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FLICK: A history of female pleasure
Not yet published
Expected 28 May 26Meet the women throughout history who, quite literally, came before us.
From the host of award-winning History Hit podcast Betwixt the Sheets..
There is a common misconception that before modern day feminism, women throughout history simply lay back and thought of England or their respective place of origin; that the modern ‘sex positive’ movement is a radical break from the past. But women demanding better sex did not arrive with free love or the Rampant Rabbit. It has been a very long fight indeed.
From Ancient Mesopotamian sex goddesses to the contraceptive pill, Kate Lister takes us through history to show us how women’s sexual pleasure was controlled, understood and thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed.
FLICK is a rousing history of women enjoying sex with themselves, sex with each other, and occasionally sex with men as well.
From the host of award-winning History Hit podcast Betwixt the Sheets..
There is a common misconception that before modern day feminism, women throughout history simply lay back and thought of England or their respective place of origin; that the modern ‘sex positive’ movement is a radical break from the past. But women demanding better sex did not arrive with free love or the Rampant Rabbit. It has been a very long fight indeed.
From Ancient Mesopotamian sex goddesses to the contraceptive pill, Kate Lister takes us through history to show us how women’s sexual pleasure was controlled, understood and thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed.
FLICK is a rousing history of women enjoying sex with themselves, sex with each other, and occasionally sex with men as well.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication May 28, 2026
36 people want to read
About the author
Kate Lister
4 books28 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was a super-readable and really well-researched journey from antiquity all the way to the 1960s and 1970s. Though many of the stories are really harrowing, the majority of the book was fun to read thanks to Lister's wit.
Very glad it doesn't just cover white cishet history and that misogynoir is acknowledged and condemned throughout.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House/Transworld for this eARC
Very glad it doesn't just cover white cishet history and that misogynoir is acknowledged and condemned throughout.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House/Transworld for this eARC
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I want to preface this review by clarifying that my opinions will most likely be biased, I was fortunate enough to be a student of Lister's for years and spent many hours debating topics and indulging in history with her.
Incredibly well researched, while still managing to be funny and entertaining, this was a romp to read. I learned so much, some of it depressing, some of it funny, all of it important. I enjoyed the vast historical element of it, Lister doesn’t just focus on heterosexual, white, cisgender history but rather explores all of it.
My favourite was the tone of writing, even when discussing the more sensitive and horrifying topics. Lister was able to do something most historians struggle with, which is acknowledging the murky truth of history, without coming across as patronising. The lighter topics were also fun to read, with her one liners leaving me laughing or at least smirking to myself at her wit.
This was a pleasure (pun intended) to read. And a great resource to learn about something we shouldn’t be ashamed to talk about.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #Flick #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Incredibly well researched, while still managing to be funny and entertaining, this was a romp to read. I learned so much, some of it depressing, some of it funny, all of it important. I enjoyed the vast historical element of it, Lister doesn’t just focus on heterosexual, white, cisgender history but rather explores all of it.
My favourite was the tone of writing, even when discussing the more sensitive and horrifying topics. Lister was able to do something most historians struggle with, which is acknowledging the murky truth of history, without coming across as patronising. The lighter topics were also fun to read, with her one liners leaving me laughing or at least smirking to myself at her wit.
This was a pleasure (pun intended) to read. And a great resource to learn about something we shouldn’t be ashamed to talk about.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #Flick #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews