{120 days of Sodom} November 1st-7th Introduction-The Third Day

[Stephanie, Super Mod]

How much of this book is fiction? How much of it is from the sexual world of De Sade that he actually experience? Where there imaginings of a mad man or was it really happening and no records exist of what happened behind close doors. Has the contemporary thought behind sex push the mystery that sex held for many back in De Sade's time? Or is part of the mystery still there? Have we debunk sex?

[John L, Mod]

I won't be able to participate this time as I still have to read Ivanhoe before I can trade it to get a copy of Lolita, but I wanted to add that only knowing what I've heard from a coworker about this book I really hope it isn't based on too extensive of a life experience!

I will also add that I find it interesting to see how feelings have evolved. I am currently reading Fitzgerald and he wouldn't even use the word sex in his novels. It was always just kisses. To compare that to 120 days of Sodom from 1785 (though Wikipedia says that it wasn't really published until the 1904, effectively after Fitzgerald) where the sex is rampant is an interesting perspective to the ups and downs of the cultural openness about sex in at different times. I should say different areas as well, but Fitzgerald had spent some time in France where Sade was from. Location still likely has a lot to do with the differences, mostly in terms of where the book were intended to be published and such, but it still fascinates me some.

[Danielle]

It's probably partially based on his own experiences, though hopefully greatly exaggerated. He had a history of hiring servants or prostitutes and imprisoning them. A few of the charges against him were because of this. The Wikipedia article mentions the book may have been referencing some historical cases, but I don't know how much I buy that.

I don't think feelings had evolved much from the 1770s to the 1900s. After he anonymously published his first book Napoleon ordered his arrest. After his death, his son burned all the unpublished manuscripts in his possession. 120 days of sodom was published in 1904, but it was mostly read as a study into psychology. It wasn't popularly read until much later.

[John L, Mod]

Hmm, yes, I should have looked through more articles. I was looking for its reception. Any who, enjoy the book everyone.