Kinky History

A Rollicking Journey Through Our Sexual Past, Present, and Future

De: Esmé Louise James

Narrado por: Esmé Louise James

Duración: 11 h y 8 m

Resumen del Editor

A provocative journey through human sexual history, packed with fun factoids and forgotten stories, from the historian and storyteller behind Kinky History, @esme.louisee on TikTok

Contrary to popular belief, our predecessors had all sorts of obscene hobbies long before Christian Grey hit the scene. In this enlightening romp, learn about the first instances of homosexuality on record from the ancient world and the diverse history of nonbinary gender; encounter a thousand years’ worth of hilarious and horrifying contraceptive methods; consider the positive and negative effects of the widespread availability of pornography in the digital age—and how our relationship to it changed during the pandemic; take a sneaky riffle through centuries of bedside drawers; and discover the dirty little secrets of luminaries such as Julius Caesar, James Joyce, Albert Einstein, and Virginia Woolf.

Esmé Louise James also identifies the key tipping points that directly inform current beliefs around sex to place the past in conversation with the present. By educating ourselves about the weird, wonderful, and varied spectrum of human sexuality and experience, we can normalize and destigmatize sex, write people of marginalized sexual identities back into the pages of history, and build toward a more liberated future.

©2024 Esmé Louise James (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Kinky History may not be the most fun you can have with your clothes on, because, well, you can have sex while still dressed. Regardless, Esmé Louise James’s book is a riotous romp that is entertaining, educational, empathetic, and inclusive. I loved it."—James Fell, author of On This Day in History Sh!t Went Down

“Who knew that history could be so…kinky? Esmé Louise James offers a lesson in history that you most definitely did not receive in school. She shows how, by looking into the past, we can learn a lot about sex in the present, including the root sources of sexual shame. This book shows how the path to modern sexual liberation starts with a comprehensive understanding of the history of sex, kinks and all.”—Justin J. Lehmiller, Ph.D., Host of the Sex and Psychology Podcast and author of Tell Me What You Want

"Bold and enlightening, Kinky History is a radical journey through the evolution of human intimacy. It’s a thrilling reminder of the need to break taboos and forge a sex-positive future. Not just a book, it’s a compelling call to sexual understanding and acceptance."—Chantelle Otten, author of The Sex Ed You Never Had

Enthusiastic History

James' writes and reads a fun and enthusiastic take on history. Her writing style is eloquent and clear. And her presentation is welcoming and playful. The subject is of course interesting. and goes into details that will amuse and inform. a must read.

Your creative storytelling and connections!💗

I preordered this and was just waiting for it to pop up in my library😭

Kiny History

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was very interesting and informative. It's easy to listen to because of Esmee's enthusiasm. I follow her on TikTok also.

Love the content, not so much the author/narrator

So here's the thing. I enjoyed the content of what the author is talking about. She presents a lot of different things, with facts to back it up, and in a very non-judgmental way. She's got some interesting takes on things, and truthfully? The content alone is worth five stars. It's a good read, especially for people who like history, and like the more 'human' less 'scholastic' approach to it.

HOWEVER. I can't STAND the author (who is also the narrator)'s voice. It actually had me cringing. Firstly, she ends her paragraphs like someone advertising for Viagra commercials; like she's trying to be sexy, call now, sort of vibe. I probably could've dealt with that... But she also has this laughing tone throughout the entire thing. Think... English aristocrat sharing the down and dirty gossip with her friends, "And then... she got with... the pool boy!" that scandalized but I'm so enjoying telling you this laugh that is almost ever-present. I imagine it works beautifully for her podcast, or tiktok shorts. It does NOT work well for a whole BOOK of it.

I'm not returning it, because again, I do love the context. But I sat here for a good forty five minutes debating on it, I won't lie. The author has a youtube channel, and tiktok, and admittedly, I should've went and looked and checked before I spent my credit on it, but I'd advice other potential listeners to give it a short listen before purchasing and deciding if it's worth it to you.

Update: One week later, and I stopped listening. Hearing the author do her 'I'm trying not to laugh while being sexy' voice, while talking about people's skin sloughing off from syphilis was obnoxious, but I was willing to keep going. Then I listen to her talking about how dating apps are viable ways of meeting people, and it's the ONLY time, three hours in, that she loses that sexy laughing tone. It was just too much. I tried another forty-five minutes, but I just couldn't at that point. Too late to return it, but I absolutely would if I could.