Sex Before the Sexual Revolution (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780521149327)

What did sex mean for ordinary people before the sexual revolution of the 1960s and 1970s, who were often pitied by later generations as repressed, unfulfilled and full of moral anxiety? This book provides the first rounded, first-hand account of sexuality in marriage in the early and mid-twentieth century. These award-winning authors look beyond conventions of silence among the respectable majority to challenge stereotypes of ignorance and inhibition. Based on vivid, compelling and frank testimonies from a socially and geographically diverse range of individuals, the book explores a spectrum of sexual experiences, from learning about sex and sexual practices in courtship, to attitudes to the body, marital ideals and birth control. It demonstrates that while the era's emphasis on silence and strict moral codes could for some be a source of inhibition and dissatisfaction, for many the culture of privacy and innocence was central to fulfilling and pleasurable intimate lives.

Author: Simon Szreter
ISBN-10: 0521149320
ISBN-13: 9780521149327
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Language: English
Published: 10/14/2010
Pages: 466
Format: Paperback
Weight: 1.65lbs
Size: 8.90h x 6.00w x 0.90d

Review Citation(s):
Choice 09/01/2011