The Marquis de Sade (Author) The Marquis de Sade was born in Paris in 1740. He was imprisoned several times for his scandalous behaviour, and wrote The 120 Days of Sodom, his most notorious work, while in prison in the Bastille. He managed to ingratiate himself with the new regime after the French Revolution, but by 1796 was a ruined man. He died in an insane asylum in 1814. Will McMorran (Translator) Will McMorran is a Senior Lecturer in French and Comparative Literature at Queen Mary, University of London. Thomas Wynn (Translator) Thomas Wynn is Reader and Director of Research in the School of Modern Languages and Cultures at Durham University.
The great merit of this edition is the thoroughly excellent translation by Will McMorran and Thomas Wynn. It has none of the phoney archaism of earlier English translations. Instead it is like a window, allowing us to have as clear of view as possible of Sade's mind and world ... In their scholarly and wise introduction, the translators are careful to emphasise the historical context ... Sade's novel feels as grimly relevant to the terrors of our age as to those of his own. Andrew Hussey, The Economist A blistering new translation ... This new version of the 120 Days is well overdue [and] these two dons have done a sterling job ... This new, accessible 120 Days also forces us to confront ourselves Erotic Review