Fifty Writers On Fifty Shades Of Grey (2012) - Plot & Excerpts
E. L. James created a firestorm with her online story “Master of the Universe”, a fanfic she freely admitted was based on the popular “Twilight” couple, Bella and Edward. When she decided to package it for sale as “Fifty Shades of Grey”, the amount of attention garnered was no less staggering. “Fifty Shades of Grey” was instantly appealing. Now the trilogy is no longer merely books. It is a cultural and social phenomenon that has united people across the globe in furious discussion, debate, online and real live fantasizing.The fifty writers in this anthology share what James’s books have done for them. They write in intelligent and piercing detail about what they think the trilogy has to convey, its likely impact on society and its decided impact on them. Is Christian Grey a dangerous stalker or the ultimate romantic hero? Is Anastasia Steele an improbable naïf or a cunning submissive who tops from the bottom? Are all these books liberating for females or do they convey a perilous message about abuse from males being acceptable in relationships? Have these books opened healthy interest in BDSM or do they show an erroneous, warped view of an alternative lifestyle?Arguments are made for and against these books and, if you haven’t read them, these cogent, in-depth essays are the next best thing. 50 essays is about 20 too many, but I liked reading some intelligent analysis by people who had actually read 50 Shades. I was interested in the concept of Christian Grey as the successor to Mr. Darcy, Heathcliff, Rhett Butler, etc. as the Byronic hero. Also, I really had no idea about the world of erotic publishing, which apparently had fallen on hard times until FSOG came along to rescue it. Who knew that there was a difference between erotica and erotic romance? (FSOG is the latter.)More than I wanted to know about the world of BDSM, but it was amusing that practitioners are so divided about whether FSOG is a good or bad thing for their lifestyle. Probably this book will appeal only to people like me who are 50 Shades fans and naturally analytical. There must be at least 5 of us.
What do You think about Fifty Writers On Fifty Shades Of Grey (2012)?
Kind of a dull read, but some of the essays offer interesting perspectives.
—samantha
