Normalising the abnormal

A short introduction to this album.

De Sade's status as a literary philosopher and his relationship to materialist philosophy is expertly analysed, along with several pertinent readings from his works.

De Sade's works are filled with violent and sexual excess, but what are his motives for producing such provocative material? Shock, or something more?

How did the revolution inspire and inform de Sade's writing, if at all? The historical aspect and de Sade's personal experiences are analysed and explained.

Imprisoned for much of his adult life, de Sade's writings are rife with institutional motifs. This discussion highlights and explains principal autobiographical and fictional examples.