Michel Houellebecq is, from his literary beginnings, a writer who provokes controversy. Much of it focuses on passages in his works that seem to question, in an often mocking way, the major socio-political achievements of the second half of the twentieth century: sexual liberation, women’s and minority rights, and religious tolerance. What Houellebecq is accused of is a politically incorrect use of the representation of the female figure, an extremely simplified analysis of the social, sexual and cultural dynamics of our time, and a frankly racist ideology. Just as there is no shortage of detractors, so abound those who defend the author on the basis of a generic freedom of artistic expression, but what is certain is that the media-overexposed «Houellebecq-persona», often at the center of scandal for his statements in journalistic or television interviews, tends to personally influence the reception of his novels, making a balanced critical reading not always easy, especially with regard to the delicate question of the relationship between author and work.