Monday, May 4, 2009

Paperback 226: Roxana / Daniel Defoe (Royal Giant 24)

Paperback 226: Royal Giant 24 (1st thus, 1953)

Title: Roxana
Author: Daniel Defoe
Cover artist: Barye Phillips

Yours for: $20


Best things about this cover:

  • "The piquant classic about powdered peruques and saucy foppish sex games played in front of ornate mirrors"
  • "Pardon me, madam, but I've lost my pinky ring and I was wondering if, perchance, it had fallen between your magnificent breasts. Let me just look ... and look ... still looking ... is that it? ... no ... wait ..."

Best things about this back cover:
  • Wrap-around cover - hot!
  • This is actually the back cover of a VHS tape entitled "Slumber Party Girls of the Restoration Era"
  • "Dance, rummy, dance .... now sing 'I'm Every Woman' ... now raise the roof ... that's it ..."

Page 123~

Under these dreadful apprehensions I looked back on the life I had lived with the utmost contempt and abhorrence.


Been there.

~RP

8 comments:

Alix said...

The copy sounds like it was written by a fey little man trying to keep his hand out of his pants... but it keeps going back there!

JRSM said...

Fantastic: got any more classics turned into downmarket sleazefests?

Alix said...

I've got it! The copywriter was none other than the Jon Lovitz character who used to introduce "Tales of Ribaldry" on SNL!

JamiSings said...

Ug. I know people weren't as "enlightened" back then, but I hate, hate, HATE it when a book about a woman who's raped has her turning into a slut.

Sorry, but on that point alone I really cannot make any snarky remarks about this book. All I want to do is build a time machine, go back in time, and give this writer an education about rape and how it really affects a woman.

Dirt Diggler said...

The "Roxana" in the upper left corner of the back cover looks like she could be from Michaelangelo's "Last Judgement" painting...



Wow! Are we near the end of the novel just after page 123? ... --Because considering the apparent celebration of self indulgence by the main character, that quote sounds like it could only be stated after some tragic denouement.

libwitch said...

The expression on the woman's face on the back cover is strange. I think its suppose to be coytish, but she ends up looking like an evil fae.

And it sort of look likes the woman behind her is covering her up quickly. I don't think "humble servant covering up crazy lady stripping nude for no reason" is the look they were going for here.

Alix said...

@JamiSings:
Take me with you! Many, many men of the past (I'm talking to you, Henry Tudor) need a lesson in biolgogy, genetics and just which parent determines a baby's sex.

Unknown said...

HI Rex,
I think you need to see this:
http://paintalicious.org/2008/11/20/thomas-allens-book-art-photography

if you haven't already.