New Book - Sex and Religion

A new book project featuring two University of Nottingham scholars (translated by Maike Oergel and introduced by Gary Winship), has been highlighted in Books that May Be of Interest to Women Scholars.

'Sex and Religion' features two first English translations of Lou's Andreas Salome's writing: 'Three Letters to a Young Boy' and 'The Devil and His Grandmother'. Taken together the works point to a relaxed new phase in Lou Salomé's writing life between the years of 1912-1920 as she emerges from the shadow cast by Nietzsche and the yearning ties of Rilke. Her penchant for dense prose is replaced by another voice altogether, the sing-song simplicity of the story teller. Here is a lively Lou making jokes about Satan, storks, and Father Christmas. The lightness of touch in her voice is to be detected in her correspondence with Freud which blossoms during the years 1912–1920, and is recorded in her Journal. Her early encounters with Freud and psychoanalysis, by her own admission, see Lou feeling ever more cheerful and light-hearted. She is not daunted by Freud's reputation, after all she is more famous than he, and though she bows to his clinical acumen, Lou’s playfulness disarms Freud. Freud tells her; 'I really think you look on analysis as a sort of Christmas present', Lou in turn tells him she; 'can only agree'.