Auletris: Erotica

Nin scholars and new readers alike have a lot to delight in with this compilation of fiction from one of modern erotica's most famous founding mothers. Herron's introduction to the collection deftly places Nin's career in perspective while explaining the provenance and significance of the two rediscovered stories. The works themselves are delightful. The previously unseen "Life in Provincetown" follows the erotic exploits and histories of the denizens of a small beach town, painting a web of intermingling affairs and encounters, ranging from the voyeuristic to the incestuous. This unedited, lengthier version of the previously published "Marcel" is a gently meandering story about a man who can only find sexual satisfaction if he's in love, and the adventures of his more experienced partner Mandra. Both tales capture beautiful locales and sensual people with a sympathetic and compelling eye, richly portraying a variety of experiences and scenarios. Readers willing to overlook some outdated language ("She laughed like a negress being tickled") will find this a welcome and succulent addition to Nin's formidable legacy. (Oct.)