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Lady Chatterley's Lover
Lady Chatterley's Lover
Author: D. H. Lawrence
Inspired by the long-standing affair between Frieda, Lawrence’s German wife, and an Italian peasant who eventually became her third husband, Lady Chatterley’s Lover is the story of Constance Chatterley, who, while trapped in an unhappy marriage to an aristocratic mine owner whose war wounds have left him paralyzed and impotent...  more »
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ISBN-13: 9780451515193
ISBN-10: 0451515196
Publication Date: 7/1/1959
Rating:
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0 stars, based on 0 rating
Publisher: Signet Classics
Book Type: Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover, Audio Cassette, Audio CD
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

wetwaterwalker avatar reviewed Lady Chatterley's Lover on
Helpful Score: 2
about as fulfilling as all the bad sex mentioned in this book....
reviewed Lady Chatterley's Lover on + 83 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Perhaps the most famous of Lawrence's novels, the 1928 Lady Chatterley's Lover is no longer distinguished for the once-shockingly explicit treatment of its subject matter--the adulterous affair between a sexually unfulfilled upper-class married woman and the game keeper who works for the estate owned by her wheelchaired husband. Now that we're used to reading about sex, and seeing it in the movies, it's apparent that the novel is memorable for better reasons: namely, that Lawrence was a masterful and lyrical writer, whose story takes us bodily into the world of its characters.
reviewed Lady Chatterley's Lover on + 24 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Difficult. My bookclub was interested in the old book, published 75+ years ago. Very ittilating for its time.
reviewed Lady Chatterley's Lover on + 25 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Considered quite provocative in its time and indeed it proves so today as well!
reviewed Lady Chatterley's Lover on + 8 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Good book for lovers of erotic/controversial litature. I loved it :)
Read All 28 Book Reviews of "Lady Chatterleys Lover"

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reviewed Lady Chatterley's Lover on + 44 more book reviews
This is my favorite classic book. Even though it is a romance, it also touches on subjects like classism and shows the difference between the balance between husband and wife.
reviewed Lady Chatterley's Lover on
Class and perhaps the most famous of Lawrence's novels, the 1928 Lady Chatterley's Lover is no longer distinguished for the once-shockingly explicit treatment of its subject matter--the adulterous affair between a sexually unfulfilled upper-class married woman and the game keeper who works for the estate owned by her wheelchaired husband. Now that we're used to reading about sex, and seeing it in the movies, it's apparent that the novel is memorable for better reasons: namely, that Lawrence was a masterful and lyrical writer, whose story takes us bodily into the world of its characters.
reviewed Lady Chatterley's Lover on + 12 more book reviews
My first DH Lawrence and a bit wordy. I liked the plot and the honesty of it all. I'll try another Lawrence.
creativeimagination avatar reviewed Lady Chatterley's Lover on + 2 more book reviews
This version is a Barnes & Noble Classic.
perryfran avatar reviewed Lady Chatterley's Lover on + 1221 more book reviews
I originally read this back in 1971 when I was serving in the military. I think I read it at the time because of its infamous reputation of explicit descriptions of sex. At the time, I think I did feel it was quite explicit but after rereading this, it now seems somewhat tame compared to today's standards. I decided to reread this after seeing the 2022 movie version on Netflix that was very explicit. I wanted to compare the movie with the book and for the most part, the movie did capture the book quite well in my opinion.

The book was originally published in 1928 and was available in foreign editions. The first unexpurgated edition did not appear in England until Penguin risked publishing it in 1960 which resulted in them being prosecuted under the Obscene Publications Act of 1959. Penguin was acquitted after a notorious trial in which many known authors of the day appeared as witnesses.

The plot of the novel centers on Lady Constance Chatterley and her marriage to Sir Clifford who had returned from the Great War paralyzed and impotent. Clifford is a titled baronet whose property includes the surrounding coal mines of the English midlands. Connie enters into a passionate love affair with her husband's game-keeper, Oliver Mellors, who is also married but separated from his wife. She ends up pregnant by him and both she and Mellors strive to get divorces so they can be together. Although there are some explicit descriptions of the sex act, the novel is really a very powerful love story. The novel also delves into Lawrence's views on the state of modern society and the threat to culture by the tide of industrialization and capitalism.

Overall, I thought this was a very powerful novel and I'm glad I took the time to reread it. I have a couple of other Lawrence novels on my shelves including Sons and Lovers that hopefully I'll get to at some point.
eadieburke avatar reviewed Lady Chatterley's Lover on + 1638 more book reviews
Lawrence's frank portrayal of an extramarital affair and the explicit sexual explorations of its central characters caused this controversial book, now considered a masterpiece, to be banned as pornography until 1960. It is an interesting expose of women and a peek at the politics of the time. I found that it has not much of a story but must issue a warning: explicit language and dragged in parts. The best part was some of the quotes: "A woman has to live her life, or live to repent not having lived it." "We've got to live, no matter how many skies have fallen." "I only want one thing of men, and that is, that they should leave me alone." It is on the 1001 Book List to Read Before You Die.
ashlee22 avatar reviewed Lady Chatterley's Lover on + 5 more book reviews
The main reason I wasn't thrilled with this book was due to a selfish impulse: If I can't stand, relate to or wrap my head around the main character, it's going to be an uphill battle with a lot of eye rolling. I was with Connie, slowly withering away, during the first part of her marriage, but once she morphed into that apathetic, selfish and lost little child act, I was gone. Her sudden clingy nature and constant need for reassurance was repulsive, and completely discredited her "lost soul" feelings to me. It turned what could have been a metaphysical awakening, or even at least a passionate love story, into a mismatched, awkward dance.

Mellors made the book for me. This is the only Lawrence book I've touched, and I was glad of that until the end. I knew what Mellors was trying to relay to Connie the whole time (what Clifford tried to intimate obnoxiously at times), that love and fighting for your happiness vs. the world order is exhausting and often a losing battle. It's best not to rattle the cage. I think seeing her family behind her was the only thing that blew some fight and belief into him. I don't think if the book continued they would have had a happy ending but an inevitable one, more like the one Mellors had originally predicted.

Lawrence wasn't necessarily delivering quiet pessimism, he was presenting the age old reality of the working class viewpoint in stark contrast to the boring surrealism and insatiability of the upper class, a viewpoint they could never comprehend. This was my favorite aspect of the book. Second favorite part is definitely when Clifford makes Connie come home after passively aggressively requesting a divorce, but don't get me started!

All in all, took me awhile to wrap my head around and I thought the story would be a lot different walking into it. Not letting my disappointment get the best of me though, a good read.
reviewed Lady Chatterley's Lover on
Loved this book. It's a classic.
reviewed Lady Chatterley's Lover on + 9 more book reviews
Could not have loved this book more. Every woman should read it.
reviewed Lady Chatterley's Lover on + 50 more book reviews
This beautiful love story is told in the inimitable voice of Dame Judi Dench. It's quite different 'reading' it as an adult. WOnderful!
reviewed Lady Chatterley's Lover on + 15 more book reviews
Judi Dench reads an abridged version of the novel. She has a wonderful voice. The abridgement doesn't stint on the feel of the text. Marvelous.
Bibliocrates avatar reviewed Lady Chatterley's Lover on + 252 more book reviews
This book is a classic, not as sexy as I expected it to be, but I'm glad I read it.
beachbum0415 avatar reviewed Lady Chatterley's Lover on + 14 more book reviews
From the back cover:

"Lady Chatterley's Lover" is D. H. Lawrence's controversial novel written in 1928, which tells the story of an aristocratic woman, Constance (Lady Chatterley), who has an affair with the estate's gamekeeper when her husband is paralyzed and rendered impotent. Central to the theme of the novel is the need for physical stimulation as well as mental stimulation in order to feel complete as a human being. Due to the offensive language and subject matter of the book a charge of obscenity was brought against it in a famous 1960 trial in the United Kingdom. The novel and Lawrence were cleared of the charges and for the first time the novel was allowed to be published without restriction. Presented here is the original unabridged version first published privately in Florence in 1928.
reviewed Lady Chatterley's Lover on + 82 more book reviews
D.H. Lawrence's most notorious novel. Written in 1928 was so graphic that was not published till 1959, and the publisher was arrested! An intense affair between the wife of an aristrcrat and her gamekeeper. The characters are metaphors for their social classes. A lovely copy, like new.
PIZZELLEBFS avatar reviewed Lady Chatterley's Lover on + 331 more book reviews
From Amazon:

Perhaps the most famous of Lawrence's novels, the 1928 Lady Chatterley's Lover is no longer distinguished for the once-shockingly explicit treatment of its subject matter--the adulterous affair between a sexually unfulfilled upper-class married woman and the game keeper who works for the estate owned by her wheelchaired husband. Now that we're used to reading about sex, and seeing it in the movies, it's apparent that the novel is memorable for better reasons: namely, that Lawrence was a masterful and lyrical writer, whose story takes us bodily into the world of its characters.
reviewed Lady Chatterley's Lover on + 56 more book reviews
CLASSIC - WOMAN MARRIES A MAN WHO BECOMES INJURED IN THE SERVICE - HE COMES HOME WHEELCHAIR BOUND. THEY WANT CHILDREN - WHAT IS SHE TO DO?? HE GIVES HER PERMISSION TO SLEEP WITH ANOTHER MAN ..............

Book Wiki

People/Characters
Connie Chatterley (Primary Character)
Clifford Chatterley (Major Character)
Mellors, the Gamekeeper (Major Character)
Ivey Bolton, Clifford's Nurse (Average Character)
Important Events

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