What do you think?
Rate this book
De Sade; A Critical Biography
Dorset Press 1994
- GenresBiography
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1978
About the author
Ronald Hayman
67 books14 followersRonald Hayman is a critic, dramatist, director and writer best known for his biographies.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 6, 2026
Okay, I think I can finally lay my morbid fascination with Marquis De Sade to rest… after having read Justine, and deep diving into documentaries about him. Will I read his masterpiece “The 120 Days of Sodom”? Probably not. As interesting a figure as he is, his work is generally subpar.
What’s interesting is that while he wasn’t a good person by any stretch of the imagination, he’s really more myth than man at this point. Compared to much of the French Aristocracy at the time, his crimes aren’t particularly anomalous. His mother in law just had it out for him.
Once revolution time came, a time when he could’ve capitalized on his alleged blood lust, he was horrified by the blood shed. In fact, when given the choice whether or not to execute his mother in law (who imprisoned him for most of his life), he spared her life.
Dude was all bark no bite. Still a pervert pedophile creep though…
What’s interesting is that while he wasn’t a good person by any stretch of the imagination, he’s really more myth than man at this point. Compared to much of the French Aristocracy at the time, his crimes aren’t particularly anomalous. His mother in law just had it out for him.
Once revolution time came, a time when he could’ve capitalized on his alleged blood lust, he was horrified by the blood shed. In fact, when given the choice whether or not to execute his mother in law (who imprisoned him for most of his life), he spared her life.
Dude was all bark no bite. Still a pervert pedophile creep though…
August 2, 2020
Comencé a leer este libro por cultura general, pues de su nombre es que se deriva la expresión "sadico". El Marqués fue de los primeros escritores en describir tan detalladamente toda las aberraciones sexuales que su mente pudo imaginar.
El libro nos narra la vida del Marqués, enumerando todos los escándalos que le dieron la fama de libertino, ateo y perverso.
No quedando impune a sus actos pasó un largo tiempo en la cárcel, nunca fue un preso conformista, estuvo involucrado en diversos enfrentamientos con sus carceleros.
El libro nos narra la vida del Marqués, enumerando todos los escándalos que le dieron la fama de libertino, ateo y perverso.
No quedando impune a sus actos pasó un largo tiempo en la cárcel, nunca fue un preso conformista, estuvo involucrado en diversos enfrentamientos con sus carceleros.
January 4, 2008
Uninspired & dry. Hard to believe it's about such a controversial figure in literature, philosophy, skullduggery.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews