Not a best seller but if you like Continental philosophy, The Tears of Eros by Georges Bataille is profound and disturbing.
The central thesis of the book is that eroticism and death are inextricably linked - that the most intense erotic experiences often involve elements of sacrifice, and the transgression of taboos. The author argues that this connection between Eros and Thanatos - the drives of life and death - is a fundamental part of the human condition which he sees as a means by which humans confront their own mortality and the limits of their existence.
The conclusions are often questionable but the scope of the work and the historical deep dive makes for quite a ride.
The central thesis of the book is that eroticism and death are inextricably linked - that the most intense erotic experiences often involve elements of sacrifice, and the transgression of taboos. The author argues that this connection between Eros and Thanatos - the drives of life and death - is a fundamental part of the human condition which he sees as a means by which humans confront their own mortality and the limits of their existence.
The conclusions are often questionable but the scope of the work and the historical deep dive makes for quite a ride.