Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
Grove Press (1966), Paperback, 768 pages
Description
Here, in one volume, are three major novels by the Marquis de Sade, including the only authentic and complete British edition of his most famous work JUSTINE: one of his most daring works, PHILOSOPHY IN THE BEDROOM: and the eighteenth-century masterpiece, EUGENIE DE FRANVAL. Also included is Sade's famous DIALOGUE BETWEEN A PRIEST AND A DYING MAN, a selection from his letters, a fifty-page chronology of his life, two important essays on Sade, and a bibliography of his work.
User reviews
LibraryThing member prophetandmistress
Justine and theory-- It was both what I did and did not expect. I expected lots of violent, women hating sex, and it certainly provided that, but more in the guise of monks, gay men, and strange representations of the 7 deadly sins attacking women. I did not expect a scathing take on virtue works
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of the time or the philosophy he puts behind his characters actions and deeds. He uses his parody to explore the fanatical nature of sex in the upper classes as inflicted upon the poor, while continually stressing that the world is evil and those who try to be good at every turn will be broken by it. Therese, never learns a damn thing throughout the whole book which is wholly infuriating, but then again, feminism didn't exist in 18th century France. The masterpiece of this book lies in its duality as being "one of those books you read with one hand" and like [Lolita] forcing you to look past the gratuitous (and boy are they ever) sex scenes into Sade’s philosophy on surviving in a hard, rough, immoral world. I now understand why so many people are obsessed with him. Show Less
LibraryThing member Fledgist
The classic erotic writings of the strange Frenchman.
LibraryThing member Diwanna
I enjoyed this book much more than 120 Days of Sodom. Had more of a real story and there was less emphasis on crude and graphic images and more on an allegory of life.
LibraryThing member claude_lambert
I understand that if you are young and in jail, as was Sade, you can dream all kinds of sexual fantasies. The dreams of the marquis de Sade belong to that category. However these dreams are not edited: this is not literature, it is repetitive and frankly not exciting at all for a normal person. Out
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of jail, Sade had a disorderly life, attacking his young servants and being, even for a 18th century nobleman,- at that time, noble people could get away with a lot of sins- absolutely repugnant. We remember Sade because he gave his name to a type of disorder, but he is forgettable as a character and as an author. It is hard to believe that the monster was born in the south of France in the beautiful and charming city of Lacoste. The castle belongs now to Pierre Cardin estate and half the town is an art school. Show Less
LibraryThing member Audacity88
Philosophy in the Bedroom: Incredible that the most frank, most shocking exploration of sex and sexuality that I've ever read was written in the 18th century.
LibraryThing member SRumzi
I loved this book. Twisted and sick.
LibraryThing member RajivC
I have given this book a four star, but I really do not know where to classify it.On the one hand, it is a treatise on negation, on proving how God does not exist, and that all that counts, is your own pleasure. It also is an indictment on a society where the upper class people seem to do exactly
On the other hand, it gives an extremely good insight into a mind that was probably unhinged by the prisons and the treatment that he was meted out by the powers that be.
The writing style is turgid, and can be heavy. You need to wade through de Sade's philosophy, and his descriptions of sick minds, and extreme sadism. It is a book that is mentally exhausting, and definitely not for the faint hearted.
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what they want, without any care about the consequences for others. On the other hand, it gives an extremely good insight into a mind that was probably unhinged by the prisons and the treatment that he was meted out by the powers that be.
The writing style is turgid, and can be heavy. You need to wade through de Sade's philosophy, and his descriptions of sick minds, and extreme sadism. It is a book that is mentally exhausting, and definitely not for the faint hearted.
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LibraryThing member ptdilloway
"Philosophy in the Bedroom", the one short story, and "Justine" all feature the same basic ingredients, which is brutal sex acts (featuring a lot of anal sex) followed by harangues about the virtues of Nature. These harangues generally say that men are animals and in countries all over the world
In reading "Justine" by the end I started to laugh at what an idiot she is. You'd think after the third or fourth time she'd figure out not to go with these men she barely knows to a secluded chateau somewhere because they're just going to tie her up and abuse her! Just like you'd think she'd figure out that if someone seems to offer her a wonderful new job there's some horrible catch attached. By the time she does realize this 14 years later it's too late. I suppose that was part of the point that she is so naive and innocent that it's nigh on impossible for her to lose faith. The moral of the story is, kids, don't talk to strangers. And now you know...and knowing's half the battle.
As for the letters included I don't know what the point was because they seemed mostly to be him whining at his wife to bring him more clothes. You'd probably be just as well off buying "Justine" separately because everything in it is repeated in "Philosophy in the Bedroom" or just isn't that important anyway.
Still, it was an interesting trip into the dark side.
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throughout time men have been animals, so why not be an animal too? I suppose that's fine so long as you don't aspire to be anything more than an animal, whatever your faith in a higher power may be.In reading "Justine" by the end I started to laugh at what an idiot she is. You'd think after the third or fourth time she'd figure out not to go with these men she barely knows to a secluded chateau somewhere because they're just going to tie her up and abuse her! Just like you'd think she'd figure out that if someone seems to offer her a wonderful new job there's some horrible catch attached. By the time she does realize this 14 years later it's too late. I suppose that was part of the point that she is so naive and innocent that it's nigh on impossible for her to lose faith. The moral of the story is, kids, don't talk to strangers. And now you know...and knowing's half the battle.
As for the letters included I don't know what the point was because they seemed mostly to be him whining at his wife to bring him more clothes. You'd probably be just as well off buying "Justine" separately because everything in it is repeated in "Philosophy in the Bedroom" or just isn't that important anyway.
Still, it was an interesting trip into the dark side.
Show Less
Subjects
Language
Original language
French
Original publication date
1791 (Justine)
1965 (collection)
ISBN
none