My own work, pub. 2007, first of a series. An intense examination of the tangled relationship between an ambitious young man and a preteen girl. Thrown by accident into the role of the girl's protector, his morality is eroded by the growing intensity of their bonding, which becomes sexual. When the outside world discovers the pair's secret the man finally realises the consequences of his actions

Written to be performed as a play, the tragedy of King Oedipus revolves around the incest taboo. Oedipus' accidental slaying of his father and unknowing marriage to his mother also demonstrates man's futility in the face of fate. The time line is the flourishing culture of pre-Christian Greece

The Satyricon, dated first century AD, by Gaius Petronius, possibly the first novel written. Only fragments survive - possibly as a result of Petronius' suicide at the command of the emperor, Nero, which would indeed have hindered the work. Of great historical value in drawing a picture of Roman Life and literature, Satyricon focuses on the sexual adventures and follies of Encolpio, a scholar

Published 1353, a collection of stories that a group of characters entertain each other with, supposedly to whiile away the time as they shelter from the Black Death (bubonic plague.) Some comic, some perceptive, and - as they are about life - some bawdy. Strange how "sexy" changes to "bawdy" when we move to ancient times

Published in 1748, it is considered the first modern "erotic novel" in English, and has become a byword for the battle of censorship of erotica, being swiftly tried before an English court upon re-publication in 1963

Published 1891, Wilde's only novel (he was mainly a playwright, poet and short story writer.) Wilde was one of the most famour literary figures of his time, until his trial in 1995, which lead to three years of imprisonment, breaking both his health, fame and finances

Published 1912, filmed 1971, Thomas Mann’s novella stands time’s test as a classic tale of erotic obsession. The story is of an ageing writer's growing obsession with a teenage boy of remarkable physical beauty. The writer - who has lead an austere, disciplined life - is ill-equipped to deal with his passion, and his surrender to obsession destroys first his judgement and morality, then his life

Published 1922, this supposedly factual account of Frank Harris' life and sexual adventures was - inevitably, as with all such works in those days - banned as obscene in 1923. It follows the general pattern of many works seized on by the public for sexual content: once the sexually titillating part has begun to bore, there's not much moe n it to hold the reader's interest

Published 1930, Hesse's novel explores two polar opposites of the human character: Narzis, a disciplined scholar, and Goldmund, his pupil and friend, an adventuring sensualist fascinated by the eternal feminine

Pub 1948. I feel it would be helpful to break the ruleimplied n my title "Fiction...." as Kinsey's work is fact, based on extensively researched statistics. However, the shocks and surprises that it caused - by overthrowing widely held concepts about sexuality - earn it a place

Pub. 1951. A story of teenage anger, depression and sexuality shocked the USA in 1951, and it has achieved and held cult status ever since. In 1981 it was simultaneously the most challenged book and the second most taught in high schools

Pub. 1955, The story of the sexual misadventures of a student in Dublin, and hailed as one of the greats of the twentieth century. Readers seem equally divided as to whether it is genius or trash. I find it middle of the road, leaning more to the trash side. It’s said by some to be part of the “angry young men” school of writing that emerged in the fifties, but I don’t agree. Overrated

Due to its homoerotic content, this second novel by black American author James Baldwin aroused much controversy when first published in 1956. Today it seems very mild, but it was considered very candid at that time

Published 1960, filmed 1962, this novel has since then been a standard text in British schools, representing the "kitchen sink drama" genre that influenced society in the late 50s and early 60s. Of great interest to anyone who would like to understand attitudes to sexuality in those days, it deals with a casual sexual relationship ending in pregnancy and joyless marriage

A play, pub. 1963, filmed 1966 with Michael Caine. Alfie is a comment on the Swinging Sixties before they had even well begun, asking - via the hero's adventures - if a life of casual sex can be fulfilling, or is it in fact the only safe way to treat the bothersome subject? Refilmed 2004, starring Jude Law, but creating less stir than the ‘66 version. Different times, different shock values

Pub. 1969. Philip Roth's possibly autobiographical story of a man whose sexual impulses war with his purer feelings."

Published 1969, this science fiction classic is years ahead of its time, especially in that much of the story revolves around the tendency of the alien characters to change sex, in response to the gender of potential partners. As usual with Le Guin’s work, people are as important as the technology in which they live. One of my favourites

This piece of rubbish was published in 1979, the first of a series dealing with a family of incestuous children. Not so much dealing with, as going "whoo, whoo" around, rather like some old fart in a sheet playing at ghosts

Published 2004, a fascinating look into the culture and politics of modern Afghanistan, the story centeres around the guilt engendered by a homosexual rape, and reveals ancient themes: the power of friendship, the need for morality, and - of course - the clash between good and evil that transends brief changes of government such as the Taliban

Published 2002, the story of the aftermath of the brutal rape and murder of a 14-year old girl