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Title: Story of the Eye
ISBN: 0872862097
Author:
Georges Bataille
Publicate Date: 2001-01-01
Publish: 2001-01-01
List Price: $9.95
Average Customer Rating: 4.0
Format: Paperback
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $5.19
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $3.90
Amazon Merchant Price: $9.95
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| Customer Review: |
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1: Dull narrative earns this short novel 1 star
I couldn't finish this book because I was bored, emphatically not because I was shocked.
The book is little more than a series of quick sexual encounters, one straight after another. There's nothing wrong with this in principle, but the author Bataille isn't a very creative writer, and you get very little in actual erotic description.
Which brings me to my next point. I don't consider this work to be "unashamedly Surreal", as the Amazon review declares, not in the sense of, say, Andr?? Breton - who was a genius at imagery - or Paul ??luard. It has a touch of the surrealist style, but just a dab. The sex scenes actually read more like anything one might read in a crappy porn mag.
As for the porn itself, I found it predictably misogynist. Pee fetish seems to be the central thrill, which is fine, but the guy was always peeing on the girl, never the other way round, which to me is ultimately pretty close-minded. Beyond this, Bataille is very interested in tying inanimate objects like eggs and disgusting food with sex, but the shock value was minimal, and the sex was pretty conventional by today's standards; or at least it was up until about the fifth sex scene, whereupon I yawned and closed the book.
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2: Ugh... Hmmmm.... What?
This book belonged to my little sister and she in turn had it because she was using it to write a paper in school and was recommended by her teacher (yep, that's right)
I consider myself open minded (within limits he he) and even knowing the subject matter I decided to go ahead and read it. Maybe I would learn something. Not necessarily anything I could incorporate into my own life but maybe for a moment have an unvarnished glimpse into such a different mindset.
Didn't get it.. Flat out didn't get it. Oh I got the gist of the situations in that it was sexual (kinda like looking at a picture but not knowing if it is right side up or not) but it was so far beyond my scope of understanding (who knew eggs could be erotic?)... my comprehension level was zero and I sure as heck didn't find all these bizarre acts erotic or a turn on (even in a messed up way)... all it left me was with a creeped out feeling.. Supposedly this book has its artistic value and is considered a classic. It was in this frame of mind that I opened it and started reading it but I was just too busy being confused, weirded out, cringing, and disgusted trying to get what I didn't get.
A bit of advice. Don't share this with anyone you are afraid won't be able to look you in the eye (no pun intended) after they read it decide you're a freak for suggesting such an offensive piece of literature.
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3: Showing
Reminiscent of de Sade, this novel is written in a kind of telling-not-showing style, very unlike modern novels. However, the concepts and imagery within are fascinating, especially some of the more disturbing sexual acts. The novel--more of a novella in terms of size--is a bit ridiculous at times, but overall a curious and interesting read. Good for those bored with current erotica or in need of something to shock friends with.
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4: The Story of the Eye: Joachim Neugroschel translation
Just about everything you have heard about this book is true. It was realised four times. originally, in 1928 under the sobriquet "Lord Auch." Subsequent revised copies were published until the final edition, which was published posthumously in 1967. This final version is the only time that Georges Bataille appears as the author and, this final product is so radically different than the original 1928 version, Neugroschel claims that "one can justifiably speak of two distinct books".
This specific edition of the book is translated from the original, but is good enough to include the "Outline of a sequel" and Bataille's "Preface to The Story of the Eye" from Bataille's Le Petit.
While the story itself is not exactly being reviewed here, this colelction is. I give it four stars for the translation and the inclusion of the aforementioned extras. However, I really wish that Neugroschel, or City Lights Books had also included a translation the "new version" of the text (which is any version Bataille published after 1928. Indeed, if the stories are so radically different, then together these texts would contribute to a fuller understanding of what Bataille was tryign to realise in his work. The story itself barely makes one hundred pages, and it certaintly would've been a trying task to bound them together. I know such a collection exists in French form.
Really, that's my only complaint. I don't know if someone hadn't mentioned it before.
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5: Interesting
Need to read a book for school or just want to read something interesting? Well, this may be the book for you. This is a dark book, and a bit complex, but it's definitely interesting.
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