Dominique Aury was a multifaceted French individual who excelled in various capacities as a writer, translator, editor, and journalist. Born in 1907, she was abandoned at birth by her mother and subsequently raised by her paternal grandmother.
Following her educational pursuits, Aury embarked on a career in publishing and translation, earning the admiration of many prominent French intellectuals. Her professional endeavors laid the foundation for a lifelong pursuit of intellectual endeavors.
Aury's most notable literary achievement is the novel "Story of O", which she penned under the pseudonym Paulhan. This groundbreaking work was published simultaneously in French and English, with the esteemed member of the Académie Française, Jean Paulhan, serving as its preface writer.
The novel's immense popularity was met with controversy, prompting Aury to maintain her anonymity for nearly four decades. Her relationship with Paulhan, who was thirty years her senior, endured despite the tumult surrounding her novel. Aury's dedication to her craft remained unwavering, as she continued to produce meaningful works despite the intense scrutiny.
Years later, in 1992, Aury finally consented to interviews and confirmed her authorship of "Story of O", thus ending the decades-long guessing game surrounding the novel's true identity.
