Forbidden Books (Evening Post, 11 May 1929)
This is a Generative AI summary of this newspaper article. It may contain errors or omissions. Please note that the language in the summary is reflective of the original article and the societal attitudes of the time in which it was written.
Summary: Forbidden Books (Evening Post, 11 May 1929)
On 11 May 1929, the London "Daily Chronicle" reported from Paris about the significant economic impact of two banned novels, "The Well of Loneliness" by Radclyffe Hall and "Lady Chatterley's Lover" by D.H. Lawrence. The British authorities had placed bans on both novels, which inadvertently created a lucrative secondary market on the Continent, particularly in Paris.
"The Well of Loneliness" has reportedly generated royalties exceeding £10,000 in continental sales alone. Parisian booksellers have noted immense demand for the book. One seller highlighted that certain original copies have fetched prices as high as seven guineas each, with some receiving resale offers of £3,600 for specific lots at 150 francs per copy.
On the other hand, D.H. Lawrence’s "Lady Chatterley's Lover" has already gone through three editions. The first, printed in Italy, consisted of 1,000 copies, including 150 deluxe editions. Some of these signed deluxe copies have sold for about £25, while the final signed copy went for an astonishing 7,500 francs (£60). Royalties from the entire print run are believed to reach approximately £800. A mysterious second edition of 200 copies surfaced in the United States, printed without the author's knowledge and priced around 400 francs. A subsequent German printing was done by a French publisher, offering 1,500 copies at the same price of 400 francs each.
The report captured the irony of how censorship has driven demand and profitability for these works in other markets. This situation emphasizes the intricate relationship between literature, society, and commerce, highlighting that prohibitions can sometimes lead to unintended economic opportunities.
In a separate matter, the article also touched upon the potential sale of Lansdowne House, a historical structure in London, rumored to be sold by the Marquis of Lansdowne. The architect Mr. Benson Gieohali, who has achieved considerable success in the property arena despite a modest starting point, is vying to purchase the house. His ambition includes plans to possibly transport the structure brick by brick to the United States, pending an American millionaire’s investment. Current tenant Mr. Gordon Selfridge has expressed willingness to cooperate with any developmental plans despite having a lease that still has 18 months left to run.
Overall, the proximity of literary bans and the looming sale of significant properties in London paints a vivid picture of a bustling cultural and economic landscape in the late 1920s.
Important Information
The text on this page is created, in the most part, using Generative AI and so may contain errors or omissions. It is supplied to you without guarantee or warranty of correctness. If you find an error or would like to make a content suggestion please get in contact
The text on this page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 New Zealand