THE CURSE OF THE MARQUIS DE SADE A Notorious Scoundrel, a Mythical Manuscript, and the Biggest Scandal in Literary History

Listeners, be reassured. This dual history of literature's most reviled author and his most notorious creation is practically free of sex and brutality, indeed of any passion at all except bibliomania. With the decline of handwriting, the market for rare and unique manuscripts has grown dramatically. Few are as rare and unique as Sade's 120 DAYS OF SODOM, written on reverse sides of a scroll secreted in his cell in the Bastille. Versatile narrator Stephen Mendel spins a tale full of droll and ironic turns, clearly savoring every minute. His measured delivery brings out every nuance of this well-researched and sharply detailed history, recreating familiar scenes like the storming of the Bastille with the freshness and urgency of a news report. D.A.W. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2023]