Erotic literature comprises fictional and factual stories and accounts of human sexual relationships which have the power to or are intended to arouse the reader sexually. Other common elements are satire and social criticism. The invention of printing, in the 15th century, brought with it both a greater market and increasing restrictions, like censorship and legal restraints on publication on the grounds of obscenity. Because of this, much of the production of this type of material became clandestine.

August Nemo has selected seven classic tales of eroticism that are part of the history of human sexual culture:

- Daphnis and Chloe by Longus

- Idylll by Guy de Maupassant

- Beatrice Palmato by Edith Wharton

- Venus in Furs by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch

- The Lustful Turk by Anonymous

- Sub-Umbra by Anonymous

- How He Lost His Whiskers: An Episode in the Life of Steve Broad by Anonymous

For more books with interesting themes, be sure to check the other books in this collection!