About the book: 2007 / The works of the Marquis de Sade have always been perceived ambiguously, causing readers either horror or admiration, his works have made a dizzying rise from volumes read furtively, to reputable academic publications. The 18th century considered him an obscene writer, the author of vile pornographic novels, called “the standard of ugliness.” The 19th century condescendingly classified his works as literary curiosities, but the 20th century, radically changing the attitude towards the Marquis, gave him a worthy place in the literature of the Enlightenment. The serious research work of the author of this book gives an objective assessment of this undoubtedly extraordinary person, controversy about whom continues in world literary criticism to this day..