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The Autobiography of a Flea
Autobiography of a Flea contains, in abundance, all the elements of great 19th-century erotic literature: innocent maidens, unscrupulous clerics, wayward wives, and duped husbands. These are the ingredients that have made this classic French work of erotica so famous.
176 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 1887
About the author
Anonymous
791k books3,232 followersBooks can be attributed to "Anonymous" for several reasons:
* They are officially published under that name
* They are traditional stories not attributed to a specific author
* They are religious texts not generally attributed to a specific author
Books whose authorship is merely uncertain should be attributed to Unknown.
See also: Anonymous
* They are officially published under that name
* They are traditional stories not attributed to a specific author
* They are religious texts not generally attributed to a specific author
Books whose authorship is merely uncertain should be attributed to Unknown.
See also: Anonymous
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
July 27, 2024
I mean, this is Victorian smut narrated by a flea who lives on a teenage girl, written in the excessively flowery language of the day. It is decidedly not fine literature. There's no real plot - it's just sex and incest and rape and orgies and 1,001 ridiculous names for a penis and priests who should absolutely, positively, without question be defrocked. It's kind of hilarious but also kind of horrible, and you should probably have some videos of frolicking kittens or happy bunnies queued up to watch immediately after reading to act as a brain cleanser.
Click the link below for a sample of the "delightful" writing to be found in this book. It's behind a spoiler tag for a reason, so don't yell at me when your grandma looks over your shoulder and asks you what the word "spunk" means (although I suppose if you let her keep reading, she'll figure it out soon enough).
So ... yeah. Nothing like a blowie and a lecture, amirite? Happy reading!
Click the link below for a sample of the "delightful" writing to be found in this book. It's behind a spoiler tag for a reason, so don't yell at me when your grandma looks over your shoulder and asks you what the word "spunk" means (although I suppose if you let her keep reading, she'll figure it out soon enough).
So ... yeah. Nothing like a blowie and a lecture, amirite? Happy reading!
July 1, 2012
filthy filthy filthy.
Rape, incest, priestly naughtiness, orgies, bisexuality, and pretty much anything else you can think of, but with this absurd, florid victorian laguage that's totally excessive and silly. Kind of awesome, kind of horrible.
Read at your own risk.
Rape, incest, priestly naughtiness, orgies, bisexuality, and pretty much anything else you can think of, but with this absurd, florid victorian laguage that's totally excessive and silly. Kind of awesome, kind of horrible.
Read at your own risk.
March 17, 2010
Made my ears turn red.
March 10, 2023
Time to start repressing this!
March 23, 2013
Basically this is Victorian pornography, but pretty well stands the test of time as a sort of erotic satire, if you like this sort of thing. It's certainly in a lighter vein and has some quite amusing moments. (Written from the point of view of a flea upon a young woman.)
July 15, 2020
The Goodreads write up for this book includes what I most hate about pornography in the statement:
"Through a casual observer, we see all that society's hypocrises and vice on display. " (That's a cut and paste; the misspelling and incoherency come straight from the original.)
Uh, actually, no, we don't, at least in the one with Bella and Father Ambrose. We don't even see society's hypocrisies regarding sexuality on display. It might be argued that we see the hypocrisies of a few extremely atypical individuals on display, but I would say we're only seeing one man's fantasies about society's hypocrisies on display, and not very informed fantasies, at that.
This is what makes me insane about porn -- some defenders of porn insist "everyone knows it's just fantasy," but first off all fantasy worthy of the name makes some sort of commentary on reality, and secondly plenty of porn readers seem to believe porn presents a reality that hypocritical society denies, generally speaking, and not just when it comes to the 1880s. Those readers remind me of the guy who was convinced and infuriated his neighbor was "getting it on with all those young girls, while I get nothing" when the young girls in question were the man's daughter and her friends, not sex partners. Porn users like that are so committed to the porn fantasy that reality escapes them even when it's staring them in the face.
In terms of this book's basic plot, I'm not one to argue against the idea that some Christian leaders abuse their power to manipulate or force their parishioners into having sex with them; over and above the media coverage of that sort of thing, I've known a number of people victimized by religious leaders myself. Once past that basic fact, however, this book gets everything wrong, from the methods the leaders use to how their victims respond. But while the story itself is woefully inaccurate, I expect it represents the attitudes and beliefs of a certain sub-set of society of the time pretty accurately, which is what I was reading it for.
The irony of a book like this is how often the author exposes his own hypocrisies rather than the hypocrisies he means to be exposing.
"Through a casual observer, we see all that society's hypocrises and vice on display. " (That's a cut and paste; the misspelling and incoherency come straight from the original.)
Uh, actually, no, we don't, at least in the one with Bella and Father Ambrose. We don't even see society's hypocrisies regarding sexuality on display. It might be argued that we see the hypocrisies of a few extremely atypical individuals on display, but I would say we're only seeing one man's fantasies about society's hypocrisies on display, and not very informed fantasies, at that.
This is what makes me insane about porn -- some defenders of porn insist "everyone knows it's just fantasy," but first off all fantasy worthy of the name makes some sort of commentary on reality, and secondly plenty of porn readers seem to believe porn presents a reality that hypocritical society denies, generally speaking, and not just when it comes to the 1880s. Those readers remind me of the guy who was convinced and infuriated his neighbor was "getting it on with all those young girls, while I get nothing" when the young girls in question were the man's daughter and her friends, not sex partners. Porn users like that are so committed to the porn fantasy that reality escapes them even when it's staring them in the face.
In terms of this book's basic plot, I'm not one to argue against the idea that some Christian leaders abuse their power to manipulate or force their parishioners into having sex with them; over and above the media coverage of that sort of thing, I've known a number of people victimized by religious leaders myself. Once past that basic fact, however, this book gets everything wrong, from the methods the leaders use to how their victims respond. But while the story itself is woefully inaccurate, I expect it represents the attitudes and beliefs of a certain sub-set of society of the time pretty accurately, which is what I was reading it for.
The irony of a book like this is how often the author exposes his own hypocrisies rather than the hypocrisies he means to be exposing.
June 25, 2011
This is pure Victorian era erotica. It's certainly full of engines, machines and steel but it's written in a fun way, taking the piss out of every conceivable taboo from gleefully rampant Catholic priests, to wanton girls, to incest. There are no cautious euphamisms at work either, it seems to try to cram every conceivable name for sex and genitals that it can into the limited number of pages.
Authobiography of a flea is not for the faint hearted or anyone looking out for reasons to be shocked. It that's you, you'll be over it by the end of the second chapter. However, despite the extreme subject matter it is written in the spirit of fun. It was probably the Benny Hill show of it's day.
The flea is a bit of a judgemental voyeur, hopping away on occassion when he can't take any more, he also bit the girl's uncle on the balls the first time he tried to rape his niece. It's an easy read and I recommend it if you're curious about erotica from this era.
Authobiography of a flea is not for the faint hearted or anyone looking out for reasons to be shocked. It that's you, you'll be over it by the end of the second chapter. However, despite the extreme subject matter it is written in the spirit of fun. It was probably the Benny Hill show of it's day.
The flea is a bit of a judgemental voyeur, hopping away on occassion when he can't take any more, he also bit the girl's uncle on the balls the first time he tried to rape his niece. It's an easy read and I recommend it if you're curious about erotica from this era.
September 13, 2012
Forget Fifty Shades of Grey, this book was written in 1887 and is the original erotic novel. It is cleverly written from the perspective of a flea, who is privy to some very interesting events surrounding a young girl named Bella. The book is so debauched that it was written anonymously (the author was later discovered to be a wealthy London lawyer). Warning though; it is not for the feint of heart and contains some very confrontational subject matter.
August 27, 2023
victorian smut worthy of a 200-page dissertation
March 26, 2023
Plot. Where?
I think this does its job as a satire, which is amusing, but literally nothing but sex happens.
I think this does its job as a satire, which is amusing, but literally nothing but sex happens.
March 12, 2024
I have to disagree with the reviews that call this work "erotica" and "satire"....it is absolutely straight up filthy Victorian pornography.
The anonymous author manages to work so many taboos(incest, debauched priests, sodomy, voyeurism...you name it, it's probably in here) into so few pages it is really impressive.
It's also very clever and funny---the flea narrator has a great sense of humor. The astounding variety of euphemisms for all manner of body parts and acts is worth the price alone.
If you are at all under the impression that the Victorians were a chaste bunch, this little book will disabuse you of that notion quickly.
Whether or not you will find it erotic depends on where your proclivities lie.
The anonymous author manages to work so many taboos(incest, debauched priests, sodomy, voyeurism...you name it, it's probably in here) into so few pages it is really impressive.
It's also very clever and funny---the flea narrator has a great sense of humor. The astounding variety of euphemisms for all manner of body parts and acts is worth the price alone.
If you are at all under the impression that the Victorians were a chaste bunch, this little book will disabuse you of that notion quickly.
Whether or not you will find it erotic depends on where your proclivities lie.
January 22, 2011
This book was smutty.
Judging by the language, "anonymous" was a man!
I wouldn't advise people against reading this, but I wouldn't call it good. I certainly don't feel inclined to run out and look for more "erotic literature" to read...
**I am confused though, I purchased this through NOOK, on my ipod, and the version that I read appears to be this version (selected for my review), however, the synopsis here on goodreads describes a main character named, Bella. The story that I read had an innocent maiden called, Laurette.
I'm not sure if I read a rip off, or if the synopsis for goodreads is wrong....
Judging by the language, "anonymous" was a man!
I wouldn't advise people against reading this, but I wouldn't call it good. I certainly don't feel inclined to run out and look for more "erotic literature" to read...
**I am confused though, I purchased this through NOOK, on my ipod, and the version that I read appears to be this version (selected for my review), however, the synopsis here on goodreads describes a main character named, Bella. The story that I read had an innocent maiden called, Laurette.
I'm not sure if I read a rip off, or if the synopsis for goodreads is wrong....
March 6, 2014
Estos locos victorianos y sus locas evasiones. Literatura erótica inglesa del siglo XIX, sin mayores pretensiones que las de divertir a las gentes de su época. Si te parece que hemos evolucionado mucho haz una búsqueda en internet y verás que, en conjunto, nuestras fantasías sexuales no han cambiado tanto.
Al menos me he reído un rato con algunas expresiones. Y mucho mejor escrita que las cincuenta chapuzas de grey.
Al menos me he reído un rato con algunas expresiones. Y mucho mejor escrita que las cincuenta chapuzas de grey.
April 23, 2021
Would give a higher rating but the author gave my uncle the plague.
August 9, 2023
I was gifted this book when I was 20, I originally read it than but since it doesn't have a goodreads reviews..it was time to re-read. I had spent a while thinking I was hallucinating this story due to its oddity with having a fly narrator.
This story does have trigger warnings: sexual minor relations with a Priest, minor sexual relations (the FMC is only 14), rape with familiars.
This story was originally written in the 1800s and deals with conquests that were dubbed as "normal" and "spicy" for its time period, though being a book filmed by the first film porn director in the 1970s, certainly shows how erotic this story really is.
What I did forget about this book is that the author believes he can reach a woman's womb with his manhood, even though the entrance of a woman isn't in the same spot as a womb, he also believes a woman's virginity is sealed too tight that he must force himself to pierce though. Though shockingly enough, they managed to find the clit and knew what to do with it.
Though reading the way acts are described are quite funny because it's every word that smut readers HATE reading.
It's fun reading the goodread reviews for this book, the amount of reviews in disgust on this story. I mean, the cover implies it's topic while the synopsis reveals what you'll discover. Though those reviewers were seeing red at faith and sex being used.
While there is a story, there isn't a story at the same time. The flea shows the trickery and the lust but nothing more outside of the two.
This story does have trigger warnings: sexual minor relations with a Priest, minor sexual relations (the FMC is only 14), rape with familiars.
This story was originally written in the 1800s and deals with conquests that were dubbed as "normal" and "spicy" for its time period, though being a book filmed by the first film porn director in the 1970s, certainly shows how erotic this story really is.
What I did forget about this book is that the author believes he can reach a woman's womb with his manhood, even though the entrance of a woman isn't in the same spot as a womb, he also believes a woman's virginity is sealed too tight that he must force himself to pierce though. Though shockingly enough, they managed to find the clit and knew what to do with it.
Though reading the way acts are described are quite funny because it's every word that smut readers HATE reading.
It's fun reading the goodread reviews for this book, the amount of reviews in disgust on this story. I mean, the cover implies it's topic while the synopsis reveals what you'll discover. Though those reviewers were seeing red at faith and sex being used.
While there is a story, there isn't a story at the same time. The flea shows the trickery and the lust but nothing more outside of the two.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 12, 2016
This book has a blurb on the cover gushing that it is “Probably the best, but certainly the most famous erotic novel ever written”, which is certainly flattery at its most outrageous.
The Autobiography of a Flea purports to be the viewings of the sexual antics of Bella, et al., via the viewpoint of the aforementioned louse. However, there is very little of a flea’s life about this; it’s merely a conceit to regale jaded readers with descriptions of rape, gang rape, incest, sodomy and sacrilege. The only thing missing is enforced lesbianism and, given the tenor of one scene, you can only reason that it was left out because this book is not meant to appeal to women.
Bella throws herself so willingly into her sexual shenanigans that there’s little in the way of challenge or erotica. She’s swayed by a young rascal named Charlie and then falls willingly into the arms of a scheming priest. She takes part in the deliberate rape of her friend Julia, for no better reason than to facilitate the blackmail of Julia’s father. She is active in sex but passive in all else, letting herself be led around by the nose until she winds up in a convent where she is then presented to a group of young priests who—well, you can guess what happens next.
As pornography, this is certainly one of the more descriptive and energetic writings out there. So if you’re looking for lightweight, prurient trash, this is right up your alley.
The Autobiography of a Flea purports to be the viewings of the sexual antics of Bella, et al., via the viewpoint of the aforementioned louse. However, there is very little of a flea’s life about this; it’s merely a conceit to regale jaded readers with descriptions of rape, gang rape, incest, sodomy and sacrilege. The only thing missing is enforced lesbianism and, given the tenor of one scene, you can only reason that it was left out because this book is not meant to appeal to women.
Bella throws herself so willingly into her sexual shenanigans that there’s little in the way of challenge or erotica. She’s swayed by a young rascal named Charlie and then falls willingly into the arms of a scheming priest. She takes part in the deliberate rape of her friend Julia, for no better reason than to facilitate the blackmail of Julia’s father. She is active in sex but passive in all else, letting herself be led around by the nose until she winds up in a convent where she is then presented to a group of young priests who—well, you can guess what happens next.
As pornography, this is certainly one of the more descriptive and energetic writings out there. So if you’re looking for lightweight, prurient trash, this is right up your alley.
April 14, 2022
Una pulga pegada a la entre pierna de una muchacha contándonos sus aventuras sexuales suena como a algo interesante, pero en este libro no lo es. No lo pude terminar. Lo ando arrastrando por meses y decidí que ahí muere. Leí como el 70%. Estoy muy cansada de la literatura erótica escrita por señores del siglo xix donde nomás quieren meter chingadera y media en una historia ya sin sentido con apenas vistazos chafísimas de crítica social.
Le doy estrellas porque la protagonista por lo menos parece pasarla bien y tomar decisiones por sí misma de vez en cuando, y que hay algo de entendimiento de que el sexo forzado no está bien...
¿La pulga? A pesar de ser el narrador su perspectiva es casi inexistente en el relato más allá de mencionar como 3 veces que sigue siendo una pulga y que se movió de parte del cuerpo.
Le doy estrellas porque la protagonista por lo menos parece pasarla bien y tomar decisiones por sí misma de vez en cuando, y que hay algo de entendimiento de que el sexo forzado no está bien...
¿La pulga? A pesar de ser el narrador su perspectiva es casi inexistente en el relato más allá de mencionar como 3 veces que sigue siendo una pulga y que se movió de parte del cuerpo.
November 12, 2014
Great novella of debauchery from the viewpoint of a flea riding the wind (and bodies) through France. Everyone gets satisfied in this text. Great fun and highly erotic. From local priests cavorting with widows and young tail to the eroticism of everyday marital relationships, this book has it all. A must read for the lover of erotic fiction.
Want to read
January 4, 2009Have this book, need to read
Read
January 23, 2013Just consider this book another foray into my research of Victorian era erotica.
Read
June 18, 2014Victorian erotica. I was amused at first, but eventually found the whole thing a bit tedious.
August 27, 2014
Filthy and disturbing but rather biting in its acerbic wit. I certainly wouldn't recommend reading this book for the sex but the humorous narration of the flea makes it well worth the read.
June 8, 2015
Pues es que después de leer a Sade este tipo de historias son aburridas!!
March 10, 2016
Decent. Funny sometimes. A tad to repetitive, though...
May 14, 2024
definitely written by a man… would not recommend reading unless you want to understand the history of Erotic Literature. Really hard read, hence why it took me so long
March 1, 2017
Pete n' Dud style smut originally published anonymously but thought to have been written by a Victorian solicitor named Stanislaus. (Female clients would not have liked the idea of him handling their briefs.)
The plot, if you can dignify a succession of profane sexual exploits as such, involves the debasement of a fourteen year old girl named Bella by Father Ambrose, a cassocked satyr blessed with an impressive instrument of benediction.
Pederasty, sacrilege, incest - all the taboos are despoiled in turn. Repetitive in the extreme, the majority of the narrative involves constant, industrial sounding references to male genitalia which could have been lifted out of an engineering textbook, e.g. 'redoubtable engine', 'immense shaft', 'stiffened machine', 'huge rammer,' you get the idea.
It's probably harder to write decent erotic fiction than it is to write comedy. Combining the two is often the best approach, which is the case here. As such the best moments were those that made me laugh involuntary, the best two examples of which were:
'After he had made me feel as if I was dying of a delicious shivering sensation, which his fingers produced, he suddenly took my hand in his and placed it upon something he had which felt like a child's arm.'
'Mr. Verbouc also, who, it will be remembered coveted nothing so much as a buttered bun'
Anyone who actually found themselves aroused by this trash might want to try a manual about factory machinary next time. Now that's true hardcore!
The plot, if you can dignify a succession of profane sexual exploits as such, involves the debasement of a fourteen year old girl named Bella by Father Ambrose, a cassocked satyr blessed with an impressive instrument of benediction.
Pederasty, sacrilege, incest - all the taboos are despoiled in turn. Repetitive in the extreme, the majority of the narrative involves constant, industrial sounding references to male genitalia which could have been lifted out of an engineering textbook, e.g. 'redoubtable engine', 'immense shaft', 'stiffened machine', 'huge rammer,' you get the idea.
It's probably harder to write decent erotic fiction than it is to write comedy. Combining the two is often the best approach, which is the case here. As such the best moments were those that made me laugh involuntary, the best two examples of which were:
'After he had made me feel as if I was dying of a delicious shivering sensation, which his fingers produced, he suddenly took my hand in his and placed it upon something he had which felt like a child's arm.'
'Mr. Verbouc also, who, it will be remembered coveted nothing so much as a buttered bun'
Anyone who actually found themselves aroused by this trash might want to try a manual about factory machinary next time. Now that's true hardcore!
September 1, 2019
This is erotica and has to be taken for what it is. That said, there is no way to hide the fact that it was written by men, for men. The language used to speak of the female characters, the twisted view of rape and incest, and a host of other factors are easily offensive. Looking beyond the sheer magnitude of sexual scenes, there is a plot that keeps the attention. Therefore, I granted it 3 stars. To be honest, I began skimming over the repetitive sex scenes a quarter of the way through just to figure out how the plot wrapped up.
February 11, 2015
Observaciones eróticas realizadas por una precoz e inteligente pulga que se ve arrastrada a través de las diferentes perversiones sexuales en el siglo XIX. Perversiones que no han cambiado mucho desde esa época hasta ahora.
Hice una reseña de este libro en mi blog:
http://lectorcompulsivo.com/2015/02/m...
Hice una reseña de este libro en mi blog:
http://lectorcompulsivo.com/2015/02/m...
March 25, 2016
Taken with a pinch of salt, well, several pinches actually, this is a (very) funny read :-) You do need to consider the date of first publication though, but with that at the back of your mind, the novel, or novella, is really able to make one laugh.
December 1, 2013
If you like to see the clergy in full view this book is for you. The view of the flea is an interesting prospective. Adults taking advantage of adolescents
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews