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The 120 Days of Sodom
These were the eight principal characters in whose company we are going to enable you to live, good reader. It is now time to divulge the object of singular pleasures that were proposed. It is commonly accepted amongst authentic libertines that the sensations communicated by the organs of hearing are the most flattering and those impressions are the liveliest; as a consequ...more
Paperback, 295 pages
Published
June 29th 2008
by Solar Books
(first published 1785)
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I have to say that when I say this book was an amazing read, I am attempting to indicate that I was amazed in the real sense of the word - I was astounded by the gravity of the text I was engulfed in; darkly enthralled by the sheer disgust I felt. I have never in my life been more horrified and strangely captivated by a book and although it was not a pleasure read I feel it was an important book to explore, although not one I would rush to read again.
Las ciento veinte jornadas de Sodoma o La escuela del libertinaje según mi apreciación no es más que un borrador de Justine o los infortunios de la virtud, publicada en 1791.
Es un libro por completo desagradable, no sólo por su contenido perverso, explícito, soez, escatológico, criminal y hasta asesino; sino por su escasa narrativa.
Muestra una absurda obsesión por los números que me refiere a las manías esquizofrénicas, digamos que en esta ocación hay más del loco que d...more
Es un libro por completo desagradable, no sólo por su contenido perverso, explícito, soez, escatológico, criminal y hasta asesino; sino por su escasa narrativa.
Muestra una absurda obsesión por los números que me refiere a las manías esquizofrénicas, digamos que en esta ocación hay más del loco que d...more
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This is definitely a book about depravity. It is also definitely literature and a historical document. This is a book that illustrates an extreme, but nevertheless realistic view that arises in a world not governed by law and where power is arrived at by birth or nepotism. In an age that is increasingly fascinated by aristocracy with the marriages in the English and Danish Royal families, for example, and the rise and potential return of the Romanov family in the name of nationalism, books like ...more
On my first attempt to join our GR monthly group discussion, I read this book. Truth be told, I did not finish reading this. I went through half of it, or so, then gave up. That’s okay, go ahead, and call me a coward; but I cannot force myself to go on. This book is perverted to a ridiculous point I felt like I am being polluted from the inside; a moral vacuum of some sort. There are things that may stay with me for a long while, though.
It begins with 4 high-classed libertine ma...more
It begins with 4 high-classed libertine ma...more
I honestly don't know if I can finish this book. I was recommended this book after reading "American Psycho". I was looking for something that would feed my craving for a gore fest thriller. I don't know what this is. The first couple of pages left me questioning my sanity as to if I should finish it (a question that I thought would be a clear NO for someone who was mentally healthy). But I continued. I bought this book about a year ago and am still grappling with how gross and utterly...more
I am intrigued and curious as to why this book have such a vivid and unhealthy obsession towards all sexual taboos and inhumane fetishes. What made the author to imagine these tales of sexual cruelty and debauchery? Given the fact that all people at some times in their life fantasize either/and about the illegal, immoral or inconceivable sexual scenarios, this book shouldn't have come across as repelling or revolting. But it is disgusting, nauseating and a classic case of extremist literature. T...more
I found this to be an incredibly tedious read, for many reasons. First, really flat, static characters made it impossible for me to care about the tortures inflicted upon them. With 46 (I believe) prisoners, it was not easy to distinguish one from the other. The second reason is that, in the first section, each day detailed has pretty much the same structure. They make their rounds, then have coffee, followed by naps...(all of this interspersed with "frigging"). And the highlight of th...more
Ok ok, so I know the Marquis De Sade is known for his graphic and sometimes skewed depictions of sexuality, but I found this to be a bit much. Don't get me wrong, I highly respect the fact that he did a lot for freedom and sexual expression, but from an English standpoint, I found the book to be very repetitive (though I understand this was a draft copy and the final would have probably been much better). Some parts went on much to long. Case in point, the coprophilia. I found the novel to be on...more
Totally disgusting. I do not see why this is on anyone's reading list. I suppose the only reason is to be able to condemn something you have to investigate it. This shows all the worst possible behaviours by human beings. The main characters would hopefully be condemned for crimes against humanity in the modern era. Some of the characters are decribed as feeling ashamed after their gross acts - well so they should. I feel ashamed of having read it. I recall having gone to see the Passolini film ...more
Having read this book, in its entirety, is probably what will get me sent to hell. This is the only book I have ever read which made me reconsider my stance on censorship. It is definitely not for the faint at heart. It begins with sexual perversions that go beyond what most of us would even consider as titilating. It ends with descriptions of what is nothing short of sadistic torture. So where's the merit? I would say that resides in form, not content, as well as historical curiosity. De Sade ...more
Extraordinarily compelling. . . the Marquis de Sade was truly a seductive writer, as evidenced by the number of mixed reviews already given to this book. So how do you rate a book that is one of the all-time masterpieces of dark literature and also the sickest, most revolting, unclean novel you will likely ever encounter? I did not finish the entire work, nor do I ever intend to. It becomes progressively worse and I have little desire to find out what transpires in the last 2/5 of this horror.
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I'm with those who find this boring yet probably important. The daily horrors became kind of tedious, though I think de Sade meant this as a comment on how man becomes inured to unpleasantness and needs increasingly strong stimulus to feel. You can only be farted on so many times before you need to chop someone's arm off. Because of the repetition I quickly stopped finding it disturbing - there are scenes in de Bernieres and Vargas Llosa which have affected me much more. But that probably isn't ...more
Reading this book was a very interesting experience, and even though I knew what to expect, because I've read a few reviews beforehand, I was pretty shocked.
But even though it was indeed brutal and disgusting and highly disturbing, I am glad that I've read it. Since I've heard of Sade in a literature course I've wanted to know a bit more about his works, and this was the first one I've read from him. And I have to say, he has an interesting way of presenting his views. His really strange ...more
But even though it was indeed brutal and disgusting and highly disturbing, I am glad that I've read it. Since I've heard of Sade in a literature course I've wanted to know a bit more about his works, and this was the first one I've read from him. And I have to say, he has an interesting way of presenting his views. His really strange ...more
Actually one of the most boring books I've ever read. Well, mostly read. I skimmed some of it. It was that bad. I can't fathom how a book so full of depictions of grotesque and degrading sexual abuse managed to be so dull. After the pushing through the initial revulsion of the premise (it IS repulsive), I found the rest repetitive and unimaginative. The assault scene in Blindness by Saramago, in a few pages and with a fraction of the violence, made me want to vomit. But this?
If you wa...more
If you wa...more
In a way, I think that everyone who thinks they've read everything or would read anything needs to read this. I had to order this book just to get my hands on it but when you're trying to read off the top 10 most disturbing or graphic books in history, it's a must.
Not only is the story nothing but a long orgy of sexual deviance and violence, but the Marquis spares no details to acts.
I do not recommend this book to everyone. I recommend it only to those who seek to find the tr...more
Not only is the story nothing but a long orgy of sexual deviance and violence, but the Marquis spares no details to acts.
I do not recommend this book to everyone. I recommend it only to those who seek to find the tr...more
Plongeon dans le stupre et la fornication (comme dirait Brassens) pimenté d'un mépris pour les conventions sociales et les règles morales. Ce récit où 4 maîtres s'enferment dans un château reculé pour abuser de jeunes filles et de petits garçons (de vieilles, de servantes, de cuisinière,... également) fait une place d'honneur aux vices, dans un délicieux et terrifiants crescendo de violence.
A noter que les 4 maîtres ne sont pas, bizarrement, a-moraux mais im-moraux. La motivation de leurs mauvai...more
A noter que les 4 maîtres ne sont pas, bizarrement, a-moraux mais im-moraux. La motivation de leurs mauvai...more
Sade's life-work is a systematic destruction of church-imposed values, symbol against symbol. His work holds no pretense / birthright to a sacred value (despite being historically and culturally invaluable), determined to act itself out objectively, purely, mathematically, like a law of nature, i.e. an instinctive, yet intelligent, utterly human revolt against opressive control. From one angle (that we would probably call terroristic by modern standards), it is the sort of self-negating material...more
A word to those who put this on their to-read list: I'm fairly certain this version of the book is the watered down version. If you want to read the original, there's an e-book version floating around online. That's what I read.
Of course I didn't like it. This was the most disgusting book I've ever read, and I doubt there is any as vile out there in the world. For grammar and wording it would receive 5 stars; de Sade is certainly intelligent...the more to fear him.
Th...more
Of course I didn't like it. This was the most disgusting book I've ever read, and I doubt there is any as vile out there in the world. For grammar and wording it would receive 5 stars; de Sade is certainly intelligent...the more to fear him.
Th...more
Recebi este livro no passado Natal, fruto da minha súbita paixão por Sade e pela sua Justine. Por causa dele, Sade foi condenado à mais infame categoria que um Ser pode recolher. Injustamente.
Esta obra, escrita enquanto Sade se encontrava recluso na Prisão da Bastilha, foi terminada em 37 dias, e para tal, utilizou um rolo contínuo de papel com 12 metros de comprimento. A letra: minúscula. O trabalho físico, imagina-se, terá sido magnânime. O resultado também se pode considerar grand...more
Esta obra, escrita enquanto Sade se encontrava recluso na Prisão da Bastilha, foi terminada em 37 dias, e para tal, utilizou um rolo contínuo de papel com 12 metros de comprimento. A letra: minúscula. O trabalho físico, imagina-se, terá sido magnânime. O resultado também se pode considerar grand...more
No es más que un catálogo de perversidades, marranadas y demás. Su falta de narrativa (pues es más bien un listado repetitivo y tedioso) me mantuvo aburrido, queriendo terminar lo más pronto posible y sobre todo, queriendo encontrar algo redimible. Y que a pesar de tener un prólogo e inicio muy prometedor, me perdió cuando comenzaron sus listas.
Este es mi primer acercamiento con el tan famoso Marqués de Sade, sin duda alguna, un acercamiento muy poco afortunado.
Este es mi primer acercamiento con el tan famoso Marqués de Sade, sin duda alguna, un acercamiento muy poco afortunado.
I had picked up this book because it is a classic and talked about so much. However, I absolutely did not like the book. It's explicit and tacky. It has very explicit details of physical, sexual abuse and I left the book half way almost. I wonder why it is called a classic. Sade is so well known but this book was thoroughly disappointing. I was looking to find out insights into the thinking patterns of people who abuse others. I wanted to learn their psychology and understand their thoughts. Wan...more
Wow, this book was extremely powerful in its imagery. Violent, perverse, like every single horrid site on the internet. It was a struggle to get through at some points. The philosophical messages were sparse but succinct yet at times were overpowered by the sadistic imagery making it difficult to agree with any tenant of libertarianism. Pure selfishness couched in debauchery is difficult to find appealing on any level.
I would be very interested to know whether these horrors wer...more
I would be very interested to know whether these horrors wer...more
I was hoping for some greater commentary on morals and society--and the first 10% of this was definitely provocative in that way. Everything thereafter is just gratuitous to the point of absurd. That de Sade was unable to finish this work may contribute to much of that, but it really seems as if he just wanted to cram as much depravity into one book as he possibly could, plot be damned.
I stumbled upon this and am completely sorry that I did. I walk away from this deeply disturbed and saddened by this grotesque insight into human nature. I just can't seem to fathom the mind that has these thoughts and puts them to paper, forget the literary, philosophical, political aspect of the thing. The abuse and violence completely foreshadow any of those aspects. Total waste of time.
Dear FSM, save me from the frigging and the vomiting and the assholes. I think I need to take a break from this and come back to it again sometime. Which unfortunately means going and asking the librarian to get it from storage again, and being labelled 'that woman'. Oh well, I'm so normal-looking (frumpy, overweight housewife) that I might quite like being thought of as perverted. Maybe I am? I do find some funny moments in this book. It's like a teenage boy trying to come up with more and more...more
Me sentí asqueada para mi es un libro perverso, explícito, desagradable que lo único que causo fué que me horrorísara, no deja nada a la imaginación,deja mucho que desear como alimento literario,espero que no sirva de inspiración a ninguna persona,la historia es mínima y lo demás es solo numerar los actos sin ninguna cosa que los entrelazara.
As a budding member of the kinky community I felt like I should give this book a try, since it has been so firmly linked to BDSM in the past(after all, the S is for "sadism"). I couldn't finish it. :( I like what I like and other people like what they like, but I will put the "not my kink" stamp on this book and leave it at that.
Read a few excerpts of this in high school when I was in my 'I'll read anything where everyone's screwing' phase. Was a little too hardcore for me then, however. This isn't screwing...this is torture! Not at all erotique, more like horrifique, but am enjoying Sade's 'now, dear reader, sit back and let me tell you a nice bedtime story' tone. Contrasts well with the horrors that he recounts. Like the little nuances, like how he jumps from 'tu' to 'vous.' One must be in the mood - in the mood for ...more
Me gustó el hecho de que toca el tema de la maldad pura, creo que de una manera un poco perturbadora, pero al fin, si eliminamos todos los elementos "eróticos", si se les puede llamar de esa forma, queda una historia sobre la maldad del alma humana.
Creo que detrás de todo es una crítica al sistema y a la religión de su época, en muchas ocasiones hace incapié en que los libertinos eran hombres adinerados, lo cual, a mi parecer, podría bien ser aplicado a la situación actual, e...more
Creo que detrás de todo es una crítica al sistema y a la religión de su época, en muchas ocasiones hace incapié en que los libertinos eran hombres adinerados, lo cual, a mi parecer, podría bien ser aplicado a la situación actual, e...more
This is a shining star of trash among trashy novels, a standard of disgusting molestation of free speech. Dirty books of penthouse bow to the sheer filth of this novel. it is a amazing in its continued popularity I weep for the literature department in every college
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“Oh, there are plenty of people," the Duc used to observe, "who never misbehave save when passion spurs them to ill; later, the fire gone out of them, their now calm spirit peacefully returns to the path of virtue and, thus passing their life going from strife to error and from error to remorse, they end their days in such a way there is no telling just what roles they have enacted on earth. Such persons," he would continue, "must surely be miserable: forever drifting, continually undecided, their entire life is spent detesting in the morning what they did the evening before. Certain to repent of the pleasures they taste, they take their delight in quaking, in such sort they become at once virtuous in crime and criminal in virtue.”
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