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FLICK: The Story of Female Pleasure
Meet 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.
326 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 28, 2026
About the author
Kate Lister
4 books230 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Kate Lister is a lecturer at Leeds Trinity University, where she researches the history of sexuality and curates the online research project Whores of Yore. Kate is also a columnist for iNews, Vice, and the Wellcome Trust where she writes about the history of sex. Kate won a Sexual Freedom Award for Publicist of the Year in 2017.
Kate Lister is a lecturer at Leeds Trinity University, where she researches the history of sexuality and curates the online research project Whores of Yore. Kate is also a columnist for iNews, Vice, and the Wellcome Trust where she writes about the history of sex. Kate won a Sexual Freedom Award for Publicist of the Year in 2017.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
March 24, 2026
4****
As soon as I saw that Dr Kate Lister had wrote another book, I had to request this. Her previous work of “The Curious History of Sex” was a 5 star read for me and I love listening to her podcast!
This book focuses on female pleasure- how this has been seen throughout history, from Mesopotamia to now.
One of my favourite parts started immediately- loved learning about the goddesses section to start off with, and their stories. But this book explored more than just that, it showed how different societal factors have shaped and changed how female pleasure is seen and thought of.
While a lot of the history (and some present circumstances!) is harrowing, the author puts her wit through out the book which I enjoyed!
Thank you to NetGalley for the E-Arc
As soon as I saw that Dr Kate Lister had wrote another book, I had to request this. Her previous work of “The Curious History of Sex” was a 5 star read for me and I love listening to her podcast!
This book focuses on female pleasure- how this has been seen throughout history, from Mesopotamia to now.
One of my favourite parts started immediately- loved learning about the goddesses section to start off with, and their stories. But this book explored more than just that, it showed how different societal factors have shaped and changed how female pleasure is seen and thought of.
While a lot of the history (and some present circumstances!) is harrowing, the author puts her wit through out the book which I enjoyed!
Thank you to NetGalley for the E-Arc
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
May 26, 2026
A fascinating journey through the history of humankind, with reflections on the place of women and female sexual pleasure throughout. I enjoyed Lister’s mix of humour and bite. She doesn’t hold back on arguing that women have long been seen as little more than baby-making receptacles for men to pleasure themselves with. However, where possible she highlights women through history who buck this trend, and also shows how attitudes have changed across different periods and in different societies around the world. Thought-provoking and timely, considering the rise of the manosphere, incel culture, and right-wing evangelical politics.
May 29, 2026
Interesting.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book is exactly what it promises to be - a history of female sexual pleasure, from ancient goddesses and Greek attitudes towards sex, all the way through to Victorian hysteria, masturbation panics, menopause myths, birth control, lesbian history, Freud, modern feminism, and everything in between. It covers an enormous amount of ground without ever feeling boring or overly academic, which is pretty impressive considering how heavily researched it is!
What really makes the book work though is Kate Lister’s voice. She’s funny, blunt, clearly angry in places, but also genuinely compassionate towards the women she’s writing about. There were multiple moments where I laughed out loud, immediately followed by paragraphs that made me SO furious about the past.
Some of the historical attitudes in this book are absolutely insane (and I don’t say that lightly). Roman men treating cunnilingus as emasculating, doctors removing women’s clitorises to stop masturbation, Freud deciding clitoral orgasms were “immature”, Victorians acting like women naturally hated sex while simultaneously being completely obsessed with policing female sexuality every second of the day... there were several moments where I had to stop reading just to stare into space for a minute because the misogyny was so deeply embedded and so incomprehensible.
I think one of the strongest things about the book, and something I really appreciated, is the throughline running underneath all the different historical periods. Even though it jumps between mythology, medicine, religion, politics, social expectations, queer history, sexual education, etc. it never feels random because the central argument always stays the same... that female sexuality has historically been feared, controlled, medicalised, politicised, and shamed because controlling women’s bodies is a form of social power.
I also liked that the book doesn’t just go with the whole “wow, people back then were backwards” angle. Instead, Lister spends a lot of time dismantling myths we still repeat now, and some of the most interesting parts of the book were actually the moments where she challenged things we just accept as fact today.
The sections around ancient goddesses and sapphic history were probably my favourites, and the discussions around how differently sexuality was viewed in some cultures before later religious and patriarchal structures became dominant. I also liked the way she explored how much history around women’s sexuality has either been erased completely, filtered through male writers, or at least distorted over time.
That said, because the book is covering so much, there were definitely bits that could easily have been entire books on their own. I didn’t mind that too much because the book is clearly intended to be a broad overview rather than a deep dive into one specific era, but I could definitely see some readers wanting more depth in places (hint hint: do deep dive books next!)
Overall though, I thought this was so good - funny, accessible, enraging, fascinating, and incredibly readable for a nonfiction book covering such a huge historical scope, while also reminding you that a lot of these attitudes are not nearly as historical as we like to pretend they are.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for the ARC.
What really makes the book work though is Kate Lister’s voice. She’s funny, blunt, clearly angry in places, but also genuinely compassionate towards the women she’s writing about. There were multiple moments where I laughed out loud, immediately followed by paragraphs that made me SO furious about the past.
Some of the historical attitudes in this book are absolutely insane (and I don’t say that lightly). Roman men treating cunnilingus as emasculating, doctors removing women’s clitorises to stop masturbation, Freud deciding clitoral orgasms were “immature”, Victorians acting like women naturally hated sex while simultaneously being completely obsessed with policing female sexuality every second of the day... there were several moments where I had to stop reading just to stare into space for a minute because the misogyny was so deeply embedded and so incomprehensible.
I think one of the strongest things about the book, and something I really appreciated, is the throughline running underneath all the different historical periods. Even though it jumps between mythology, medicine, religion, politics, social expectations, queer history, sexual education, etc. it never feels random because the central argument always stays the same... that female sexuality has historically been feared, controlled, medicalised, politicised, and shamed because controlling women’s bodies is a form of social power.
I also liked that the book doesn’t just go with the whole “wow, people back then were backwards” angle. Instead, Lister spends a lot of time dismantling myths we still repeat now, and some of the most interesting parts of the book were actually the moments where she challenged things we just accept as fact today.
The sections around ancient goddesses and sapphic history were probably my favourites, and the discussions around how differently sexuality was viewed in some cultures before later religious and patriarchal structures became dominant. I also liked the way she explored how much history around women’s sexuality has either been erased completely, filtered through male writers, or at least distorted over time.
That said, because the book is covering so much, there were definitely bits that could easily have been entire books on their own. I didn’t mind that too much because the book is clearly intended to be a broad overview rather than a deep dive into one specific era, but I could definitely see some readers wanting more depth in places (hint hint: do deep dive books next!)
Overall though, I thought this was so good - funny, accessible, enraging, fascinating, and incredibly readable for a nonfiction book covering such a huge historical scope, while also reminding you that a lot of these attitudes are not nearly as historical as we like to pretend they are.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for the ARC.
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.
May 30, 2026
I was very kindly given an e-ARC of this book via Netgalley and Random House UK / Transworld.
Told with her trademark wit and straightforwardness, Kate Lister explores the history of women's pleasure, from the Ancient Greeks up to the modern day and the so-called 'Sexual Revolution'. Read the book and you'll understand why I put that term in inverted commas with an implied derision to it. I sped through this book, wanting to gobble up as much history as I could about this fascinating topic. We jumped wildly from the Witch Trials to the Victorians to the 60s and right back to the Greeks and Romans, discussing everything from the Orgasm Gap to Menopause to why, for a while there, some men thought oral sex was a sign of witchcraft.
Lister makes the history of female pleasure accessible and fun, whilst never shying away from the nuances and difficulties that still plague our social understanding of women's sexuality today. This is the kind of book I think every woman deserves to read - especially those whose thoughts on sex and their bodies STILL remain influenced by the (wildly inaccurate) theories of men.
'FLICK' by Kate Lister is available now.
Told with her trademark wit and straightforwardness, Kate Lister explores the history of women's pleasure, from the Ancient Greeks up to the modern day and the so-called 'Sexual Revolution'. Read the book and you'll understand why I put that term in inverted commas with an implied derision to it. I sped through this book, wanting to gobble up as much history as I could about this fascinating topic. We jumped wildly from the Witch Trials to the Victorians to the 60s and right back to the Greeks and Romans, discussing everything from the Orgasm Gap to Menopause to why, for a while there, some men thought oral sex was a sign of witchcraft.
Lister makes the history of female pleasure accessible and fun, whilst never shying away from the nuances and difficulties that still plague our social understanding of women's sexuality today. This is the kind of book I think every woman deserves to read - especially those whose thoughts on sex and their bodies STILL remain influenced by the (wildly inaccurate) theories of men.
'FLICK' by Kate Lister is available now.
May 31, 2026
Dr Kate Lister has done it again. I have eagerly awaited this book as I am an avid listener to her historical podcast ‘Betwixt the Sheets’. I listened to the audiobook as it was read by her and I adore the conversational tone of her books, which only she could do justice.
Be warned, this is a book about self-love and as such, the language used is very direct, wonderfully fruity and Kate pulls no punches. And while female masturbation is a fun subject, its history is fraught with misogyny and politics from day one.
Kate exposes this carefully hidden or ignored history of women and their sexuality from a global perspective, how different countries and societies perceive the needs of women, including trans women (though much of this book focuses on biology). This book refers to the works of ancient philosophers and early (and not so early) scientists and their frankly bizarre ideas such as literally wandering wombs.
Kate made me laugh, made me angry and blew my mind on occasion. This isn’t a feminist rant, this is a balanced explanation of why female pleasure matters. To quote the closing line of this book: “get loud, get angry and for gods sake, get yours!”
Be warned, this is a book about self-love and as such, the language used is very direct, wonderfully fruity and Kate pulls no punches. And while female masturbation is a fun subject, its history is fraught with misogyny and politics from day one.
Kate exposes this carefully hidden or ignored history of women and their sexuality from a global perspective, how different countries and societies perceive the needs of women, including trans women (though much of this book focuses on biology). This book refers to the works of ancient philosophers and early (and not so early) scientists and their frankly bizarre ideas such as literally wandering wombs.
Kate made me laugh, made me angry and blew my mind on occasion. This isn’t a feminist rant, this is a balanced explanation of why female pleasure matters. To quote the closing line of this book: “get loud, get angry and for gods sake, get yours!”
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of Flick by Kate Lister in exchange for an honest review.
This was a genuinely engaging read that surprised me in the best way. It moves effortlessly between laugh-out-loud humour and moments that are quietly, and sometimes sharply, heartbreaking. That contrast could easily feel jarring, but instead it’s handled with real skill, making the emotional impact land even harder.
I particularly enjoyed the historical elements, especially the mythology chapters at the beginning. They added depth and context in a way that felt both informative and entertaining, setting the tone brilliantly for what followed.
It’s one of those books that lingers after you’ve finished, not just because of what it says, but because of what it makes you want to say. Now I just need to work out how to casually bring it up in conversation… which is easier said than done given the subject matter, but absolutely worth the effort.
A bold, thought-provoking read that proves you can be both clever and candid.
This was a genuinely engaging read that surprised me in the best way. It moves effortlessly between laugh-out-loud humour and moments that are quietly, and sometimes sharply, heartbreaking. That contrast could easily feel jarring, but instead it’s handled with real skill, making the emotional impact land even harder.
I particularly enjoyed the historical elements, especially the mythology chapters at the beginning. They added depth and context in a way that felt both informative and entertaining, setting the tone brilliantly for what followed.
It’s one of those books that lingers after you’ve finished, not just because of what it says, but because of what it makes you want to say. Now I just need to work out how to casually bring it up in conversation… which is easier said than done given the subject matter, but absolutely worth the effort.
A bold, thought-provoking read that proves you can be both clever and candid.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I loved Kate Lister's A Curious History of Sex and was delighted to be approved to read this through NetGalley. It is exactly what you would expect from Kate Lister and that is a great compliment. She is funny, smart, thoughtful and righteously angry with the material she delivers. She steers us through a potted history of the ideas and practices of female, sexual pleasure. As you might expect, the practice of pleasure is the bit where the righteous anger comes in. This is hugely readable and delivers a great deal of information without any of it feeling like a lecture or a drag. I finished it last week and have talked about it with all the women of my acquaintance. It has led to some wild conversations.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Dr Kate Lister has a fantastic way of writing that is engaging, witty, attention grabbing and clear to follow and takes you through different chapters on the historical and current issues of female pleasure.
Covering so many topics from motherhood to menopause, this is a feminist and intersectional look at how society has tried to change and minimise female pleasure throughout the centuries and celebrates notorious characters, pioneers and everyday women that did it anyway.
A fun and insightful read
Covering so many topics from motherhood to menopause, this is a feminist and intersectional look at how society has tried to change and minimise female pleasure throughout the centuries and celebrates notorious characters, pioneers and everyday women that did it anyway.
A fun and insightful read
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
You can tell this book is very well researched despite there being a lack of female perspectives on pleasure through the ages. Lister is a very talented writer and I liked how the chapters were set out.
I wasn't aware of Lister's podcast before reading but I will definitely be listening!
Thanks to NetGalley for the arc
I wasn't aware of Lister's podcast before reading but I will definitely be listening!
Thanks to NetGalley for the arc
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
interesting and informative look at the history of female sexuality.
A bit dry, no pun intended but we need to understand the history to understand the beliefs and norms today's society..
Empowerment in a book
A bit dry, no pun intended but we need to understand the history to understand the beliefs and norms today's society..
Empowerment in a book
May 4, 2026
A PERFECT BOOK
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was one of the best examples of a non fiction book I have read in YEARS - funny, interesting, with a warm, personable tone that kept me engaged and hooked all the way through. The subject matter was interesting, varied and easy to understand, and I had a great time reading it.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews