A riveting biography that uncovers the man at the heart of the myth and illuminates all the repression, violence, and change of the eighteenth century Among the numerous works on the Marquis de Sade, Ronald Hay-man's revealing biography is one of the few that offers the reader a look at the real de Sade-the man rather than the monster. Hayman has immersed himself in the true character of a notoriously misunder-stood man, excelling where few others have in dealing with de Sade with sympathy. This work is a much needed antidote to the general misconceptions surrounding de Sade and his life.