The Marquis de Sade

The writer of women’s liberation on the man who gave sex a new word.

Easily the most covetable edition of Simone de Beauvoir’s The Marquis de Sade – the New English Library’s British First Edition Paperback, complete with shocking pink wrapper with its bold blackletter title. This edition pairs de Beauvoir’s essay ‘Must We Burn Sade?’ with selections from Sade’s writings, chosen and translated by Paul Dinnage.

Here, de Beauvoir takes on the notorious 18th-century writer whose name still stands for scandal. Rather than condemning him, she insists we confront the uncomfortable truths about freedom, desire, and power that his work exposes. By separating the writer from the “pervert”, de Beauvoir reframes Sade and sparks a daring new conversation about sex, power, and literature.

Edition: New English Library, Paperback
Year: 1972
Condition: Good vintage condition
Notes: Light marking to covers; minor fading to spine.