Desdemona, If You Had Only Spoken

Desdemona - If You Had Only Spoken really does count as undiscovered - I seem to be the only person on LT who has a copy (in English, at least)! I'm not even sure where anyone else would find one nowadays but it's well worth looking out for in 2nd hand shops.

The book is a series of essays by German author, Christine Bruckner, translated into English by the actor, Eleanor Bron. Each essay is written in the form of a monologue by, or addressed to, a woman from history or myth - women who, until now, never really got to have their say and who have been seen mainly as 'sidekicks' to well-known men. If it all sounds a little dry it's far from it. An ancient Greek courtesan explains to Lysistrata how, instead of refusing sex to their husbands, the women of Athens should simply wear their men out until they are too exhausted to fight; the wife of Martin Luther deals him a few home-truths and takes him down a couple of pegs; in the title essay Desdemona, strangled wife of Othello , finally gets to speak and to point out to the husband whose hands are already reaching out towards her throat, why he is a fool to listen to the poison of Iago.

These essays are angry, often funny and deeply thought-provoking and this is a book I have read again and again.

It's available although not broadly, and it is not expensive.

I'm thinking about thinking about it.

Robert

Eleanor Bron, interesting person. Paul McCartney thought of her while writing Eleanor Rigby. So the legend goes. Still looking for a copy. :)

I think you'd like it, Cakey old chap! Very thought provoking. And I was reminded of it by that Caril Ann Duffy book we've discussed elsewhere.

This sounds really interesting.

Hey, Sloth-ster

Found the bokk, used, in the UK on Amazon, so I'll get it soon. I did find a review that explained the gist of the story. Interesting.

Keep a note of how many I recommend that you hate and I'll leave you something in my will to make it up to you!