Pierre Louÿs Book order

The Woman and The Puppet - which drew some of its inspiration from Bizet's Carmen, as well as a particular episode in Casanova's Memoirs - is a precise account of obsessive love, a distillation of decadent themes that holds good from one fin-de-siecle to another, a cautionary tale whose title acknowledges that for a woman to be fatale requires the complicity of a male puppet.. "The novel opens during the boisterous Seville Carnival of 1896 during which Andre Stevenol, an amorously-inclined young Frenchman, succeeds in attracting the attention of the alluring Concha Perez. A rendezvous is arranged, but before it can take place Andre meets Don Mateo, who, in a long monologue recounts his affair with Concha and seeks to dissuade the younger man from becoming embroiled with the 'worst of women', who has teased, ridiculed and humiliated him. The warning like most warnings had little effect.

By turns amusing and offensive, Pierre Louÿs' Pybrac is possibly the filthiest collection of poetry ever published, and offers a taste of what the Marquis de Sade might have produced if he had ever turned his hand to verse. First published posthumously in 1927, Pybrac was, with The Young Girl's Handbook of Good Manners, one of the first of Louÿs' secret erotic manuscripts to see clandestine publication. Composed of 313 rhymed alexandrine quatrains, the majority of them starting with the phrase "I do not like to see...," Pybrac is in form a mockery of sixteenth-century chancellor poet Guy Du Faur, Seigneur de Pibrac, whose moralizing quatrains were common literary fare for young French readers until the nineteenth century. Louÿs spent his life coming up with his own ever-growing collection of rhymed moral precepts (suitable only for adult readers): a dizzying litany describing everything he "disliked" witnessing, from lesbianism, sodomy, incest and prostitution to perversions extreme enough to give even a modern reader pause. With the rest of his erotic manuscripts, the original collection of over 2,000 quatrains was auctioned off and scattered throughout private collections; but like everything erotic, what remains, collected here, conveys an impression of unending absurdity and near-hypnotic obsession.

The book is a facsimile reprint of a scarce antiquarian work, preserving its original content despite potential imperfections such as marks and flawed pages. It emphasizes the cultural importance of the text, reflecting a commitment to protect and promote literature through high-quality, affordable modern editions.

These passionate verses were published in 1894 as the lost works of a disciple of Sappho. Although debunked as a work of antiquity, they remain an erotic celebration of sexual freedom. This hardcover edition features a translation from the original French edition, annotations, and more than 160 sensual illustrations by Willy Pogány. Contains adult material.

Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing many of these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

This antiquarian book offers a facsimile reprint of the original text, preserving its historical significance. While it may include imperfections like marks and notations due to its age, the reprint aims to maintain the integrity of the original work. The publisher emphasizes the cultural importance of this text and is dedicated to making classic literature accessible through high-quality, affordable editions.

This collection features seven mildly erotic stories rooted in mythology, showcasing Pierre Louÿs's exquisite retelling of these legends. Originally published in limited editions in Paris from 1893 to 1898, the narratives highlight his remarkable literary craftsmanship, blending imaginative artistry with delicate themes. While less sensational than some of his other works, these stories stand out for their subtlety and emotional depth, offering a sympathetic exploration of timeless myths.