Thérèse the Philosopher

Thérèse the Philosopher
AuthorAnonymous, Attributed to Jean-Baptiste de Boyer, Marquis d'Argens
Original titleThérèse Philosophe
LanguageFrench
GenreFiction, Novel, Libertine Literature, Comedy
PublisherUnknown (1748, The Hague, Belgium; French), Grove Press (1970, English), Black Scat Books (2020, English)
Publication date
1748
Publication placeFrance
Published in English
1970 (Thérèse The Philosopher), 2020 (Thérèse Finds Happiness)
Pages208 (English)

Thérèse Philosophe (Therese the Philosopher) is a 1748 French novel ascribed to Jean-Baptiste de Boyer, Marquis d'Argens, or, according to a minority opinion, Denis Diderot and others. It has been chiefly regarded as a pornographic novel, which accounts for its massive sales in 18th-century France. The novel represents a public conveyance (and arguably perversion) for some ideas of the Philosophes.