This is Pleasure (Hardback)

Mary Gaitskill (author)

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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£7.99

Hardback 96 Pages / Published: 07/11/2019

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Synopsis

A short book that packs an almighty punch, Gaitskill’s emotionally sophisticated novella examines the intricacies of sexual harassment, moral accountability and the limits of loyalty. Interrogating both sides of the debate through nuanced, credible characterisation, This is Pleasure is both a thought-provoking hit of quality fiction and a valuable contribution to a contentious conversation

I don't know why I behaved the way I did, and I kept doing it; he kept doing it. And though I might once have easily brushed it away, suddenly I could not. Nor could I confront him. The conversation moved too quickly.

Quin and Margot have been friends for more than twenty years.

Quin is an extrovert and a sensualist who thrives on flirtation and ambiguity. He is at his happiest when encouraging intimate confidences from the women he meets.

Always clear with him about the boundaries of their own relationship, until now Margot has looked on his behaviour with a mixture of ambivalence and affection. But when Quin's actions are held up against a new light, and his life begins to unravel, Margot tries to work towards a deeper understanding of her friend, the damage he might have caused, and the loyalty he deserves.

This is Pleasure is a masterpiece of fiction that looks unflinchingly at the difficult and necessary debates of our present moment. It rejects moral certainties while honouring the ambiguity and vulnerability at the heart of all human relationships.

Publisher: Profile Books Ltd
ISBN: 9781788165037
Number of pages: 96
Weight: 153 g
Dimensions: 184 x 120 x 15 mm
Edition: Main

MEDIA REVIEWS

'... an exquisite and morally tangly novella.' - The Sunday Times

'This is an incendiary volume. Having read it twice, I’ve come to feel that Gaitskill’s immaculate words demand such a protective casing…extraordinary, daring, provocative, pitch perfect' - The Observer

'Gaitskill's work feels more real than real life and reading her leads to a place that feels like a sacred space' - The Boston Globe

'Gaitskill is enormously gifted' - The New York Times Book Review

'I really admire how Mary Gaitskill is willing to think about the problematic with complexity and humanity, and without taking sides or engaging in all the fashionable moral hectoring that passes for serious thought these days. This is Pleasure is a breath of intellectual fresh air and badly needed.' - Eimear McBride

'The range of Gaitskill's humanity is astonishing' - LA Times