The 120 Days of Sodom Paperback – March 26, 2009

Despite the book being unfinished-- or at least having the presentation of being unfinished toward the end-- it is disgustingly detailed all throughout, making this very lengthy piece of literature unrelenting in every form of human filth that you can imagine. If you had a hard time watching the movie, DO NOT read the book. Everything that is in the movie is in the book that inspired it and much, much, much more.

So, I have had numerous people recommend this book to me, saying that it's a valuable piece of literature, especially considering the major I'm going into. Finally I caved. I don't think I've ever regretted caving in as much as I do now. I know Sade's reputation, and that this book was hardcore sadism. Yes, I was disgusted, to the point where I had to skip entire sections of the book. But I don't understand how this is considered good literature. Yes, some of the best literature in the world pushes conventions and can be utterly shocking. It galls you, makes you think and question your world, and it sticks with you. So I guess in that respect, this could be considered good literature. Except Sade takes it and twists it from a book that could be a great study in humanity and libertines and basically turns it into utterly disturbing torture porn. Maybe it's because he never got to write out the majority of the book, and all that's detailed are the screwed up acts of torture sex, but how this could be considered a piece of good literature is beyond me.You want a good piece of literature, go read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn or Moby Dick. I wish I had never read this book, and I would never recommend it to anyone.

This was the most vile, disgusting, nauseating, depressing book I have ever read Or probably will ever read. It’s a book about 4 powerful Men who abduct a group of teenage boys and girls and bring them to a castle. In the castle they subject them to every physical, emotional, spiritual, psychological and sexual torture known to Man. And I mean EVERY one. Any sexual thing you can think of is in this damn book. I had to stop reading it a few times. With that being said, it was pretty thorough and well written. I just find it hard to recommend.

I actually read this historically notorious work years ago and, as I've done in many cases, recently decided to back up the paper original with a digital copy.As the pop sensation '50 Shades of Grey' has little (to nothing) to do with what practitioners would call "real" BDSM, '120 Days of Sodom' is more evocative of the dungeons of the Spanish Inquisition than of the safe, sane and consensual practices engaged in by those in that understandably quiet community. In short, this is no Romance Novel.Nor is it a starter's guide to tapping a little kink or two into your marital boudoir.It is of course fascinating and shocking, and if you're the least bit interested in what sort of high-born excesses inspired the French peasantry to rise up and start cutting all those aristocratic heads off, go for it. [Hint: it wasn't "Let them eat cake."]If you can make it through the first few chapters, anyway.I couldn't on the first try, and "prudish" or "squeamish" are not words that anyone would ever use to describe me.Remember that de Sade wrote this while he was imprisoned. He wasn't in for parking violations. And it's not fiction. So if you're caught up in this current, blushing interest in the naughty and one of your Lit or European History Major friends mentioned the old Marquis in your after-movie giggle fest, look away. However if you are genuinely compelled to learn more about the more advanced forms of phychosexual expression I reccomend 'The Story of O'. That, I can assure you, will be scary enough a leap for the book-and-Chardonnay club.

Looking into new Authors and I stumbled across De Sade. The mind of this man is very interesting to me. The way he transports you from your place of reading down into the depths of terror and tragedy ALONG WITH the characters of the story is intense. I will be reading more of his work. ALSO IF YOU HAVENT SEEN “Sálo, 120 DAYS OF SODOM.” YOU SHOULD ONLY WATCH IT AFTER READING THE BOOK.

I have a hard time explaining why I absolutely adore Sade, and an even harder time explaining why I love this book.It's the sickest, most twisted piece of literature I've ever read. It was supposed to be written in four parts, but only one part was finished completely by Sade. The other three parts are written in abbreviated form, but this somehow doesn't make it any less disturbing.The plot of the book involves four libertines who have taken refuge in a castle with a number of people who they've collected for the sole purpose of having weird, depraved sex. Four prostitutes narrate their own life experiences, and the libertines design sex acts based on their stories. these sex acts are recounted in extreme graphic detail, using language that somehow manages to be elegant.This is a good English translation and, if you can manage to trudge through the farts, murder, and copious amounts of anal rape, you'll find yourself better for it at the end. If you're looking for a tamer version of Sade, try "The Crimes of Love." "120 Days of Sodom" is not erotica the way we know it today. It's more of an appeal to the sexual senses, even the senses that only exist to tell us what's rotten.

I was prepared for quite a jolt from this book, sexually speaking. I was ready to read some hard-core, graphic scenes, but I found that after only a handful of pages, I could not continue reading this filth.What I was not prepared for was reading about sexual acts that take place between grown adults and small children. I can't and will not tolerate reading about acts of child molestation.To each his own, I guess, but I personally can't imagine anyone reading this book for pleasure. There should be a warning on Amazon as to the true content of this book. Had I been aware of what was written in this book, I never would have bought it. I returned it to Amazon immediately.

The most depraved book ever written??

Why did I buy this, it really is dreadful. Why they made such a fuss about this author eludes me. He and his writings should be confined in the poubelle d'ordures.

My Oh My-yes a literary classic,but extremely graphic,disturbing,and everything you have read elsewhere.Note to self-watch something light after finish reading.

Don't waste your time. Just gave it one star because I had to give it some kind of rating.

I like a lot of the Marquis De Sade's quotes , I was curious to read some of his work ...I rated this book solely on the content ...I found it quite disturbing , extreme , and downright crude ...I actually burnt the book after reading a few chapters ..