
John Phillips's lively translation conveys the tone of Sade's original text and his introduction situates Sade's narrative in its historical, literary, and philosophical background, discussing such major themes as attitudes to women, the church, the justice system, and the world of finance, the sadistic and masochistic elements, and the novel's reception. The extensive notes shed light on religious and philosophical ideas and explain allusions to topical events.
About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
Donatien Alphonse François, Marquis de Sade was a French aristocrat and writer famous for his libertine sexuality and lifestyle. His works include novels, short stories, plays, and political tracts; in his lifetime some were published under his own name, while others appeared anonymously and Sade denied being their author. He is best known for his erotic novels, which combined philosophical discourse with pornography, depicting bizarre sexual fantasies with an emphasis on violence, criminality, and blasphemy against the Catholic Church. He was a proponent of extreme freedom, unrestrained by morality, religion or law. Sade was incarcerated in various prisons and in an insane asylum for about 32 years of his life; eleven years in Paris (10 of which were spent in the Bastille) a month in Conciergerie, two years in a fortress, a year in Madelonnettes, three years in Bicêtre, a year in Sainte-Pélagie, and 13 years in the Charenton asylum. Many of his works were written in prison. The term "sadism" is derived from his name. ([Source][1]) [1]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marquis_de_Sade

John Phillips's lively translation conveys the tone of Sade's original text and his introduction situates Sade's narrative in its historical, literary, and philosophical background, discussing such major themes as attitudes to women, the church, the justice system, and the world of finance, the sadistic and masochistic elements, and the novel's reception. The extensive notes shed light on religious and philosophical ideas and explain allusions to topical events.
About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
Donatien Alphonse François, Marquis de Sade was a French aristocrat and writer famous for his libertine sexuality and lifestyle. His works include novels, short stories, plays, and political tracts; in his lifetime some were published under his own name, while others appeared anonymously and Sade denied being their author. He is best known for his erotic novels, which combined philosophical discourse with pornography, depicting bizarre sexual fantasies with an emphasis on violence, criminality, and blasphemy against the Catholic Church. He was a proponent of extreme freedom, unrestrained by morality, religion or law. Sade was incarcerated in various prisons and in an insane asylum for about 32 years of his life; eleven years in Paris (10 of which were spent in the Bastille) a month in Conciergerie, two years in a fortress, a year in Madelonnettes, three years in Bicêtre, a year in Sainte-Pélagie, and 13 years in the Charenton asylum. Many of his works were written in prison. The term "sadism" is derived from his name. ([Source][1]) [1]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marquis_de_Sade