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Rating: 
Summary: This Is The best hell Fire Club Book !
Review: Ave Everyone, I have to say if your going to research all the Hell fire clubs this is the book for you. It sticks to facts about the clubs and it's members not like other books on the clubs that used mostly fiction. Geoffrey Ashe is a great writer and I am glad this book is still around. I recommend it to the people within the church I am in. So if you want to know what people do and some still do to have the most sexual delightful time then by all means buy this book. Always In The Dark,
High Priest/Advisor Gino of the Temples Of Satan
Rating:
Summary: This Is The best hell Fire Club Book !
Review: Ave Everyone, I have to say if your going to research all the Hell fire clubs this is the book for you. It sticks to facts about the clubs and it's members not like other books on the clubs that used mostly fiction. Geoffrey Ashe is a great writer and I am glad this book is still around. I recommend it to the people within the church I am in. So if you want to know what people do and some still do to have the most sexual delightful time then by all means buy this book. Always In The Dark,
High Priest/Advisor Gino of the Temples Of Satan
Rating: 
Summary: A sickening review of the depravity of man
Review: Mr. Ashe handles his review of the revolts against decency with aplomb and skill. In fact, he is almost too detached. Of course, in a serious overview of any movement or philosophy, detachment is a virtue. The author should not try and impose his or her personal view on the reader. However, when dealing with the utmost depravity as Mr. Ashe does here, a brief repudiation of anti-morality would be refreshing. Otherwise, the work was enlightening and sobering.
Rating:
Summary: Witty and informative
Review: Much to my surprise, this is a wonderful and witty history of not only Western anti-morality philosophies but also of British politics in the mid-nineteenth century. Ashe is a master at understatement, dry humor, and clear writing, making this a great and important read if you want to understand the underpinnings of British upper class society and politics in the nineteenth century (as well as some of the nasty pasttimes of some of that era's peers). I was pleasantly surprised that the book did not dwell on salacious details of the libertine "clubs" discussed, but gave just enough description for the reader to get the gist of what was going on and why. Ashe also deserves praise for making quite plain which supposed "facts" are (or were) rumors, disinformation, lies, or, unfortunately, truth. Clearly, Ashe spent much time and effort researching this subject matter; it plainly shows.
In the end, this book is a well-balanced and scholarly dip into the pool of both Rabelaisian philosophy and its influences, as well as British history and politics. What makes this book a gem is that it is never dry or too erudite -- it is compulsively readable. I found myself enjoying it more and more as I read further.
Rating:
Summary: Witty and informative
Review: This was an excellent history of the Hell-Fire Club Phenomenon in 18th Century England, as it tries very successfully, I think, to Contextualize the Clubs and their Members, within the various Political and Cultural developments of that Age.. It has some marvelous imagery and details, which bring smiles on about every other page. Take for instance an iced Cake that resembles a building which is then knocked down with miniature cannonballs by young ladies.. this was just some ancillary detail in the book about a symbolic event at a Hanoverian Prince's party.. A Lot of this book made me think of Peter Greenaway's very hard to find _Baby of Macon_.. As for a lack of "Moral Guidance".. Happily, Its really a "history", not some half-baked diatribe, or confected subjective "grotesque", like the author of the above reveiw wouldve wanted.. EEch!.. Very interesting and fun book.. and not at all some metaphysical curiosisty.. This is a small tightly researched little gem, at an affordable price.. And a good introduction to the more interesting underbelly of UK history.. I am now looking for a copy of _Strange Wycombe_ next! Enjoy!!! Oh, But one detraction.. It couldve used some nice color plates, like of the portraits of the Club-members, and pictures of like Edmund Curll, and the various places and people of the book.. Other than that... Great Stuff..
Rating:
Summary: An Excellent History
Review: This was an excellent history of the Hell-Fire Club Phenomenon in 18th Century England, as it tries very successfully, I think, to Contextualize the Clubs and their Members, within the various Political and Cultural developments of that Age.. It has some marvelous imagery and details, which bring smiles on about every other page. Take for instance an iced Cake that resembles a building which is then knocked down with miniature cannonballs by young ladies.. this was just some ancillary detail in the book about a symbolic event at a Hanoverian Prince's party.. A Lot of this book made me think of Peter Greenaway's very hard to find _Baby of Macon_.. As for a lack of "Moral Guidance".. Happily, Its really a "history", not some half-baked diatribe, or confected subjective "grotesque", like the author of the above reveiw wouldve wanted.. EEch!.. Very interesting and fun book.. and not at all some metaphysical curiosisty.. This is a small tightly researched little gem, at an affordable price.. And a good introduction to the more interesting underbelly of UK history.. I am now looking for a copy of _Strange Wycombe_ next! Enjoy!!! Oh, But one detraction.. It couldve used some nice color plates, like of the portraits of the Club-members, and pictures of like Edmund Curll, and the various places and people of the book.. Other than that... Great Stuff..
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