by Linda Grant
First published 1994
Sexual freedom faces constant attack while simultaneously mounting its counteroffensive. Grant traces this ongoing battle from the anarcho-erotic movements during England's Civil War through the hippie idealism that defined 1960s counterculture to today's postmodern confusion about sexuality. She examines the intellectual, economic, and technological forces that created what we call the sexual revolution. The brief period when sex escaped both pregnancy and disease continues to influence contemporary desires, even as AIDS, Madonna, and virtual reality pornography reshape the landscape. Grant argues that personal choices remain inherently political acts. She advocates for a fresh sexual revolution that would finally free female desire from male fantasy's control, enabling women to pursue their own passionate adventures.
Genres: gender-studies, non-fiction, 21st-century, activism
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-perspective, social-commentary
Setting: England
Period: Civil War, 1960s, Contemporary
280 pages · Paperback · Harper Collins