Fanny Hill

Also known as Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure, Fanny Hill by John Cleland is largely considered to be the first erotic novel ever published in the English language. The story follows Frances "Fanny" Hill when she moves to London and begins a descent into sexual depravity. While lewd and obscene, the book is also a classic, giving an excellent look into Eighteen Century Britain as well as the evolution of female sexuality. The subject matter may be tough, but it has been adapted countless times due to, not only its interesting story, but the larger themes surrounding personality, morality and the basis of sexual desire.