page_title: Erotic literature
section_title: Erotic memoirs
hierarchical_section_title: Erotic literature / Other accounts / Erotic memoirs
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Jakob Jerome Casanova, Venedizianer, im Alter von 63 English: Medallion portrait of Casanova, done live in March 1788, engraving by Berka, used as frontispice for Icosameron (1788). Giacomo Girolamo Casanova, Venitian in his 63rd year. Français&#160;: Portrait en médaillon de Casanova, fait à vue en mars 1788, gravure de Berka, utilisé comme frontispice de Icosaméron (1788). Légende&#160;: Jacques Jérôme Casanova, Vénitien dans sa 63e année. Italiano: Casanova 1788, Incisione di Berka, inserita nel frontespizio dell' Icosameron (1788). Latina: [not L. Berka] «&#160;I. Berka del. etsc. Pragæ .&#160;» [Iohannus Berka, delineator et sculptor, Pragae] «&#160;IACOB: HIERON: CHASSANÆUS·VENETUS ANNO · ÆT: SUÆ· LXIII·&#160;» [Iacobus Hieronimus Chassanaeus, Venetus, anno aetatis suae LXIII]
context_page_description: Erotic literature comprises fictional and factual stories and accounts of eros – passionate, romantic or sexual relationships – intended to arouse similar feelings in readers, in contrast to erotica, which focuses more specifically on sexual feelings. Erotic literature can take the form of novels, short stories, poetry, true-life memoirs, and sex manuals. A common feature of the genre is sexual fantasies on such themes as prostitution, orgies, sadomasochism, and many other taboo subjects and fetishes, which may or may not be expressed in explicit language. Other common elements are satire and social criticism. Much erotic literature features erotic art, illustrating the text.
  Despite cultural disapproval of such material, circulation of erotic literature was not seen as a major problem before the invention of printing, as the costs of producing individual manuscripts limited distribution to a very small group of literate readers. The invention of printing, in the 15th century, brought with it both a greater market and increasing restrictions, including censorship and legal restraints on publication on the grounds of obscenity.
context_section_description: Erotic memoirs include Casanova's  Histoire de ma vie, from the 18th century. Notable English works of this genre from the 19th century include The Ups and Downs of Life (1867) by Edward Sellon and My Secret Life by "Walter". Edward Sellon was a writer, translator and illustrator of erotic literature who wrote erotica for the pornographic publisher William Dugdale, including such works as The New Epicurean (1865). The true identity of "Walter" is very mysterious.  Ian Gibson, in The Erotomaniac speculates that My Secret Life was really written by Henry Spencer Ashbee and therefore it is possible that "Walter" is a fiction. A famous German erotic work of this time, published in two parts in 1868 and 1875 entitled Pauline the Prima Donna purports to be the memoirs of the opera singer Wilhelmine Schröder-Devrient. Various discrepancies with known facts of the singer's life, however, have led many to doubt the veracity of this book and the erotic adventures contained in the second volume, at least, appear to be very implausible. These include the author indulging in lesbian sadomasochism, group sex, sodomy, bestiality, scatology, necrophilia, prostitution and vampirism: all before she had reached the age of 27. 20th-century contributions to the genre include Frank Harris's My Life and Loves (1922–27) and the convicted Austrian sex criminal Edith Cadivec's Confessions and Experiences and its sequel Eros, the Meaning of My Life (published together 1930-1). A 21st-century example is One Hundred Strokes of the Brush Before Bed (2004) by Melissa Panarello.
caption: Medallion portrait of Casanova, engraving by Berka, used as frontispiece for Icosameron (1788)
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