Xaviera Hollander’s life as a call girl and Madam in the US was captured here in her frank 1971 landmark book. Whether this open account is a valid contribution to positive writing about sex at a time when this was a rare phenomena or an unnecessarily racy telling to titillate, it cannot be denied that it makes compulsive listening especially with the author’s own voicing.
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"Really enjoyed this book. Things have stayed very much the same inside the 'underworld' of prostitution, this book could have been written yesterday. Love her style, flows well, applaud her honesty, quite inspirational. In fact must re-read this book. "
— Zoe (4 out of 5 stars)
" I think I was fifteen when I read this one and it opened my eyes to things girls w "
— Charlie, 2/5/2014" This book got passed around my college dorm back in 1972. I was caught on the knife's edge between indignation and titillation. I felt she was just trying to shock people to make money. "
— Lynda, 1/27/2014" Kudos for being the first of its modern kind, but a hooker and/or a madam's life is not a porno. Well, at least it wasn't a victim's story, anyway. Plus, I hate her snobbishness. "
— Caty, 1/25/2014" Read this under the nose of my grandmother at the age of 12. It was something of an education. I also read Germaine Greer that summer so at least there was a bit of balance. "
— Collette, 1/20/2014" read and it was raunchy, dirty, graphic and oh so good. "
— Darlene, 1/20/2014" What can I say that the title doesn't? "
— Kathy, 1/14/2014" Light, relatively interesting. Maybe one of the most redeeming qualities is the funny use of language; it is quite dated in its use of slang. I could almost hear a 'Laugh-In' era Goldie Hahn narrating aloud in my head. "Goovy! Turn on to the scene!" Funny for a throwback, but the updated epilogue in this edition is far too reaching in its theories, I believe. "
— Kathy, 1/4/2014" I read it in college - it was being passed around and we'd read and laugh and read and laugh. It was fun. Seriously, I think she opened a lot of minds. "
— Cheryl, 1/2/2014" Amazing stories of this Sensual woman who desired Sex, Sex, and more Sex! Hot stuff...... There is NO WAY I could keep up with all those things that she did!!!!!! Gotta read will have you saying WOW! "
— Shayla, 12/19/2013" Nice and trashy. "
— Surfing, 12/19/2013" Hilarious. Life should be so simple. "
— Alex, 12/12/2013" It's gritty. It's raw. It's real. It is sex in the 1970's. It is what it was. Xaviera Hollander was the Hedi Fleiss of her generation. It's a dark look into the world of high class call girls. "
— Gary, 11/12/2013" Dumb! It was like reading a Hustler article over and over again. I tried to jump around the book to see if it got any better. It didn't! Don't waste your time...it is too precious!!! "
— D'Arcy, 11/6/2013" I remember my best friend sixth grade stole this from her dad's office and showed me the scene when Xaviera Hollander makes it with her own dog. (Yes, she does -- in this book, anyway.) Pure, unapologetic, high-spirited trash, with a sense of humor. "
— Emily, 10/9/2013" I think I just read my first trashy romance novel. "
— Jacob, 10/4/2013" This was certainly eye opening. I found this book from an article that had a "must read" list. I might have even learned some stuff...I certainly would've like to have met this woman and had some story telling time with her! "
— Dawnie, 10/3/2013" I read this when I was 13- thanks mom!!! "
— Jill, 8/26/2013" this is my biography that i wrote all by myself in crayon! "
— Micah, 8/18/2013" I read this in 1972 or so, when it first came out. Wow 40 years later! Flashbacks!! (I just realized that I'm now the Silver Fox!) "
— Jim, 3/18/2013" Racy, irreverent, eye opening, hilarious, & impossible to put down, Xaviera blows the whistle on the world of high class call girls from the inside out! "
— Lisa, 2/12/2013" Parts of this I totally loved and thought were fascinating, but a lot of it was boring and/or stupid. "
— Wendy, 1/4/2013" I remember all of the whispers and giggles surrounding this book as a young child. Of course I had to find out what all the fuss was regarding once I grew up. Oh, the depraved 70's!! "
— Lucie, 11/17/2012" Not for the easily shocked or faint-of-heart! "
— Sherrie, 11/6/2012" Not a literary masterpiece, but certainly steamy!!! "
— Mandy, 8/7/2012" I don't know that this is actually a memoir. I read it a long time ago and don't remember if it was more fantasy or fact. But in my memoir shelf it goes. A quickie. "
— Rebekah, 7/29/2012" Read it in grad school; interesting. "
— Cherie, 6/19/2012" "The old saying 'Never mix business with pleasure' does not always apply to the business of pleasure." "
— Majentaa, 2/13/2012" Darcy took my review away from me. I said its like reading the Hustler. our book club actually had quite a conversation about it. This is not a good read, or well written but there is alot of action "
— Donna, 12/30/2011" i read the original back when i was young"er". "
— Pat, 9/6/2011" i had to read this book for my old job and i have to admit i really liked it. seriously fun, if you aren't prudish and you don't mind sexually liberated women. tee hee. "
— Jenn, 6/30/2011" I lifted this, along with Helter Skelter, from my mom's collection when I was about 11. I don't know what that says. "
— Robin, 5/23/2011" I'm sure it was groundbreaking for its time but her various prejudices killed my interest in much of what she had to say. "
— Paige, 4/12/2011" I snuck this out of my mom's dresser drawer when I was 14 years old. Wow - did I learn alot! "
— Debbie, 1/11/2011" It's a hilarious, and informative autobiography. However there is some ethnic profiling of male sexual habits and proclivities that some readers may find offensive.<br/> "
— Gold, 12/17/2010" The biography of Xaviera Hollander, a madam in New York in the 60's. It was eh. For a book about a hooker, the sex was very benign. Almost professional...and on second thought, I guess that makes sense. Sex for Xaviera was often not about passion, but about business. "
— Angela, 4/16/2010" A copy of this book was passed around as a shared secret amongst a group of teenage girls. It was naughty fun and gave us a common thread of clandestine conversation. Must've been my first book club that didn't rely upon recess or school bus commutes. "
— Kathleen, 10/25/2009" Not very impressed. I can see that it would have been culturally significant in it's time, but with much of it no longer shocking your left with something poorly written, with no plot, and lots of racism. "
— Eric, 8/31/2009" I seem to remember an event with a dog! "
— Tracey, 8/4/2009" The first erotica I ever read; we passed it around at my military school. Fond memories... "
— Brenan, 8/2/2009" Read this in my early 20's. It was very good back then. I've matured since. "
— Mrs., 7/11/2009" I read it in college - it was being passed around and we'd read and laugh and read and laugh. It was fun. Seriously, I think she opened a lot of minds. "
— Cheryl, 6/21/2009" It's gritty. It's raw. It's real. It is sex in the 1970's. It is what it was. Xaviera Hollander was the Hedi Fleiss of her generation. It's a dark look into the world of high class call girls. "
— Gary, 5/27/2009