John Cleland

Fanny Hill John Cleland

The erotic classic that shocked the world! "Fanny Hill: Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure" by English novelist John Cleland was first published in London in 1748. Written while the author was in debtors' prison in London, it's considered "the first original English prose pornography, and the first pornography to use the form of the novel." It's one of the most prosecuted and banned books in history. In 1749, a year after the first instalment was published, Cleland and his publisher Ralph Griffiths were arrested and charged with "corrupting the King's subjects." In court, Cleland renounced the novel and it was officially withdrawn. The novel consists of two long letters by Frances "Fanny" Hill, a rich Englishwoman in her middle age, who leads a life of contentment with her loving husband Charles and their children, from Fanny to an unnamed acquaintance, identified only as 'Madam.' Fanny has been prevailed upon by 'Madam' to recount the 'scandalous stages' of her earlier life, which she proceeds to do with 'stark naked truth' as her governing principle. This edition is illustrated with posters and lobby cards from the 1968 Swedish movie adaptation, written and directed by Mac Ahlberg, and starring Diana Kjaer as Fanny Hill.