Horizontal Collaboration: The Erotic World of Paris, 1920-1946

Though Gay Paree doesn't appear to have been quite as risqué as Weimar Berlin. Full of outstanding art reproductions and period photos.

Not as all-out erotic as I had hoped (most of the photos are pretty mild by today's standards, or lack thereof) but a nostalgic romp through Paris brothels and night clubs from the early 20th century through WW II......there are a lot of wonderful photos and drawings anyway, some probably quite rare, and the book is well written by a Cal /Berkeley professor who really knows and loves that era. Famous characters of the time are highlighted and there's a large section on "Gay Paree," which has not been covered well before as far as I know. The chapter on German Occupation of Paris during WWII is especially interesting, and how it was business as usual in the Paris sex industry despite the War. There are lots of French slang words for the sex workers and their madams, the houses themselves, etc. that may only be of interest to French speakers, who would understand the double-entendre humor involved. I really enjoyed it but feel it would have limited appeal for today's "America Today Me First" generation with no memory of what Vietnam did to American morals and the Vietnamese, let alone World War II. It's a large, thick paperback.

I found this to be an interesting book to read, but a little hard to follow the timeline. The book is organized by topics rather than a strict time sequence - while that is of interest in the discussion of what was going on, it was not easy to fit together the timing of all the subjects discussed. I was not sure how to view the authors likes or dislikes of the subject that was being discussed - this subject can have several strong feelings on both sides. I finally came away with the feeling, right or wrong, that he did not like the subject, much less the world, of prostitution very well - much innuendo, if not direct language, seemed to put in a negative light, what for it's time, was a normal part of the life of Gay Paree.

Not quite as good as Voluptuous Panic, but still a great read with lots of racy early 20th century memorabilia. Voyeur or historian, great read.

Great book for researching the golden 1920's.

great job.

This book is a great deal of fun, quite a bit of history, and not a little weird. It can be read straight through, as proper narrative non-fiction. It can also be browsed. Flipping through the pages to enjoy, or be scandalized by the images, it is then easy to find related text to help round out the picture.Horizontal Collaboration (a term coined during the German occupation) is the companion volume to Gordon’s previous book, Voluptuous Panic, the erotic world of Weimar Berlin, published in 2000, revised and expanded in 2006. The first one was fine, and it can’t be helped that a book about naughty doings in Paris is more fun than one about naughty doings in Berlin. Beyond the subject matter, Gordon and his editors at Feral Press have also improved their game since the Berlin book. There is a good balance of illustrated images as well as photographs. The photos, in turn, are mixed between people and places. The people are usually in some state of dishabille, but of course.Similarly, the author sprinkles French words and even short turns of phrase liberally through the text. If you are at all familiar with the language, that makes the reading all the more resonant. If you know no French beyond oui, the meaning can usually be determined from the context.Similarly, a general familiarity with the geography of Paris is helpful. Most people have heard of Montmartre and other historic neighborhoods, but a map would have been nice. Also, Gordon swings widely between English slang for body parts and acts, and technical terms. How disconcerting that it will depend on the reader.But those are quibbles. The author clearly relishes the topic, and after some overly broad introductory material, gets down to a rollicking romp through three decades of decadence.One of the best features, started in the Berlin book and continued here, is the mini-glossaries, about one to a chapter, with the highlights of topical terminology, such as Parisian criminal argot or terms for different types of brothels. There are also a few focus sections within some chapters taking a closer look at a particular facility, such as the ghoulish Cabaret du Neant, or the lavish One Two Two.The pictures, black and white, and color; drawings, paintings, posters, and sketches, range from droll to deranged. Most of it is soft-core, but a few images are harder. The book can be read in public, but will be enjoyed more in private.

What Happened When 178 Paris Brothels Were Closed When World War II ended several changes brought the era of Paris Brothels to an end. Women were voting for the first time and their dislike of prostitution helped pass Law # 46668 that closed all 178 brothels in Paris. The law was sometimes called the Richard Law after Marthe Richard, a former prostitute that had been a French spy during WWII and practically invented the “Honey Trap.” She was greatly aided in her crusade to eliminate France’s brothels by the Prime Minister’s wife Yvonne de Gaulle. The brothel owners and their patrons predicted “chaos: swarms of medically unchecked ‘irregulieres’ would swell every dim corner of the city.” By 1952, Marthe Richard reappeared in the French media. “The ever protean lass confessed that she had been proven wrong and her detractors were indeed prescient. Streetwalking and venereal disease had skyrocketed over the last five years. In her new book, “The Call of Sex,” Richard pleaded for the reopening of the ‘maisons de tolerance.’ Only this time, the ‘filles de joie’ would have to be better protected and subjected to more rigorous medical inspection.” But the aging hell cat could not turn back the clock. Richard had personally rocked French sex culture to its foundations and no charge of heart could undo that. Because of her, she later admitted, Paris stopped being Paris.” This is a well written description of Paris through WW II. It’s beautifully illustrated and includes hundreds of historic bits of information, including maps, photographs, drawings and descriptions of the most famous brothels. It’s definitely a page turner by anyone’s definition.

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