"By John Cleland Publisher: Putnam Considered the first true erotic novel, Cleland wrote, ""Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure"" in 1749 while he was in debtor's prison in London, or so the legend has it. A true game changer, it was the first of its kind – an English novel whose plot was just about one thing — sex. His first version landed Cleland back in jail, charged with publishing an obscene book. One year later, a censored version called ""Memoirs of Fanny Hill"" was issued and survived a prosecutio"
{}