Nastiest Book Ever??... How about "Hogg"?

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"In a sense, pornography is the most political form of fiction, dealing with how we use and exploit each other, in the most urgent and ruthless way."

-- J.G. Ballard

Some months ago Monk was looking through the Amazon and Barnes & Noble sites for some hard erotica. His expectations weren't high, given our sanitized and politically correct times, notwithstanding the wonder that is the Internet. Yet, he found a book that has shocked the hell out of him!

That book is Hogg by Samuel Delany. Hogg is the leader of a troupe of rape artists who rape and brutalize women for pay. Monk had never heard of such a criminal specialty, and one isn't sure if it's something that actually exists in the real world, as it sounds akin to contract hitmen.

Although Monk was indeed looking for something dark and sleazy for his masturbatory amusement, it should be appreciated that this isn't that book. There is more homosexual content than not, as Mr. Delany is noted for writing on homosexual themes, along with more than a little coprophilia, and the violence gets outrageous - so that the book becomes more sensational and shocking than masturbatory. Delany also isn't merely a porn writer. Some may arguably criticize this particular book as being merely pornography of the most vulgar and bestial sort, as the deviant sex and horrid violence is fairly continuous. Neverthemore, there is art in this madness.

In truth, this isn't one of those works of literature that Monk will re-read, but he is glad to have read it once and to know the experience of it. It is wild!! The only other work that comes to one's mind is Bret Easton Ellis's American Psycho. Ellis's book could be said to be more violent, and Ellis's book is also one that Monk actually enjoys re-reading. The comparison comes to mind, though.

One will close with this quote from Rob Stephenson, who writes the introduction for Hogg, regarding the difficulty that Delany had in getting this work published:

'Over the years many book publishers, some eager to publish a Delany novel, would still not accept Hogg for publication after reading it. Maurice Girodias of Olympia Press, famous for first publishing Nabokov's Lolita and the novels of Sade, told Delany it was the only novel he "ever rejected solely because of its sexual content."'

Nastiest Book Ever??... How about "Hogg"?

~
"In a sense, pornography is the most political form of fiction, dealing with how we use and exploit each other, in the most urgent and ruthless way."

-- J.G. Ballard

Some months ago Monk was looking through the Amazon and Barnes & Noble sites for some hard erotica. His expectations weren't high, given our sanitized and politically correct times, notwithstanding the wonder that is the Internet. Yet, he found a book that has shocked the hell out of him!

That book is Hogg by Samuel Delany. Hogg is the leader of a troupe of rape artists who rape and brutalize women for pay. Monk had never heard of such a criminal specialty, and one isn't sure if it's something that actually exists in the real world, as it sounds akin to contract hitmen.

Although Monk was indeed looking for something dark and sleazy for his masturbatory amusement, it should be appreciated that this isn't that book. There is more homosexual content than not, as Mr. Delany is noted for writing on homosexual themes, along with more than a little coprophilia, and the violence gets outrageous - so that the book becomes more sensational and shocking than masturbatory. Delany also isn't merely a porn writer. Some may arguably criticize this particular book as being merely pornography of the most vulgar and bestial sort, as the deviant sex and horrid violence is fairly continuous. Neverthemore, there is art in this madness.

In truth, this isn't one of those works of literature that Monk will re-read, but he is glad to have read it once and to know the experience of it. It is wild!! The only other work that comes to one's mind is Bret Easton Ellis's American Psycho. Ellis's book could be said to be more violent, and Ellis's book is also one that Monk actually enjoys re-reading. The comparison comes to mind, though.

One will close with this quote from Rob Stephenson, who writes the introduction for Hogg, regarding the difficulty that Delany had in getting this work published:

'Over the years many book publishers, some eager to publish a Delany novel, would still not accept Hogg for publication after reading it. Maurice Girodias of Olympia Press, famous for first publishing Nabokov's Lolita and the novels of Sade, told Delany it was the only novel he "ever rejected solely because of its sexual content."'