommended from the french press, specially a review at Le Monde. In reality it is a monotonous, yes really!, succession of gang bangs at the Bois de Boulogne, the back of trucks, etc of this woman who appears to be writing this as her autobiography. I have nothing against gang bangs,oral sex, etc but there is nothing constructive or inspiring here. It is simply a description, usually poorly written, of the sexual powers of a nymphomaniac with absolutely no self respect, almost done to punish herself without realizing it. If you get off in this sort of sad, sexual excess, then go for it, otherwise do not waste your dough.

Good

Schwachsinn

Interesting

Please do not think this is solely a sex book. It is a serious story from a woman who gives thought about her sexual expression. You may not appreciate the thought, but I guarantee you will come away with a different opinion about sexual expression. Her artistic sensitivity aside, the thought pattern which allows (pushes ... forces ... obligates) her actions is fascinating in and of itself. If you wish to understand a little of your own personal libidinous motivations, well then, this book may be an excellent place to begin. However it will require you to ponder and ask and answer deep personal questions. Self knowledge is important and enjoyable.

This is a compelling read of the most promiscuous of lives a woman could lead. Catherine has no sexual boundaries. She tries everything. Her objective is to make herself available to any man, even strangers, to experience everything. The extremes are disturbing, including insisting on anal sex on one occasion because at the time she had venereal disease. Pornographic, scatalogical, there's no limits. A meandering list of anecdotes rather than a cohesive tale. And no romance, affection or love.