bodice-ripper (1978), bodice-ripping (1979)

[Ben Zimmer]

Sorry, I didn't give the full OED def, which is: "a sexually explicit
romantic novel, esp. one in a historical setting with a plot involving
the seduction of the heroine; also transf., a film of a similar
nature."


On Tue, May 6, 2014 at 10:40 AM, Laurence Horn wrote:
>
> Don't bodice-rippers have to be set in the past, whence the "'hot' historical novel"
> paraphrase?  A "sexually explicit romantic novel" isn't necessarily a bodice-ripper
> if it has a contemporary bodice-less setting, such as (I'm told) the "50 Shades of
> Gray" franchise.
>
> On May 6, 2014, at 9:59 AM, Ben Zimmer wrote:
>
>> OED has "bodice-ripper" = 'a sexually explicit romantic novel' from
>> Sept. 1979. Slightly earlier:
>>
>> ---
>> Charitey Simmons, "Dizzying Passion Ruffles the Pages of 'Hot' Historical Novel"
>> Chicago Tribune, Feb. 8, 1978, Section 2, p. 4, col. 1
>> Publishers call them hot historicals as opposed to either the virginal
>> variety Barbara Cartland writes or to the bodice rippers "because
>> that's usually what happens to the heroines," Price [sc. Linda Price
>> of Bantam Books] explained.
>> ---
>>
>> And here's the verbal noun "bodice-ripping":
>>
>> ---
>> Suzanne Dolezal, "Sizzling Formula for Selling Books"
>> Boston Globe, Feb. 21, 1979, p. 59, col. 1
>> [Barbara Alpert of Ballantine Books:] "The books are geared to women's
>> sensitivities -- ideal love with a little bodice-ripping. You don't
>> take them seriously."
>> ---

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