John Cleland

John Cleland (1709–1789) was an English novelist most famous for his controversial novel 'Fanny Hill: or, the Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure'. Born in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, he was the oldest son of William Cleland, an officer and friend to Alexander Pope. John Cleland led a tumultuous life that included time spent in debtor's prison, where he is believed to have begun writing 'Fanny Hill'. The novel was published in two volumes, in 1748 and 1749, and became one of the most prosecuted and banned books in history due to its explicit sexual content. Despite its notoriety, 'Fanny Hill' is considered a classic of erotic literature.

Books

This list of books are ONLY the books that have been ranked on the lists that are aggregated on this site. This is not a comprehensive list of all books by this author.

  1. 1. Fanny Hill

    This novel tells the story of a young girl named Fanny Hill who is orphaned at 15 and moves to London where she gets involved in a life of prostitution. The narrative is a series of letters to an unknown woman, detailing her experiences and adventures in explicit detail. Despite the hardships she endures, including exploitation, imprisonment, and heartbreak, Fanny remains optimistic and maintains a sense of innocence throughout the novel.