D. H. Lawrence's Lady Chatterley's Lover is one of the best-known and most resonant works of the twentieth century. Originally considered obscene and unpublishable in numerous countries, its scandalous story of class divide and the English countryside is infamous. Guy Cuthbertson tells the story of the novel's journey through the last hundred years.
Shows us just how long it took to metabolize Lawrence’s 'fetid masterpiece.' If you need a Chatterley refresher, or if you’ve never had the pleasure, you should know about Lady Constance ... He’s also tallied other writers’ opinions on Chatterley.
Guy Cuthbertson has been a diligent researcher, spending many hours trawling through archives and cuttings. He has even looked through the trial judge’s copy of the book, with its highlighting of rude words. If he underplays the significance of Kate Millett’s attack on the novel’s phallocentrism, that’s because he’s keeping things light. After all the heavy moralising that went with the book, it’s the right way to go. He has produced an enjoyable piece of social history, less earnest Leavisite sermonising than saucy Ealing Studios comedy.
Entertaining ... Despite the complicated feelings the book engendered, Cuthbertson makes a convincing case for its lasting influence on literature and culture ... Readers will come away with a greater appreciation for the novel.
