Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Paperback 510: Strange Thirsts / Michael Norday (Beacon Books B662X)

Paperback 510: Beacon Books B662X (2nd ptg, 1963)

Title: Strange Thirsts
Author: Michael Norday
Cover artist: Uncredited

Yours for: Not for sale (donation to the collection from Doug Peterson)


BeacB662.Thirsts_0001
Best things about this cover:

  • This book, and the next few I'll feature on this blog, are all gifts from my friend Doug Peterson. He brings me new books almost every time I see him, and my recent trip to Brooklyn was no exception. My wife had to accept this particular round of gifts, as I was out of commission with vicious food poisoning, but I'm sure he (and everyone) knows how grateful I am.
  • I guess I've seen one too many of these semi-suggestive lesbian covers, because the only thing I can see are the blonde's crazy leprechaun shoes. I hope those are for "the annual college play," because if she's wearing those on the street, people are going to chase her and demand to know where she keeps her gold.
  • I hope "Strange Thirsts" refers to the blonde's irresistible compulsion to drink the brunette's bath water.
  • I like my lesbian paperbacks to be somewhat more provocative than this. Hardly any flesh, even. A couple of tiny slivers of cleavage. Come on. A lesbian paperback cover's lasting impression should not be bathroom tile, house plants, and seriously flamboyant footwear.


BeacB662.Thirsts
Best things about this back cover:

  • Yeah, yeah, "warped." You said that on the front cover.
  • "Imported," HA ha. "Hey, did the new shipment of Zane Hunter come in yet?"
  • "Dale, for relief, turned to pretty Julie Hilton." For relief? Relief from What? The sexual attention of a glamorous actress?
  • I like that Julie enjoyed "questionable ecstasies." "You call those ecstasies? Hmm. I'm dubious."
  • "Baby-skinned"is a horrifying adjective.
  • "Dale, get in here. You *gotta* see this degradation..."
  • "Probes deeply, boldly, into forbidden areas." That's what I call obvuendo!

Page 123~
There were times when her flesh seemed unable to wait for the completion that he would give it with his own.
So he's going to give her flesh completion? With his own flesh? His own completion? But the whole paragraph is about how they're *not* having sex because they're waiting for marriage ... only the very next chapter is entitled "Menage à Trois"! Crazy college kids.

~RP

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4 comments:

Random White Guy said...

I have to agree with you. All those hints of cleavage are wasted because Those Shoes are the stars of this cover.

DemetriosX said...

I think those are house slippers. Not that that really excuses their presence, but it does make them slightly less outlandish.

And while I agree that the cover art is disappointing overall, I do like the water effects on the brunette's thigh and calf.

Doug P said...

I love that "Crazy shoes" was added as a blog label.

Titus Groan said...

Maybe I'm misinterpreting the cover art, but the brunet's left thigh looks huge.