Fifty Shades of Grey is a 2011 erotic novel by British author E. L. James. Set largely in Seattle, it is the first instalment in a trilogy that traces the deepening relationship between a college graduate, Anastasia Steele, and a young business magnate, Christian Grey. It is notable for its explicitly erotic scenes featuring elements of sexual practices involving bondage/discipline, dominance/submission, sadism/masochism (BDSM).

The second and third volumes are titled Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed, respectively. Fifty Shades of Grey has topped best-seller lists around the world, including the United Kingdom and the United States. The series has sold 31 million copies worldwide, with book rights having been sold in 37 countries, and set the record as the fastest-selling paperback of all time, surpassing the Harry Potter series.

EL James's book sold 205,130 copies last week, some 64,000 copies more than the previous record set by Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol in July 2010.
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Last week, sequels Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed sold 132,174 copies and 115,086 copies respectively. In total, £1.93 million was spent on 452,390 copies of the trilogy - more than was spent on the next 50 bestselling paperback novels of the week combined.
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The trilogy have become best-sellers on both sides of the Atlantic, including more than 15 million copies sold in the US and Canada so far.

I heard about this book they said its basically porn, its been the talk at my job for sometime beyond that I don't much about this book.

Its rather pitiful that women now have to resort to reading books to feed their needs.

she cannot have what is in the pages of the book.

Put aside the rich man and focusing purely on the relationship between the two main characters: women could, but since they're most focused on their wants rather than their needs, they decide not to. They willingly pick a weak man that will provide everything for her instead of a dominant man. (i'm assuming that in this book, its the man that is dominant.)

There's so much more to be said.

These facts make me even more proud to be an INTJ and a member of this forum.

Don't mistake the finger for the moon. I mean that, more or less, the majority of the members of this forum are rational, intuitive, judgmental thinkers whether they are INTJ, INFJ or any other minority personality type. We can understand the underlying dynamics of this hype and use it to our advantage instead of falling for it.

I believe that 95% of men (maybe more) neither want to nor can be pimp tight. And they can't because they don't want it enough (steak tastes good). But that is another issue, let's not go off-topic.

Its rather pitiful that women now have to resort to reading books to feed their needs.

There is a reason these books are labelled as "Women's literature and fiction". The same reason this particular book has been described as "Mommy porn". Women, as emotional creatures, are using this modern pseudo-form of Harlequin as a substitute of the nonexistent real men. Mommy porn = desperate housewives who are frustrated by their weak, passive husbands. Mimicry and the popularity of this book offer an invaluable excuse for them to buy the book and live the dream.

Some further points:

Its unprecedented success highlights the increasing importance and effectiveness of viral marketing.

Women have a strong desire for an independent, ambitious man with potential. They NEED to submit to this kind of men, something they cannot resist, as the sexual life between the protagonists clearly depicts. The writer distorts this message by making this man chase her like a maniac, buy her expensive objects, whatever a true symp does. Thus, this girl enjoys a man who gives her mostly what she WANTS and a bit of what she NEEDS. But since the media which promote the book emphasize the sexual BDSM relationship between the two protagonists, female readers focus on this aspect of their relationship and fantasize about the perfect man who is the one chased and seduced by them and not the other way around.

The protagonist is a stupid college graduate with insecurity, self-pity and extremely low self-esteem being her dominant traits. Her object of lust is a 27-year-old billionaire who is self-made, very attractive in appearance, has extraordinary hobbies, philanthropist. So, we have your typical girl and the perfect man. The average girl reading this will think: "If she can have him, why won't I get an opportunity?" The average woman, which is more than that (postgraduate education, a decent career etc.), thinks: "If she can have him, than I am far more likely to have someone similar or even better."

The phenomenal success of this book, which is so badly written, with so pure vocabulary, fake dialogues, nonexistent rhythm, is another evidence that the vast majority of people, mainly women, are stupid, irrational and desperate for this bdsm kind of relationship. They crave for a confident and indifferent man who will encourage and facilitate discipline and submission from their part.

Apparently there is more to this subject than meets the eye and I agree with peregrinus posting it in this thread and not in the "Movies, Books, Music, websites".

These facts make me even more proud to be an INTJ and a member of this forum.