Obsession: An Erotic Tale

by Gloria Vanderbilt

Book Overview

The marriages of desire . . . From the multitalented and versatile Gloria Vanderbilt comes a passionate, sensual, witty, and puzzling tale of erotic obsession, beauty, and revenge, told in tandem by two women obsessed with the same man--and, ultimately, with each other. Talbot Bingham is a renowned architectural genius who, with his formidable wife, Priscilla, creates an architectural community. When he dies unexpectedly in the middle of their tenth...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061734896
• ISBN13: 9780061734892
• Release Date: June 2009
• Publisher: Ecco Press
• Length: 144 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.0" x 7.4"

Customer Reviews

Not great but still a fun trashy read

Have to agree that had Gloria Vanderbilt not been the author the book probably would never have been published. And no it's not that well written, but having been forewarned that the book was trashy and erotic in nature, which are hard genre to begin with, I found the book to be funny. Even more so when I found out the author is eighty five years old. For a fun summer read it makes a fun beach read.

interesting relationship drama

The Bingham power couple seems to live the perfect life. Anyone who sees the influential pair know they love one another while sharing a wonderful life of affluence. Besides the best in Manhattan, they own several estates as Talbot is a famous architect in demand. On their tenth anniversary, he suddenly dies leaving his beloved Priscilla as a grieving widow. Several years later, still mourning her loss, Pris begins going through her late husband's papers. She finds shocking letters from a Queen Bee that vividly leaves nothing to the imagination. Not only was this Bee Talbot's mistress, she was his dominatrix while he was her slave. Hurt and despondent not just because he cheated on her, she loathes he hid a key part of himself from her although rationally Pris understand why as she finds his venture in to bondage disturbingly sick. She dreams of meeting Queen Bee who also would like to meet the wife she mocked in her correspondence with her late favorite customer. Although nothing new and somewhat slight, OBSESSION is an interesting relationship drama with the key connector being a dead person that both women cherished. The story line is fast-paced with an underlying psychological vent from the moment Pris obsesses over challenging her rival for the memory of Talbot. Although the plot is thin, fans of erotic character studies will want to know who dominates when the widow meets the mistress. Harriet Klausner

The Two Faces of Love

"In Roman mythology, Janus was the god of gates, doors, doorways, beginnings and endings. His most prominent remnants in modern culture are his namesakes: the month of January, which begins the new year. He is most often depicted as having two faces or heads, facing in opposite directions." Wikipedia Gloria Vanderbilt has written a self-proclaimed book of erotica. The story is one of two women who loved the same man, Talbot Bingham. Their love took different forms. Priscilla, the wife, loved Talbot and took care of all of his needs so that he could focus on his profession as an architect. She catered to his every whim but did not enjoy sex. She endured and presented herself as a woman who loved it all. Bee, was the other woman, a mistress. She was a woman of the Janus House, a luxurious mansion with many rooms and halls and every door led to a seductive land of love. Talbot, a rugged Harvard man, was everything a woman could want. Handsome, famous, controversial in his profession and rich. Anything and everything that Priscilla wanted was hers. But, of course, image was everything. And, that dear one, describes their marriage. It was said, "If ever two were one, it was Priscilla and Talbot. Even their partnership was taken from their names, 'Talcilla'. Talbot trusted only Priscilla, and that was his greatest asset, he could adapt himself to any situation. The nature of Priscilla's frigidity never came up- it was not discussed. Priscilla believed that Talbot never knew. She made herself believe. Bee was the other woman, the other side of the two faces. She lived to pleasure a man. And, in 'Obsession' many forms and formats of love are described, and petals, honey, ambrosias, chocolate dots, whips, hairbrushes and golden nipple clamps are enjoyed and seductive layers are peeled off one by one. This is a novel of sex and seduction and finding the things in life that matter. The riches, the success, the 'things' do not matter, really. Most of us will read this book for the erotic mysteries that lie within. Some of us will learn of new and exciting methods of combining mint and cayenne powder. Others of us will not be surprised or shocked, and we are the lucky ones. Priscilla and Bee, the two faces of love. Every man should have one or two. Kudos, Gloria Vanderbilt. Highly Recommended. prisrob 06-23-09 It Seemed Important at the Time: A Romance Memoir A Mother's Story

An amazing, highly erotic, humorous and lyrical novel, of the most unexpected kind

Written in prose so plaintive, aching, and lyrical that the words must have gushed, like a spring, from a lovelorn and wounded heart, this novel is astonishing beyond words. "Obsession: An Erotic Tale," is an unusual and titillating story of Talbot Bingham, a renowned, wealthy and successful architect, and Priscilla Bingham, his frustrated and sexually timid wife, and Bee, his mistress with whom he indulges in passionate but kinky sex. When Talbot suddenly dies while the couple was celebrating their tenth wedding anniversary, Priscilla discovers a cache of letters in Talbot's archives. The letters were written by Bee, a mysterious woman with whom Talbot was indulging in passionate but painful and kinky sex. This novel is highly erotic; it is certainly not pornographic. It is also witty and very humorous. While reading the extremely erotic and explicit passages I was astonished to find myself laughing so hysterically sometimes that I had tears in my eyes. Some of the words and phrases I encountered were so unexpected that I was startled and completely stupefied. I truly did not know until now that reading such passages was so much fun. But reading some of the passages was also slightly distressing at times, and it can even be uncomfortable for those who are squeamish at heart; but the novel is never boring. There isn't a single dull page in this book. And as startling and lively as this novel is, it is even more startling that the highly erotic passages sprouted in the mind and gushed through the pen of the eighty-five year old author. Read this novel to feel the thrill of the most unexpected kind. Yesh Prabhu, Plainsboro, NJ