authors
data
Product: Audio CD (book)
ISBN-10: 1-74093-798-8
ISBN-13: 9781740937986
Publisher: Bolinda Publishing
Country:
Year: December 30, 2006
Edition: Unabridged
Size: 16.76 x 17.27 x 3.30cm
Weight: 612gr
Binding: Audio CD
ISBN-10: 1-74093-798-8
ISBN-13: 9781740937986
Publisher: Bolinda Publishing
Country:
Year: December 30, 2006
Edition: Unabridged
Size: 16.76 x 17.27 x 3.30cm
Weight: 612gr
Binding: Audio CD
editions
Melissa P., Lawrence Venuti (translator)
Grove Press, Black Cat; 2004
Paperback
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description
Product Description
An instant blockbuster in Italy where it has sold over 700,000 copies, and now an international literary phenomenon, 100 Strokes of the Brush Before Bed is the fictionalized memoir of Melissa P., a Sicilian teenager whose quest for love rapidly devolves into a shocking journey of sexual discovery. Melissa begins her diary a virgin, but a stormy affair at the age of fourteen leads her to regard sex as a means of self-discovery, and for the next two years she plunges into a succession of encounters with various partners, male and female, her age and much older, some met through schoolmates, others through newspaper ads and Internet chat rooms. In graphic detail she describes her entry into a Dante-esque underworld of eroticism, where she willingly participates in group sex and sadomasochism, as well as casual pickups. Melissa's secret life is concealed from family and friends, revealed only in her diary entries. Told with disarming candor, Melissa P.'s bittersweet tour of extreme desires is as poignant as it is titillating. One Hundred Strokes of the Brush Before Bed is a stunning erotic debut, a Story of O for our times.
An instant blockbuster in Italy where it has sold over 700,000 copies, and now an international literary phenomenon, 100 Strokes of the Brush Before Bed is the fictionalized memoir of Melissa P., a Sicilian teenager whose quest for love rapidly devolves into a shocking journey of sexual discovery. Melissa begins her diary a virgin, but a stormy affair at the age of fourteen leads her to regard sex as a means of self-discovery, and for the next two years she plunges into a succession of encounters with various partners, male and female, her age and much older, some met through schoolmates, others through newspaper ads and Internet chat rooms. In graphic detail she describes her entry into a Dante-esque underworld of eroticism, where she willingly participates in group sex and sadomasochism, as well as casual pickups. Melissa's secret life is concealed from family and friends, revealed only in her diary entries. Told with disarming candor, Melissa P.'s bittersweet tour of extreme desires is as poignant as it is titillating. One Hundred Strokes of the Brush Before Bed is a stunning erotic debut, a Story of O for our times.
reviews
Can't Believe It's Real … 
Depending on what you read, this is either an »actual« or »fictionalized« diary of a teenager's sexploits. My vote falls for »fictionalized«, and highly fictionalized at that. It reads to me exactly like a teenager's FANTASY of what having all these sexual experiences would be like. Badly written, this »author« needs more more experience before she publishes more books. If it weren't for the shock value of its subject, no one would ever read this.
Depending on what you read, this is either an »actual« or »fictionalized« diary of a teenager's sexploits. My vote falls for »fictionalized«, and highly fictionalized at that. It reads to me exactly like a teenager's FANTASY of what having all these sexual experiences would be like. Badly written, this »author« needs more more experience before she publishes more books. If it weren't for the shock value of its subject, no one would ever read this.
Not impressed at all!
I was very disappointed in this book, which is basically a story about a young girl being very promiscuous. She engages in orgies, sex with a married man, sex with her tutor and continually puts herself in very dangerous situations. This book was really more of a chronological order of what happened during a couple years of her sexual escapades, and doesn't delve into her feelings or what motivates her to act in such a way. It was a sad book, she doesn't have any real relationships with her parents, teenage girls or the men that she sleeps with. Not recommended!
I was very disappointed in this book, which is basically a story about a young girl being very promiscuous. She engages in orgies, sex with a married man, sex with her tutor and continually puts herself in very dangerous situations. This book was really more of a chronological order of what happened during a couple years of her sexual escapades, and doesn't delve into her feelings or what motivates her to act in such a way. It was a sad book, she doesn't have any real relationships with her parents, teenage girls or the men that she sleeps with. Not recommended!
Not Groundbreaking
I read this book while living in Italy, and when it came time to pack up, I simply threw it away to save space. I had seriously considered burning it publicly. It is my love of literature that compels me to do so. As a writer and a human, I have to say that the fact that this tripe is an international best seller is horrible. There are so many talented writers out there, fighting for publication, and yet the industry caters to shock value garbage like Melissa P.'s thinly veiled prepubescent diary as worthy of printing. Everyone over the age of 16 has been 16. We know all the angst. Just because this book involves a lot of sex doesn't make it erotica. It's a shame too because Mel P. does have a grasp of language and her metaphors are not bad. I'd consider reading something from her that was a polished work instead of her sodden journal entries. ps. Shock value in Italy= 10. Shock value in America=1. Teenage angst and self destruction in the name of »love« ain't nothin new.
I read this book while living in Italy, and when it came time to pack up, I simply threw it away to save space. I had seriously considered burning it publicly. It is my love of literature that compels me to do so. As a writer and a human, I have to say that the fact that this tripe is an international best seller is horrible. There are so many talented writers out there, fighting for publication, and yet the industry caters to shock value garbage like Melissa P.'s thinly veiled prepubescent diary as worthy of printing. Everyone over the age of 16 has been 16. We know all the angst. Just because this book involves a lot of sex doesn't make it erotica. It's a shame too because Mel P. does have a grasp of language and her metaphors are not bad. I'd consider reading something from her that was a polished work instead of her sodden journal entries. ps. Shock value in Italy= 10. Shock value in America=1. Teenage angst and self destruction in the name of »love« ain't nothin new.
Sexy, dirty, sad 
This is a sad book that you cant help reading in the same way it is hard to not look at an auto wreck. At the same time it also has some very erotic moments, but sadly they don't leave you excited … The book just has to much of a dirty , grimy, nasty side to it. The world is a harsh place.
This is a sad book that you cant help reading in the same way it is hard to not look at an auto wreck. At the same time it also has some very erotic moments, but sadly they don't leave you excited … The book just has to much of a dirty , grimy, nasty side to it. The world is a harsh place.
Great if you can get beyond the »dirty« aspect … 
I got this book at a book sale, and had I noticed when I picked it up that it was classified as »Erotica« … I wouldn't have purchased it. To each his own, but romance novels with ridiculous sex scenes are not my thing. That said, this is not a romance novel with ridiculous sex scenes, nor do I think it should be classified as »Erotica«. Yes, sex is a HUGE part of this book, but it is real-life sex, the kind that can build you up or break you down--and in this case, it's the kind that can break you down. It is difficult to understand how 100 Strokes … can be a fictionalized memoir written by a 17-year-old girl. I get the feeling that Melissa P. did actually experience much of what she wrote about, or else she wouldn't have been able to describe feelings--both physical and mental--in such vivid detail. Of course, Melissa P. is Italian and this book was originally published in Italy, so maybe teenagers over there are really that much more sexually active/knowledgeable than teenagers over here. If you can stomach reading about sex--and a lot of it--I definitely say give this book a try. I'm rating it 4 out of 5 stars but I feel the need to repeat that there are a lot of sex scenes in this book, many of which were difficult for even me to get through. However, the author's insight and writing style are exceptional and I do feel that any open-minded young woman can learn a lot from this short yet poignant novel.
I got this book at a book sale, and had I noticed when I picked it up that it was classified as »Erotica« … I wouldn't have purchased it. To each his own, but romance novels with ridiculous sex scenes are not my thing. That said, this is not a romance novel with ridiculous sex scenes, nor do I think it should be classified as »Erotica«. Yes, sex is a HUGE part of this book, but it is real-life sex, the kind that can build you up or break you down--and in this case, it's the kind that can break you down. It is difficult to understand how 100 Strokes … can be a fictionalized memoir written by a 17-year-old girl. I get the feeling that Melissa P. did actually experience much of what she wrote about, or else she wouldn't have been able to describe feelings--both physical and mental--in such vivid detail. Of course, Melissa P. is Italian and this book was originally published in Italy, so maybe teenagers over there are really that much more sexually active/knowledgeable than teenagers over here. If you can stomach reading about sex--and a lot of it--I definitely say give this book a try. I'm rating it 4 out of 5 stars but I feel the need to repeat that there are a lot of sex scenes in this book, many of which were difficult for even me to get through. However, the author's insight and writing style are exceptional and I do feel that any open-minded young woman can learn a lot from this short yet poignant novel.
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