Anne Desclos
A respected French literary editor who secretly authored one of the most controversial and influential erotic novels of the 20th century.
1907–1998 (age 91)·French journalist and novelist·Birthday: September 23·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Anne Desclos lived a double life of impeccable propriety and hidden transgression. By day, she was Dominique Aury, a sharp, respected editor and translator for the prestigious French publishing house Gallimard, and a contributor to the literary journal *La Nouvelle Revue Française*. By night, she wrote 'Story of O,' a radical and unsettling novel of submission and desire. Published in 1954 under the pseudonym Pauline Réage, the book caused a scandal, winning a literary prize while also facing obscenity charges. For decades, the author's identity was a fiercely guarded secret, with speculation pointing to famous male writers. It wasn't until 1994 that Desclos, then in her eighties, revealed herself, explaining she wrote it as a 'love letter' to her lover, the writer Jean Paulhan. Her confession upended assumptions about female sexuality and authorship, proving that a woman of letters could also be the architect of a foundational text of erotic literature.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Anne was born in 1907, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Anne Was Born
The biggest hits of 1907
Anne's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1907Born
Financial panic grips Wall Street
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1912Started school
Titanic sinks on its maiden voyage
President: William Howard Taft
1920Became a teenager
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1923Could drive
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1925Could vote
The Scopes Trial debates evolution in schools
Home: $4,366President: Calvin Coolidge"Sweet Georgia Brown" — Ben Bernie
1928Turned 21
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1937Turned 30
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1947Turned 40
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1957Turned 50
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1967Turned 60
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1977Turned 70
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 80
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1998Died at 91
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
Key Achievements
- Wrote 'Histoire d'O' (Story of O, 1954), a landmark novel that challenged taboos in erotic literature.
- Had a long and distinguished career as an editor and literary critic for Gallimard, using the name Dominique Aury.
- Was the first woman to win the prestigious Prix des Deux Magots, which was awarded to 'Story of O'.
- Successfully kept her identity as Pauline Réage a secret from the public for nearly 40 years.
Did You Know?
She was a member of the French Resistance during World War II.
Desclos translated the works of T.S. Eliot and Virginia Woolf into French.
The revelation of her authorship came in an interview with *The New Yorker* magazine.
She stated that she wrote 'Story of O' to prove to her lover that a woman could write an erotic masterpiece.
“I wrote it to prove that a woman could write such a book, and to make the man I loved want me again.”
