Lady Chatterley’s Lover – D.H. Lawrence (Odyssey Press Edition, 1933)
This controversial early printing by Odyssey Press (a Paris-based publisher known for circulating uncensored English-language works) is one of the first “complete” editions of Lawrence’s infamous novel after its initial 1928 private Florence printing. The story follows Constance Chatterley, trapped in a sterile marriage to a paralyzed aristocrat, as she seeks passion with gamekeeper Oliver Mellors—a raw exploration of class, sexuality, and industrial alienation.
Why This Edition Matters:
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Pre-Censorship Text: Contains the unfiltered erotic passages that led to bans in the UK/US until 1960.
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Odyssey’s Notoriety: Specialized in Ulysses and other “obscene” works for expat readers.
For Fans of Literary Scandals:
- The Well of Loneliness – Radclyffe Hall (1928) – Another banned book on “inversion.”
- Tropic of Cancer – Henry Miller (1934) – Odyssey Press’s next bombshell.
- The Rainbow – D.H. Lawrence (1915) – Banned for its earlier sexual frankness.
“Where four-letter words bloom like English roses—and the Establishment wilted.”
Note: The 1959 Grove Press U.S. edition (legalized after a landmark trial) is more common, but the Odyssey is rarer. Pair with The Trial of Lady Chatterley (1961) for context.
