The curse of the Marquis de Sade is a haunting and enigmatic tale that has captivated the imagination of many. The Marquis de Sade, a French nobleman and writer, is infamous for his extreme sexual preferences and sadistic tendencies. His name has become synonymous with debauchery and depravity. Born in 1740, de Sade lived during a time of rigid social hierarchy and religious conservatism. He was incarcerated multiple times throughout his life for his sexual escapades, including acts of violence and sadism towards his partners. Despite being imprisoned for a significant portion of his life, de Sade continued to write, documenting his darkest fantasies and exploring taboo subjects.
“Reading The Curse of the Marquis de Sade, with the Marquis, the sabotage of rare manuscript sales, and a massive Ponzi scheme at its center, felt like a twisty waterslide shooting through a sleazy and bizarre landscape. This book is wild.”—Adam McKay, Academy Award–winning filmmaker
In 2014, the world heralded its return to France when the scroll was purchased for millions by Gérard Lhéritier, the self-made son of a plumber who had used his savvy business skills to upend France s renowned rare-book market. Warner weaves three strands through The Curse of the Marquis de Sade A Notorious Scoundrel, a Mythical Manuscript, and the Biggest Scandal in Literary History 2023.
Despite being imprisoned for a significant portion of his life, de Sade continued to write, documenting his darkest fantasies and exploring taboo subjects. The curse of de Sade is said to manifest in those who delve too deeply into his writings and in those who become consumed by his perverse desires. Legend has it that those who seek to unlock the secrets of his mind and embrace his debauchery are doomed to suffer a similar fate.
The curse of tge marquis de sade
The Curse of the Marquis de Sade: A Notorious Scoundrel, a Mythical Manuscript, and the Biggest Scandal in Literary History
Regular price $28.99 Unit price / per Quantity:The captivating, deeply reported true story of how one of the most notorious novels ever written--Marquis de Sade's 120 Days of Sodom--landed at the heart of one of the biggest scams in modern literary history.
"Reading The Curse of the Marquis de Sade, with the Marquis, the sabotage of rare manuscript sales, and a massive Ponzi scheme at its center, felt like a twisty waterslide shooting through a sleazy and bizarre landscape. This book is wild."--Adam McKay, Academy Award-winning filmmaker
Described as both "one of the most important novels ever written" and "the gospel of evil," 120 Days of Sodom was written by the Marquis de Sade, a notorious eighteenth-century aristocrat who waged a campaign of mayhem and debauchery across France, evaded execution, and inspired the word "sadism," which came to mean receiving pleasure from pain. Despite all his crimes, Sade considered this work to be his greatest transgression.
The original manuscript of 120 Days of Sodom, a tiny scroll penned in the bowels of the Bastille in Paris, would embark on a centuries-spanning odyssey across Europe, passing from nineteenth-century banned book collectors to pioneering sex researchers to avant-garde artists before being hidden away from Nazi book burnings. In 2014, the world heralded its return to France when the scroll was purchased for millions by Gérard Lhéritier, the self-made son of a plumber who had used his savvy business skills to upend France's renowned rare-book market. But the sale opened the door to vendettas by the government, feuds among antiquarian booksellers, manuscript sales derailed by sabotage, a record-breaking lottery jackpot, and allegations of a decade-long billion-euro con, the specifics of which, if true, would make the scroll part of France's largest-ever Ponzi scheme.
Told with gripping reporting and flush with deceit and scandal, The Curse of the Marquis de Sade weaves together the sweeping odyssey of 120 Days of Sodom and the spectacular rise and fall of Lhéritier, once the "king of manuscripts" and now known to many as the Bernie Madoff of France. At its center is an urgent question for all those who cherish the written word: As the age of handwriting comes to an end, what do we owe the original texts left behind?
How former insurance broker Gérard Lhéritier purchased and repatriated the lost scroll in 2014, just as the empire he created was about to explode, is the story Warner tells with skill, from beginning to end. Lhéritier, born in 1948, was hunting a birthday present for his son in 1986 when he came across an antique letter that had been mailed from Paris by hot air balloon during the 1870 siege of the city by the Prussian army. This proved to be one of many such missives transported above enemy lines, freighted with the romantic and revolutionary history of the Paris Commune. A century later, Lhéritier sensed a business opportunity: untapped potential in buying and selling the rare balloon letters and stamps.
Many who have studied de Sade's writings and attempted to understand the darkness within him have reported experiencing strange occurrences and an overall sense of unease. Some claim to have been haunted by vivid nightmares and visions, while others have reported a gradual descent into madness. It is believed that the curse of de Sade is not limited to those who study his works, but can also extend to those who engage in similar sadistic behaviors. Those who indulge in extreme forms of sexual pleasure or derive pleasure from causing pain to others may find themselves trapped in a vicious cycle, unable to escape their own desires. The curse of the Marquis de Sade serves as a cautionary tale, a reminder that indulging in extreme and sadistic behaviors can have dire consequences. It highlights the moral boundaries that society has set and warns against the dangers of transgressing those boundaries. While the curse of de Sade may be seen by some as a mere superstition or myth, it continues to intrigue and fascinate many. It serves as a grim reminder of the dark recesses of the human mind and the potential consequences of embracing one's most primal desires..
Reviews for "The Marquis de Sade: Enlightenment Thinker or Radical Deviant?"
1. Hannah - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "The Curse of the Marquis de Sade." The plot felt forced and cliché, and the characters were flat and uninteresting. The dialogue was incredibly cheesy, and the acting was subpar. Overall, I found the movie to be predictable and lacked any real depth. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for a good horror film.
2. Mark - 1 star - "The Curse of the Marquis de Sade" was an absolute disaster. The storyline was convoluted and confusing, making it hard to follow along. The pacing was incredibly slow, and I found myself losing interest halfway through the film. The special effects were laughably bad, and the acting was wooden and unconvincing. Save yourself the trouble and skip this one.
3. Emily - 2 stars - Where do I even begin with "The Curse of the Marquis de Sade"? The plot was overly complicated and lacked focus, leaving me confused and uninvested in the characters' struggles. The scares were cheap and relied heavily on jump scares, which became tiresome after a while. The film failed to build any real tension or create a genuinely frightening atmosphere. Overall, it was a forgettable horror movie that didn't live up to its potential.
4. Michael - 2 stars - I had high hopes for "The Curse of the Marquis de Sade," but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The storyline lacked originality and felt like a rehash of countless other horror movies. The acting was mediocre at best, and the characters were shallow and underdeveloped. The film relied heavily on gore and shock value, but it failed to deliver any real scares. Overall, it was a disappointing experience, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for a memorable horror film.