What order should I read Marquis de Sade's books in?

Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Justine.

What is Marquis de Sade's most famous book?

Justine (1791) is Marquis de Sade's most widely read book.

Which Marquis de Sade books have been adapted?

1 book has been adapted for film or TV, including The 120 Days of Sodom (as Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom, film, 1975).

Marquis de Sade books in order

French nobleman, revolutionary politician, philosopher and writer of erotic works

Lived: 1740–1814
Country: France
Books: 12

Gothic
Philosophy

Marquis de Sade published 9 novels, 1 short story collection, 1 play and 1 other book, beginning with Justine (1791).

Updated September 2026

Where to start with Marquis de Sade

Start here
Justine
Marquis de Sade's most-read book.

Standalone novels in order

Les Infortunes De La Vertu (1787)
192 pages
Buy
Justine (1791)
282 pages★ 4.8 (5 ratings)
Buy
Aline and Valcour (1793)
Buy
Philosophy in the Bedroom (1795)
Buy
The Bedroom Philosophers (1795)
214 pages
Buy
Juliette (1797)
267 pages
Buy
La Nouvelle Justine (1797)
Buy
The Marquise De Gange (1813)
304 pages
Buy
The 120 Days of Sodom (1904)
457 pages★ 3.1 (10 ratings)Adapted for film
Buy

Short story collections in order

The Crimes of Love (1961)
271 pages
Buy

Plays in order

Dialogue Between a Priest and a Dying Man (1926)
42 pages
Buy

Other books in order

Cuentos, Historietas Y Fabulas
Buy

Film and TV adaptations

Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975)Film · from The 120 Days of Sodom

About Marquis de Sade

Donatien Alphonse François, Marquis de Sade was a French writer, libertine, political activist, and nobleman best known for his libertine novels and imprisonment for sex crimes, blasphemy, and pornography. His works include novels, short stories, plays, dialogues, and political tracts. Some of these were published under his own name during his lifetime, but most appeared anonymously or posthumously.

Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

Marquis de Sade FAQ

How many books has Marquis de Sade written?: Marquis de Sade published 9 novels, 1 short story collection, 1 play and 1 other book that we list, as of September 2026.
What order should I read Marquis de Sade's books in?: Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Justine.
What is Marquis de Sade's last book?: The Marquise De Gange (1813).
What is Marquis de Sade's most famous book?: Justine (1791) is Marquis de Sade's most widely read book.
Which Marquis de Sade books have been adapted?: 1 book has been adapted for film or TV, including The 120 Days of Sodom (as Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom, film, 1975).