Naked Came The Stranger

New York: Lyle Stuart, 1969. First edition. Hardcover. Fine/near fine. First edition (no statements or later printings noted as is correct). Hardcover. 255 pp. Fine in crisp dust jacket, light toning to the white areas and a tiny fault to the top edge front panel. "Hoax" novel about a couple who host a New York City radio breakfast talk show, and become known as "America's sweetheats of the air", "electronic lovebirds", "marriage councelors ot millions". All, however, is not as it seems; when the husband cheats, the wife hits Long Island like a sexual tornado. "Penelope Ashe" was a pseudonym for a group of 24 different writers (19 men and 5 women), each of whom wrote one chapter. The project was spearheaded by Newsday columnist Mike McGrady who produced the book as a literary hoax on the then-current American culture, to prove that any book with enough sex in it could become a best seller. It was deliberately awful but packed with sexual adventures and in 1969. A year later the authors (two of wjhom had been Pulitzer Prize winners) revealed the hoax and the book became even more successful. It was adapted for a 1975 adult erotic film shot in several New York City locations and released during what would be called the "porno chic" era.