Seductress : Women Who Ravished the World and Their Lost Art of Love

How did the seductresses of western history love-addle men and keep them in their pockets for life? The surprising answers explode all the myths. Instead of dim blondes or shark-hearted vamps, the top fascinators were nonbeauties, older women, and swanky artists, intellectuals, politicas, and adventurers. Each chapter in Prioleau's bold, inspiring book recounts the sexy stories of these love maestras-some familiar like Cleopatra, Lola Montez, and Wallis Simpson; others less so, like the infamous Violet Gordon Woodhouse, who lived in a menage with four men. With their alpha personhood and their joint mastery of love and work, these seductresses practiced an ancient, long-forgotten erotic art that is 99 percent mental sorcery-a cocktail of wit, eloquence, and joie de vivre. Prioleau's thrilling, thorough, and engaging analysis of these women supplies all the voltage necessary to upend every regressive how-to primer and shows the women of today-mired in an epic crisis of confidence-how to recoup their sexual birthright and achieve combine romantic and personal success Starting With The Earliest Goddess, The Original Archetype For Sexually Powerful Women, Betsy Prioleau Travels Over The Course Of History To Identify Those Women Who Embodied Her Spirit And Who Combined Erotic Success With Autonomy And Personal Achievement. Each Meticulously Researched Chapter In Seductress Explodes A Different Stereotype And Tells The Sexy Stories Of One Of Six Kinds Of Seductresses: Nonbeauties, Seniors, Intellectuals, Artists, And Two Commanda Types - Governmental Leaders And High-octane Adventurers. The Classic Figures, Such As Cleopatra, Lola Montez, And Mae West, Appear And Strut Their Legendary Stuff, But Many Other Lesser Known Women, Such As The Infamous Violet Gordon Woodhouse, Who Lived In A Menage With Four Men, Also Take The Stage. Other Fascinators Include: The Untamable Beryl Markham, The Brainy Lou Andreas Saloine, The Harsh-featured Wallis Simpson, And The Eye-popping Josephine Baker.--jacket. 1. Seductress: The Women And The Art 1 -- 2. The Seductress Archetype 25 -- 3. Belles Laides: Homely Sirens 49 -- 4. Silver Foxes 83 -- 5. Scholar-sirens 119 -- 6. Sorcieres: Siren-artists 155 -- 7. Machtweiber: Seductresses In Politics 195 -- 8. Siren-adventurers 233 -- 9. Goddess-trippin': Into The Future 277. Betsy Prioleau. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [294]-354) And Index. "[A] glossy, steam-heated analysis of temptresses and their tactics." —The New York TimesIn this road map to restoring feminine sexual power, Betsy Prioleau introduces and analyzes the stories and stratagems of history's greatest seductresses. These are the women who ravished the world—from such classic figures as Cleopatra and Mae West to such lesser-known women as the infamous Violet Gordon Woodhouse, who lived in a menage with four men. Smarts, imagination, courage, and killer charm helped these love maestras claim the men of their choice and keep them fascinated for life. Through an expose of their secrets, Seductress provides an authoritative, empowering guide to erotic sovereignty. In this road map to restoring feminine sexual power, Betsy Prioleau introduces and analyzes the stories and stratagems of history's greatest seductresses. These are the women who ravished the world—from such classic figures as Cleopatra and Mae West to such lesser-known women as the infamous Violet Gordon Woodhouse, who lived in a ménage with four men. Smarts, imagination, courage, and killer charm helped these love maestras claim the men of their choice and keep them fascinated for life. Through an exposé of their secrets, Seductress provides an authoritative, empowering guide to erotic sovereignty. Acknowledgements Preface Seductress: The Women and the Art The Seductress Archetype Belles Laides: Homely Sirens Silver Foxes Scholar-Sirens Sorcières: Siren-Artists Machtweiber: Seductress in Politics Siren-Adventurers Goddess-Trippin': Into the Future Notes Suggested Reading Index Profiles some of history's most noted seductresses, including Cleopatra, Lola Montez, and Wallis Simpson, describing their high levels of intelligence and political savvy and evaluating their mastery of the erotic arts. Reprint. A scholar offers a radical new take on history's great seductresses--who they were and the surprising constellation of qualities that distinguish them as masters of love craft