Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Paperback 400: Emotional Jungle / Ann Freeman (Fabian Z-143)

Paperback 400: Fabian Books Z-143 (PBO, 1961)

Title: Emotional Jungle
Author: Ann Freeman
Cover artist: Uncredited

Yours for: not for sale

FabZ143.UK.Freeman.Emotiona

Best things about this cover:
  • That lamp shade is epic.
  • Who's up for some awkward, joyless, pasty sex? Anyone?
  • "So ... you like pink, I guess, huh?"
  • The first ever meeting of the Jaundiced Hair support group is about to begin.
  • I don't buy that he is "slipping into her room." He has the distinct look of someone backing slowly toward safety.

FabZ143bc.EmotJung

Best things about this back cover:
  • Love how Sanford Aday (publisher of Fabian Books) uses this quotation from Romans (on many of his books from this era) as a big middle finger to his censorious detractors. During this period he was adding anti-censorship material to the back matter of his books. This one has a one-page screed against censors and the several pages of Supreme Court and other legal decisions supporting the freedom of speech, and particularly the freedoms of book publishers and sellers. It's a fascinating (completely invisible, these days) intervention into the discussion of what counts as obscenity and what the government's role toward alleged obscenity ought to be.

Page 123~

"Gwen, I'm sorry abut the other day."
"Forget it. We all have days like that."

He added: "No, really. I had no right to tell you you had hair like an Oompa Loompa. That was totally uncalled for. I could have just kept backing silently out of the room..."

~RP

9 comments:

Sean Brodrick said...

What's wrong with her face? It's like a fright mask.

borky said...

Gwen's benefactor'd made it all too clear what was on his mind the first time he'd slipped into her room...

As he'd stood there, trembling and hyperventilating, she'd said, "Take off my chintzy bri-nylon blouse...take off my luridly pink bri-nylon skirt...take off my once expensive but now frayed and slightly flagging Playtex Cross Your Heart bra...take off the off-colour undercrackers my gentlemen friends never normally get to see...take off my Sasquatch style bri-nylon wig - AND NEVER LET ME CATCH YOU WEARING MY THINGS AGAIN!"

Jamie Rosen said...

Oh my goodness that woman is hideous. Do like her shoes, though.

Congratulations on hitting #400, Rex! You hardly look a day over 250.

Rex Parker said...

Yeah, the shoes are kind of hot. The man's mauve slacks, however, are not.

rp

DemetriosX said...

Of course he's backing out to safety. He's obviously in the wrong room. My guess is he was looking for her daughter's room. She's 50 if she's a day and a hard 50 at that.

Deb said...

As the man muttered a quick apology and backed out of the room, Lulu sighed. The sad fact is, a drag queen's career is over once she hits 35...and Lulu had hit 35 several times over.

Marla said...

Someone needs to make a witty comment about the extremely phallic-looking perfume bottle on the vanity table behind her.

Also: my word verification is "nutspun."

Susan Reader said...

It looks like they forgot they were including a cover blurb, and had to get a rubber stamp made up at the last minute.

borky said...

Marla, I'm with you on the phallic perfume bottle - it's so lewd it reminds me of what happens when a tom cat with an extra rough tongue over zealously cleans itself between its legs.

Did you also spot the visual trilogy the artist's involved it in: cat pecker perfume bottle posed directly above woman's hand; woman's hand hidden out of sight near Pinky Boy's fly; Pinky Boy's hand visible, but hiding from sight the door's 'knob' onto which Pinky Boy's 'accidentally' backed?