A Night in a Moorish Harem (Mint Editions)

A Night in a Moorish Harem (1896) is a Victorian erotic novella. Published under the pseudonym “Lord George Herbert” the novella has proved both popular and controversial as the subject of several obscenity trials. Noted for its orientalist tropes the novella remains relevant to scholars of postcolonial literature and Victorian culture. “My first duty was to kiss the fair hands which had aided me and then I explained the accident which had brought me among them and the plan I had formed for escape before dawn. I then gave my name and rank. While doing this I had an opportunity to observe the ladies; there were nine of them and any one of them would have been remarked for her beauty. Each one of them differed from all the others in the style of her charms: some were large and some were small; some were slender and some plump some blonde and some brunette but all were bewitchingly beautiful.” Tired of life onboard a young midshipman decides to spend his afternoon off in a small boat attached to the side of the naval vessel he serves. Comforted by the gentle waves and hot Mediterranean sun he falls into a deep sleep. When he wakes he finds himself drifting close to the Moroccan shore and is unable to spot his ship along the haze-strewn horizon. As he prepares himself to be sold into slavery―or worse―he spots a group of beautiful women watching him from the rocks. Helped ashore the midshipman is brought to the safety of their harem where he spends one night of ecstasy exploring their nimble bodies and learning the stories of their lives. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript this edition of A Night in a Moorish Harem is a classic work of Victorian erotica reimagined for modern readers.