Select language, opens an overlay

Comment

The Sexual History of London

From Roman Londinium to the Swinging City--lust, Vice, and Desire Across the Ages
May 03, 2016abcDena rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
"When it comes to sex, London has always had a bit of a reputation." I picked up this book in part because I love the history of London, and because I'd just read Peter Ackroyd's book, London Under, which a co-worker recommended! I wanted to read more about London during Roman times, because we all know the Romans knew how to throw a party. So why not a little sexual history? This book is dense, but very readable, and packed with info on the history of sex and prostitution in London, England. There's an extensive bibliography and author's notes, if you care to keep reading on the subject. Catharine Arnold begins way back during Roman times and brings readers to the present era in London, at which I closed the book and said "London is DISGUSTING!" It's a fascinating city, travel-worthy, but disgusting. Everything I've read about London's rises and falls, the dead and buried, the sick...all lead to filth. But Catharine Arnold means it with stories of wall-to-wall syphilis and rampant diseases spread by military men, royalty, and common women, all borne of one half's desire to do the do and the other half's desire to sell it. This book was awesome! I need more Catharine Arnold books.