logo
episode-header-image
Dec 2023
36m 53s

The Book That Changed Sex Forever

History Hit
About this episode

There had been sex manuals for hundreds of years, but by the 20th century they were quite underground. That is, until the Joy of Sex was released in 1972.


It was a revolutionary book about sex, and sold over 12 million copies.


Who was the man behind it? His name, aptly, was Dr. Alex Comfort, and he was a poet, novelist, anarchist and philosopher, amongst other things.


Joining Kate today to explore his work and the impact the Joy of Sex had, is Eric Laursen, author of Polymath: The Life and Professions of Dr Alex Comfort, Author of The Joy of Sex.


This episode was edited by Teän Stewart-Murray and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.


Don’t miss out on the best offer in history! Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts.


Get a subscription for £1 for 3 months with code BETWIXTTHESHEETS1 sign up now for your 14-day free trial https://historyhit/subscription/

Up next
Today
The Boleyn Who Betrayed Henry VIII
She was executed on Henry VIII's orders alongside Catherine Howard, and was sister-in-law to Anne Boleyn and the King. She lived in the heart of the Tudor court, and almost made it out alive.It was a time of huge danger, and such high stakes. But who was Jane Boleyn? Traitor, spy ... Show More
42m 40s
Oct 7
Inside Imperial Japan's Brothels
After the first licensed brothel opened in the 17th century, how was sex work thought of in Japan throughout the following centuries?From the brothels in the pleasure quarters, to the rise and popularity of male sex workers and where geishas fit into the picture, Kate is joined b ... Show More
50m 34s
Oct 3
The Scandalous Royal Mistress Who Ruled France
Is this strangest threesome in royal history?!We're endlessly fascinated with the lives of royal mistresses, and this has to be one of the most notorious.It takes place in 16th century France between Henry II, his wife Catherine de Medici and his much older mistress, Diane de Poi ... Show More
37m 45s
Recommended Episodes
May 2023
Alexander The Great's Sex Life
This episode contains references and words of a sexual nature. Did Alexander the Great and the Queen of the Amazons really have sex for 13 days solid? What do we know about his male lovers? And how did his sex life stand up to that of his dad’s? Today, the guest is our very own T ... Show More
44m 56s
Sep 2021
Olympe de G : passionnément
Olympe de G. est réalisatrice de films porno féministes, et est à l’origine des podcasts érotiques Voxxx et Coxxx. Dans cet épisode du Book Club, Olympe de G. partage une lecture de jeunesse, Passion simple, un roman autobiographique d’Annie Ernaux. “C’est un livre qui décrit la ... Show More
27m 50s
May 2023
Messalina: Empress of Rome
In this episode of The Ancients, host Tristan Hughes speaks with historian Honor Cargill-Martin about the notorious Empress Messalina, third wife of Emperor Claudius. A lot has been said about Messalina over two millennia: that she was a nymphomaniac who organised orgies and enga ... Show More
39m 11s
Jan 2023
Colette, Part 1
Love, passion, desire and pleasure are running themes in Colette's writing and her life. And that life was seen as really scandalous and even notorious, especially in her younger years.  Research: Roberts, Michele. "Chic lit: The enduring fascination of Colette." TLS. Times Liter ... Show More
35m 21s
Jun 2023
518 The Curse of the Marquis de Sade - A Notorious Scoundrel, a Mythical Manuscript, and the Biggest Scandal in Literary History (with Joel Warner) | My Last Book with Diane Rayor
Not even imprisonment could stop the Marquis de Sade from writing his insanely intense, unrelenting erotica - and not even Sade's eventual death could stop his secret manuscript, temporarily hidden in a Bastille wall to protect it from looters and revolutionaries, from haunting i ... Show More
41m 54s
Dec 2021
Le Book Club de Noël : Une histoire de bonté
Si vous aimez le Book Club, vous allez dévorer Une bibliothèque féministe, notre livre co-édité avec les Editions de l’Iconoclaste, dans lequel Agathe Le Taillandier rassemble 18 femmes : chacune signe un texte dans lequel elle partage sa lecture fondatrice dans son parcours fémi ... Show More
18m 22s
Dec 2021
A New Oral History of HBO
James Andrew Miller has written a series of oral histories about some our biggest cultural institutions: “Saturday Night Live,” Creative Artists Agency and ESPN. His new book, “Tinderbox,” follows HBO from its start in 1972 through its transformative “Sopranos” years and up to th ... Show More
1h 5m
Aug 2023
Who Were History’s Queer Seamen? with Dr. Seth LeJacq
Sea daddies! Sea queens! Land hoes! This week, we’re getting wet and wild with Dr. Seth LeJacq to learn what life was like for queer sailors in the British navy from the 15th century to the 19th century. How did these sailors express their gender and sexuality? What did they risk ... Show More
1h 11m
Dec 2021
Le Book Club de Noël : L’écriture comme respiration
Si vous aimez le Book Club, vous allez dévorer Une bibliothèque féministe, notre livre co-édité avec les Editions de l’Iconoclaste, dans lequel Agathe Le Taillandier rassemble 18 femmes : chacune signe un texte dans lequel elle partage sa lecture fondatrice dans son parcours fémi ... Show More
20m 24s