Marquis de Sade: The Genius of Passion

By Ronald Hayman

Among the numerous works on the Marquis de Sade, Ronald Hayman's revealing biography is one of the few that presents the reader with an idea of the real de Sade--the man rather than the monster.... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1860648940
• ISBN13: 9781860648946
• Release Date: October 2003
• Publisher: Tauris Parke Paperbacks
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 4.9" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Great Book. I Really Enjoyed It

Like most people, I knew that Marquis de Sade was the inspiration for the word 'sadism'. I also knew that he had written books noted for their explicit descriptions of sex, rape and torture. This was just one aspect of his character, however, and this book exposes us to others. Though he subscribed to and, in many cases, practiced the libertine philosophy, this was by no means unique or even unusual for the nobility of the eighteenth century. Sade spent much of his life in prison, not because of these practices (though this was the excuse given) but rather, due to the political maneuvering of his mother-in-law. Though I find Sade's view of life distasteful, if not sickening, I understand how he came upon it and, at times, I even pity him. Hayman's book is not always a pleasant read, but it is an informative one.