The name Sade has become synonymous with cruelty. To some he was a monster and a criminal, to others a literary genius, while to others he was an apostle of freedom who dared to expose society's hypocrisies in sexual matters. But who was the real Marquis de Sade? In this biography, the author reconstructs the life and times of the author of "Justine" and "The 120 Days of Sodom". Bringing the 18th century vividly to life, this book paints a detailed portrait of the artistic millieu that produced Sade.