Fifty years ago today, the US Supreme Court ruled in favor of Grove Press’ right to distribute Lady Chatterley’s Lover — “A novel, no matter how much devoted to the act of sex can hardly add to the constant sexual prodding with which our environment assails us,” argued Grove’s lawyers — striking down obscenity laws and opening the way for a half-century of really terrible erotica. (Related: UK’s Black Lace erotica imprint folds, authors attempt to blame the rise of the stripper memoir. Also related: a survey of the stripper memoir at The Rumpus. Not related: “I can’t imagine any modern writer not to owe a debt to Lawrence!” which would have been a video clip if my DVD of Henry and June which I bought were not so scratched from abuse. Anyway, go Grove Press. Buy some books.)