Since it is my first post ever, an homage to Sade is a clear duty. (in France we say 'Sade', not 'de Sade'.

As many posters stressed, his works aged pretty gracefully - at least the scandalous ones. The unique blend of outrageous yet challenging philosophy, lively adventure, incredibly shocking sex and elegant writing was never equalled. However, judged by the current standards of BDSM erotic literature, he is an outsider: he strives to squick, and he always succeeds.

(an aside: I've developed my own 'story code' for my own modest story collection. It is aimed at screening unpleasant themes rather than at pinpointing 'good' ones. Here it is:

Everyone has her limits. A reader is 'squicked' when she comes across
something which others may find fun, but which offend, hurt or bore her.
The [S] [Q] [U] [I] [C] [K] warning system marks books which, with the
following themes central/substantially present, are read at the reader's peril.

[S]nuff the art of erotic murder and/or execution
[Q]ueers men and/or boys making do without the girls
[U]nderage self-explanatory, the commonest squick around
[I]ncest close relatives getting even closer
[C]ritters horses, dogs, rodents and other pets
[K]aviare what most people would call shit

Well... the only author who consistently sets all bells ringing is Sade, which should tell you something.)

Reading Sade unwarned is a sure way to be vaccinated against BDSM for life, quite the contrary to the gentle, sweetly enticing seduction wrought by Story of O upon many of us (myself included).

This being said, I happen to have file versions of his 'scandalous' books (Juliette, La Nouvelle Justine, les 120 Jours de Sodome, La Philosophie dans le Boudoir). They are in French; what I call 'learn French the HARD way! I have a good translation of the 120 days too. Warning... it is the ugliest book of all. A masterpiece written in an outhouse and a slaughterhouse.