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Sex and Sexuality in Stuart Britain
An expert in Stuart England examines the sexual lives of Britons in the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries in this frank, informative, and revealing history.Acclaimed Stuart historian Andrea Zuvich explores the sexual mores of Stuart Britain, including surprising beliefs, bizarre practices, and ingenious solutions for infertility, impotence, sexually transmitted diseases, and more. Along the way, she reveals much about the prevailing attitudes towards male and female sexual behavior.Zuvich sheds light not only on the saucy love lives of the Royal Stuarts, but also on the dark underbelly of the Stuart era with histories of prostitution, sexual violence, infanticide, and sexual deviance. She looks at everything from what was considered sexually attractive to the penalties for adultery, incest, and fornication.Sex and Sexuality in Stuart Britain touches on the fashion, food, science, art, medicine, magic, literature, love, politics, faith and superstition of the day.
482 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2021
About the author
Andrea Zuvich
9 books241 followersAndrea Zuvich (b. 1985) is an independent seventeenth-century historian and anthropologist specialising in the House of Stuart (1603-1714). Zuvich obtained degrees in History and Anthropology at the University of Central Florida and hosts the popular blog, 'The Seventeenth Century Lady'. An active user of X (formerly Twitter) since 2009 (as @17thCenturyLady) she created the well-received #StuartsSaturday hashtag, which was turned into a once-monthly live-streamed show: https://www.youtube.com/@17thCenturyLady
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/17thcentury...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/17thCenturyLady
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@17thcenturylady
Zuvich is also a historical consultant for TV, film, and radio (NTR Netherlands, BBC productions, BBC Radio 4). She most recently appeared in BBC Four's 'Charles I: Downfall of a King'. She has been a frequent contributor to various history magazines and has written for The Huffington Post UK, History Scotland, BBC History Extra, All About History, Britannia Magazine, and History of Royals.
She was one of the original developers of and leaders on the award-winning Garden History Tours at Kensington Palace and has written six books about the Stuart period, including 'A Year in the Life of Stuart Britain' and 'The Stuarts in 100 Facts'.
Zuvich is also a trained actress and professional voice-over artist, narrating audiobooks in various genres, and providing voice work for several mobile apps. Please visit her ACX page for more information: https://www.acx.com/narrator?p=A1DL0F...
Please visit her site at www.17thcenturylady.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/17thcentury...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/17thCenturyLady
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@17thcenturylady
Zuvich is also a historical consultant for TV, film, and radio (NTR Netherlands, BBC productions, BBC Radio 4). She most recently appeared in BBC Four's 'Charles I: Downfall of a King'. She has been a frequent contributor to various history magazines and has written for The Huffington Post UK, History Scotland, BBC History Extra, All About History, Britannia Magazine, and History of Royals.
She was one of the original developers of and leaders on the award-winning Garden History Tours at Kensington Palace and has written six books about the Stuart period, including 'A Year in the Life of Stuart Britain' and 'The Stuarts in 100 Facts'.
Zuvich is also a trained actress and professional voice-over artist, narrating audiobooks in various genres, and providing voice work for several mobile apps. Please visit her ACX page for more information: https://www.acx.com/narrator?p=A1DL0F...
Please visit her site at www.17thcenturylady.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
September 28, 2020
A superbly researched non-fiction that provides insightful information on everything you would like to know about body and sex under the Stuarts and have never had courage to ask about.
Part one is devoted to detailed descriptions regarding the body and sexuality, including some information that may be disturbing to some readers. Having said that, I would like to add that the details are written in a most respectful manner. Part two focuses on the Stuarts themselves and is interesting as it uncovers and explains sexual behaviour of the monarchs and their relatives. Some of the information was new to me as the subject matter is not ususally so deeply analyzed in books on the Stuarts.
The book offers a unique approach and I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in the period and would like to learn more about how the most intimate sphere of life was perceived in those days.
*Many thnaks to Andrea Zuvich, Pen & Sword and NetGalley for arc in echange for my honest review.*
Part one is devoted to detailed descriptions regarding the body and sexuality, including some information that may be disturbing to some readers. Having said that, I would like to add that the details are written in a most respectful manner. Part two focuses on the Stuarts themselves and is interesting as it uncovers and explains sexual behaviour of the monarchs and their relatives. Some of the information was new to me as the subject matter is not ususally so deeply analyzed in books on the Stuarts.
The book offers a unique approach and I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in the period and would like to learn more about how the most intimate sphere of life was perceived in those days.
*Many thnaks to Andrea Zuvich, Pen & Sword and NetGalley for arc in echange for my honest review.*
November 19, 2020
I was very disappointed by this book. In part it’s because I’m not the right audience and I accept that — the clue is in all the exclamation marks—but also because it’s just not that good.
This is less a book in the way I understand “a book” and more a compendium of anecdotes on themes/topics: a Horrible History for adults. What that means is that having made a point, we then get say four paragraphs of mini stories about x or y person/couples. There is close to zero analysis, and once or twice the stories don’t fit the section. What this means is that despite the intention of the author we get less a better understanding of the Stuarts than we do a magazine of Stuart Hot Gossip (this is true even when using cases from the courts). The style of writing (those exclamation marks) reinforces this.
But what really really irritated was the old fashioned heterosexism. I totally accept that Stuarts did not have sexual identities the way we do. But if you are going to say that you have to interrogate *everything*. You can’t just say Queen Anne would have been horrified by tribadism without considering that we (for example) know that virginity emphasising cultures tend to solve the tension by tightly restricting what is defined as sex (see US teens in the True Love Waits cult). The same is presumably true in a strongly homosocual but also strongly homophobic culture: you can avoid being thought of as x by staying the right side of the line. But the author basically dismisses Newton as just a woman hater (doesn’t mention the close relationship with a man, leading to nervous breakdown) and fails utterly to mention Sir John Finch and his life long companion Sir Thomas Baines: the two may never once have engaged in the act of sodomy but to erase them with a mere ‘we can never know’ is, particularly given the nature of this book, depressing.
Coming back to add a note: one oddity is that the art work discussed isn’t printed in the book (fair enough, it’s expensive) and the art included is mostly not discussed
This is less a book in the way I understand “a book” and more a compendium of anecdotes on themes/topics: a Horrible History for adults. What that means is that having made a point, we then get say four paragraphs of mini stories about x or y person/couples. There is close to zero analysis, and once or twice the stories don’t fit the section. What this means is that despite the intention of the author we get less a better understanding of the Stuarts than we do a magazine of Stuart Hot Gossip (this is true even when using cases from the courts). The style of writing (those exclamation marks) reinforces this.
But what really really irritated was the old fashioned heterosexism. I totally accept that Stuarts did not have sexual identities the way we do. But if you are going to say that you have to interrogate *everything*. You can’t just say Queen Anne would have been horrified by tribadism without considering that we (for example) know that virginity emphasising cultures tend to solve the tension by tightly restricting what is defined as sex (see US teens in the True Love Waits cult). The same is presumably true in a strongly homosocual but also strongly homophobic culture: you can avoid being thought of as x by staying the right side of the line. But the author basically dismisses Newton as just a woman hater (doesn’t mention the close relationship with a man, leading to nervous breakdown) and fails utterly to mention Sir John Finch and his life long companion Sir Thomas Baines: the two may never once have engaged in the act of sodomy but to erase them with a mere ‘we can never know’ is, particularly given the nature of this book, depressing.
Coming back to add a note: one oddity is that the art work discussed isn’t printed in the book (fair enough, it’s expensive) and the art included is mostly not discussed
May 29, 2020
How did people have sex in Stuart Britain? Same as us of course. Only if they got an STD there were no antibiotics to help them out. One of the reasons they wore wigs, aside from male pattern baldness, was because of syphilis. They also believed coffee caused impotence. They had no reliable birth control (though they tried) and c sections weren't a thing due to a lack of anesthesia so women died in droves due to childbirth. There was no deodorant and a lack of clean water, sanitation, and soap so body odor was a problem as we're rotten teeth. Yet, they loved sex and this book goes into the many aspects of sex and family practices as the two are tied together and that makes for an interesting book and an even more interesting afternoon and evening reading about it. The author keeps it light, interesting, straightforward, and historical. No embarrassment or pornography. The fascinating tidbits are endless and if you are interested in Stuart Britain this book is a good fun read for a change from the heavier tomes of history one usually finds to read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a review.
May 22, 2020
When asked to review Sex and Sexuality in Stuart Britain, I wasn’t sure what to expect of a book on this specific topic. I discovered that Andrea Zuvich writes in a style that is both reader-friendly, without any academic-speak, yet the book is obviously deeply researched through extensive use of original source material.
Part 1 deals with Stuart society’s changing attitudes to sex and sexuality throughout the period by exploring letters, diaries, drama, poetry and a variety of literary forms. I was interested particularly by the documentary material derived from the North American Colonies – a source of which I was previously unaware that would warrant further research and familiarisation here in the UK. As a commentary on Stuart morals and mores, this section is worthy of being read by any social historian. Part 2 looks at the proclivities of the individual Stuart monarchs and prominent figures of the Interregnum, revealing how these preferences impacted – or not – on their private lives and the overall stability of the monarchy. This section will appeal more to readers intrigued by the personal relationships of British kings and queens.
I found the book fascinating to read. With a comprehensive index and detailed referencing, its credentials as a scholarly work are excellent. For those wishing to study further texts on allied subjects, the extensive bibliography provides a wealth of other sources and reference material.
A tricky subject, Andrea Zuvich deals with it admirably in a down-to-earth, no-nonsense manner. Sex and Sexuality in Stuart Britain is to be very highly recommended from the perspectives of both social and more general history, as well as being quite simply ‘a good read’ for the popular history market.
Part 1 deals with Stuart society’s changing attitudes to sex and sexuality throughout the period by exploring letters, diaries, drama, poetry and a variety of literary forms. I was interested particularly by the documentary material derived from the North American Colonies – a source of which I was previously unaware that would warrant further research and familiarisation here in the UK. As a commentary on Stuart morals and mores, this section is worthy of being read by any social historian. Part 2 looks at the proclivities of the individual Stuart monarchs and prominent figures of the Interregnum, revealing how these preferences impacted – or not – on their private lives and the overall stability of the monarchy. This section will appeal more to readers intrigued by the personal relationships of British kings and queens.
I found the book fascinating to read. With a comprehensive index and detailed referencing, its credentials as a scholarly work are excellent. For those wishing to study further texts on allied subjects, the extensive bibliography provides a wealth of other sources and reference material.
A tricky subject, Andrea Zuvich deals with it admirably in a down-to-earth, no-nonsense manner. Sex and Sexuality in Stuart Britain is to be very highly recommended from the perspectives of both social and more general history, as well as being quite simply ‘a good read’ for the popular history market.
June 20, 2020
Sex and Sexuality in Stuart Britain is the kind of history book I adore. It's filled with fascinating tidbits and anecdotes which really give a sense of time and place.
The book covers a wide variety of topics, more topics than I thought possible, and includes things that are related to sex but aren't immediately obvious -- like witchcraft. From pre-maritial sex, to infamous women/men, to the terminology of the day. The book covers the gamut.
One of my favorite sections was early on where the author went into a very frank and historical description of what the Stuart era Britons found attractive. This included a that many women often wore special wigs which were called merkins on their private parts if they for some reason didn't have pubic hair. But that the art reasons for the day didn't include it, not because it wasn't attractive, but for aesthetic reasons. I also loved the part where it went into how a woman's enjoyment of the marriage bed was equally important to a man's pleasure. There's really so many good anecdotes peppered with selections from various primary resources.
So many primary resources. And not just Pepys, although he is used, but Pepys is not venerated unlike in so many other books on the Stuart Era. Pepys is presented as he is... a great diarist to be sure, but also his vices as well. I did not know that Pepys had wandering hands so problematic that while in church women would threaten to stab him with pins if he didn't stop groping them. Yeah. Good to know.
Who would I recommend this book to: Anyone who is intrigued by sexual mores of the different time periods. I triply recommend it to anyone who is interested in writing in the Stuart era. This particularly applies to romance authors who dabble in the late Elizabethan through the early Georgian Period. The period-appropriate terminology alone is worth it. But it also includes so many other useful things.
I really enjoyed reading this book. I definitely will be re-reading it and recommending it.
Five Stars.
(I received a copy of this book via NetGalley)
The book covers a wide variety of topics, more topics than I thought possible, and includes things that are related to sex but aren't immediately obvious -- like witchcraft. From pre-maritial sex, to infamous women/men, to the terminology of the day. The book covers the gamut.
One of my favorite sections was early on where the author went into a very frank and historical description of what the Stuart era Britons found attractive. This included a that many women often wore special wigs which were called merkins on their private parts if they for some reason didn't have pubic hair. But that the art reasons for the day didn't include it, not because it wasn't attractive, but for aesthetic reasons. I also loved the part where it went into how a woman's enjoyment of the marriage bed was equally important to a man's pleasure. There's really so many good anecdotes peppered with selections from various primary resources.
So many primary resources. And not just Pepys, although he is used, but Pepys is not venerated unlike in so many other books on the Stuart Era. Pepys is presented as he is... a great diarist to be sure, but also his vices as well. I did not know that Pepys had wandering hands so problematic that while in church women would threaten to stab him with pins if he didn't stop groping them. Yeah. Good to know.
Who would I recommend this book to: Anyone who is intrigued by sexual mores of the different time periods. I triply recommend it to anyone who is interested in writing in the Stuart era. This particularly applies to romance authors who dabble in the late Elizabethan through the early Georgian Period. The period-appropriate terminology alone is worth it. But it also includes so many other useful things.
I really enjoyed reading this book. I definitely will be re-reading it and recommending it.
Five Stars.
(I received a copy of this book via NetGalley)
May 21, 2020
“So, get your tankard of cock ale, sit back in your cane chair by the crackling fire, and as the smells of wood smoke and tobacco from a nearby pipe mingle with the hearty scent of freshly baked pigeon pie wafting in from next door, let us go back in time to the Stuart period…”
In this book, Zuvich tracks the macro-trends in sex and sexuality in Stuart-era Britain, using examples of real people to provide touching or hilarious illustrations thereof. She discusses the opinions of the general population towards various forms of then-considered “deviant” sexual practices, various aspects of motherhood, lust, and love. This book reminded me vividly of the Love exhibition that I was able to see at the Louvre Lens a couple of years ago, where examples of graphic pornography from this era were on display for those willing to look. In the second part of the book, Zuvich briefly examines the sexual lives of the various Stuart monarchs (as well as Oliver Cromwell in the interregnum period).
Zuvich’s voice is fresh and witty. I laughed out loud multiple times while reading this, which is very high praise coming from me. While I found her use of exclamation points a bit too liberal at various points in the book, this only served to highlight her enthusiasm and thorough knowledge of the material. This book was a broad overview of the period. It would not serve to make anyone an expert on Stuart era sexual politics, but serves as an excellent introduction to the era and a highly amusing read. A few times in the book, Zuvich talked about a personnage for one paragraph and then expected the reader to remember their names 50 pages later. However, I would still recommend this book to anyone interested in giggling over the many oddities of the Stuart era British.
In this book, Zuvich tracks the macro-trends in sex and sexuality in Stuart-era Britain, using examples of real people to provide touching or hilarious illustrations thereof. She discusses the opinions of the general population towards various forms of then-considered “deviant” sexual practices, various aspects of motherhood, lust, and love. This book reminded me vividly of the Love exhibition that I was able to see at the Louvre Lens a couple of years ago, where examples of graphic pornography from this era were on display for those willing to look. In the second part of the book, Zuvich briefly examines the sexual lives of the various Stuart monarchs (as well as Oliver Cromwell in the interregnum period).
Zuvich’s voice is fresh and witty. I laughed out loud multiple times while reading this, which is very high praise coming from me. While I found her use of exclamation points a bit too liberal at various points in the book, this only served to highlight her enthusiasm and thorough knowledge of the material. This book was a broad overview of the period. It would not serve to make anyone an expert on Stuart era sexual politics, but serves as an excellent introduction to the era and a highly amusing read. A few times in the book, Zuvich talked about a personnage for one paragraph and then expected the reader to remember their names 50 pages later. However, I would still recommend this book to anyone interested in giggling over the many oddities of the Stuart era British.
May 18, 2020
Andrea Zuvich has put together a book which is unique and revelatory. Writing history can be a difficult undertaking requiring a lot of research and commitment. The result can often be a ponderous assembly of facts meticulously and painstakingly put together by the author, but as dry as dust to the reader. Sex and Sexuality in Stuart Britain is NOT one of those books. The author has successfully combined close research with an attractive and sparklingly clear writing style which is both explanatory and appealing.
This is no voyeuristic dalliance. All subjects are addressed by the author with refreshing candour and without exception. There are no sacred cows here. This is a lively and fascinating story of humanity to which we can all relate. From the perspective of the 21st century it is easy to think we have taken sex and sexuality to new levels. Wrong. Andrea Zuvich’s book makes it crystal-clear the Stuarts were doing it all nearly 400 years ago!
This interesting period has been closely researched and written about by many historians. Sex and Sexuality in Stuart Britain makes an important and valuable contribution to that store of knowledge. Backed up with hard research, it should be required reading for anyone wishing to look more closely at that period. And for the casual reader, this book will at once inform and surprise with its rare combination of fact, humour and colour that is hard to find in this genre. Highly recommended.
This is no voyeuristic dalliance. All subjects are addressed by the author with refreshing candour and without exception. There are no sacred cows here. This is a lively and fascinating story of humanity to which we can all relate. From the perspective of the 21st century it is easy to think we have taken sex and sexuality to new levels. Wrong. Andrea Zuvich’s book makes it crystal-clear the Stuarts were doing it all nearly 400 years ago!
This interesting period has been closely researched and written about by many historians. Sex and Sexuality in Stuart Britain makes an important and valuable contribution to that store of knowledge. Backed up with hard research, it should be required reading for anyone wishing to look more closely at that period. And for the casual reader, this book will at once inform and surprise with its rare combination of fact, humour and colour that is hard to find in this genre. Highly recommended.
May 16, 2020
This was an excellent and concise look at the Stuart era and their relationship with sex. It covered everything I wanted and unlike the one on the Victorian era, this one had a lot more on queer and non-hetrosexual relationships. I liked the writing style and this was exactly what I wanted from a book. The writing was clear and it was easy to follow Zuvich's point.
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 20, 2021
An impeccably researched, scholarly yet at times refreshingly humorous assessment of 17th century private lives and morality.
September 4, 2020
not yet sure how i'm going to rate this one :/ Did I enjoy it? No. Do I have several specific problems with it? Yes. Do I think the writing is particularly good? No. BUT I do think this book did exactly what the author was going for, even if I don't like the end result.
There's no analysis on any of the topics mentioned in this book. There are barely any actual quantitative facts. This book is 200 pages of anecdotes strung together.
There's no analysis on any of the topics mentioned in this book. There are barely any actual quantitative facts. This book is 200 pages of anecdotes strung together.
October 20, 2020
"Sex and Sexuality in Stuart Britain" offers 28 delectable chapters explaining every aspect of sexual lives of people living in the Stuart period. The author skilfully shows what life was like with an eye to delightfully interesting details. Andrea Zuvich has a wonderful understanding of life in the 17th century (she's the @17thCenturyLady after all!) and gives credible information about the meaning of sex and sexuality in Stuart Britain.
This is an academic look behind the closed doors. Zuvich discusses everything from erotic literature of the Stuart period through prostitution, premarital sex, fornication, gender roles, methods of contraception, deviant sexual practices to reproduction, rape, abortion and other topics.
My favourite part was the discussion of sexuality & intimate health of the Stuart monarchs from James I to Queen Anne.
I highly recommend this title to everyone interested in the Stuart history but also everyone who would like to learn more about sex in the past.
This is an academic look behind the closed doors. Zuvich discusses everything from erotic literature of the Stuart period through prostitution, premarital sex, fornication, gender roles, methods of contraception, deviant sexual practices to reproduction, rape, abortion and other topics.
My favourite part was the discussion of sexuality & intimate health of the Stuart monarchs from James I to Queen Anne.
I highly recommend this title to everyone interested in the Stuart history but also everyone who would like to learn more about sex in the past.
June 14, 2020
4.5/5
Thank you to NetGalley and Pen and Sword for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I really enjoyed this book. The Stuart period is one of my favourites, and it often gets ignored for its Tudor predecessor. I will fully admit, sex and sexuality is not a common topic of study for me, but I learned a lot through this book. Sex does play a role in society and culture, and Zuvich examines it from many angles. I appreciated that she included several marginalised groups including LGBTQ* and BIPOC people (by period terminology).
It is quite easy reading. There are many primary sources quoted throughout the book, but it doesn't slow it down/make for difficult reading. There are some funny and interesting drawings and carvings that were included, which I think helped making it approachable and accessible to everyone (not just historians). Overall, an excellent read!
Thank you to NetGalley and Pen and Sword for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I really enjoyed this book. The Stuart period is one of my favourites, and it often gets ignored for its Tudor predecessor. I will fully admit, sex and sexuality is not a common topic of study for me, but I learned a lot through this book. Sex does play a role in society and culture, and Zuvich examines it from many angles. I appreciated that she included several marginalised groups including LGBTQ* and BIPOC people (by period terminology).
It is quite easy reading. There are many primary sources quoted throughout the book, but it doesn't slow it down/make for difficult reading. There are some funny and interesting drawings and carvings that were included, which I think helped making it approachable and accessible to everyone (not just historians). Overall, an excellent read!
June 27, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed Sex and Sexuality in Stuart Britain, and my only complaint was that it had to end.
There are many history books that cover various aspects of life in the Stuart age, but this one literally goes ‘beneath the sheets’ to cover a sensitive subject rarely attempted and does so exceptionally well. The narrative flows from one topic to another and the author delivers an informative history in a refreshing style. We not only learn about the sexual preferences, rumoured or otherwise, of the Stuart monarchs but also the common man and woman’s view on intimate relations.
For those who are interested in 17th century social history, Sex and Sexuality in Stuart Britain is an absolute must-read.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
There are many history books that cover various aspects of life in the Stuart age, but this one literally goes ‘beneath the sheets’ to cover a sensitive subject rarely attempted and does so exceptionally well. The narrative flows from one topic to another and the author delivers an informative history in a refreshing style. We not only learn about the sexual preferences, rumoured or otherwise, of the Stuart monarchs but also the common man and woman’s view on intimate relations.
For those who are interested in 17th century social history, Sex and Sexuality in Stuart Britain is an absolute must-read.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 26, 2020
Zuvich's book is an absolute treasure. Packed full of fascinating facts, scandalous snippets and tantalising tidbits. Thoroughly researched from a wealth of sources, this is a complete delve into sex and sexuality in the Stuart era at home and abroad.
The book is split into two parts. The first covers everything from adultery to infanticide, prostitution to the Stuart libertine. The second part charts the reigns of the Stuart monarchs from a sexuality perspective.
This one is going to stay on my reference bookshelf for years to come. Not just highly recommended but required reading for anyone interested in this period.
The book is split into two parts. The first covers everything from adultery to infanticide, prostitution to the Stuart libertine. The second part charts the reigns of the Stuart monarchs from a sexuality perspective.
This one is going to stay on my reference bookshelf for years to come. Not just highly recommended but required reading for anyone interested in this period.
April 4, 2026
“So, get your tankard of cock ale, sit back in your cane chair by the crackling fire, and as the smells of wood smoke and tobacco from a nearby pipe mingle with the hearty scent of freshly baked pigeon pie wafting in from next door, let us go back in time to the Stuart period…”
Sex and Sexuality in Stuart Britain is a concise and broad look at different phenomena related to sex, sexuality and gender in the Stuart period of English/British history. Zuvich explores everything from gender roles to anatomy to childbirth to kinks to sexual crimes to marriage to beauty standards, and she does this by quoting extensively from original, contemporary sources. After this general overview, there's also a chapter on the sexual life of each of the Stuart monarchs.
Sex and Sexuality in Stuart Britain is a wonderful primer for anyone interested in sex and sexuality history and the Stuart era. Zuvich does not go in depth about any one topic: instead, she explores a huge array of topics briefly, quoting original sources, sharing a few anecdotes and giving use the bare-bones, basic answers to different questions. Don't expect in depth analysis here, because that's not what this book aims to do. I had a great time reading this book, even though I am well versed enough in this time period and sexuality history that a lot of the topics were already familiar to me. I also really appreciated how much Zuvich quoted Stuart-era sources – poems, pamphlets, plays, medical texts, diaries, letters, books and so on – because it is always wonderful to get to read the actual words of the people who lived and breathed in the era at the heart of the book. The writing, though nothing grand or particularly polished, was fine, though I did at times grow annoyed at how frequently Zuvich used exclamation points, but that's a really subjective thing.
There were interesting stuff in every chapter, but I found myself most intrigued by the sections about sexuality, sex, law and criminality. I was especially fascinated by the different types of punishments for different crimes and what sexual acts even were considered crimes. I had no idea that, at its worst, the punishment for a "bawd" (brothel-keeper) was public whipping, time in the pillory, being branded with a B on their forehead, prison for three years and then, if they re-offended, execution. I was angry but not surprised that a man murdering his wife was considered less bad a crime than a wife murdering her husband, which was considered petty treason and akin to a servant murdering their master. The definition of incest was much wider than I realised – incest was not just acts between blood-relatives, but having sex with your in-laws, step family members or something like you brother's son's wife was considered incest. It was also telling of the time and its understanding of gender that the sexual abuse of a female child under the age of 10 was severely punished, but the law didn't seem to make no mention of sexual abuse of male children. This was not a legal thing necessarily, but it was quite harrowing – and yet another great example of the era's gender roles – that if a woman nagged and annoyed her husband too much, she could be put in a "scold's birdle", a sort of iron muzzle to silence and publicly shame her.
Another really interesting chapter was the one about sex, sexuality, race, slavery and so on. Though the chapter was brief, Zuvich managed to convey the era's uncomfortable, racist narratives, discourses and so on. A lot of it was uncomfortably familiar, stuff you see online even today. The Stuart era people, for example, saw non-white women as highly sexualised, exotic creatures with loose clothes and loose morals, objects they could ogle at and use as they pleased. They were always compared to the so-called civilised white women, and, of course, they could only ever come second. Stories of sexual violence of black and brown men were also common, which has echoes of the still prevalent stereotype of the scary black man and the predatory POC man who targets, specifically, white women. All of this was highly unpleasant to read about, but very interesting at the same time. It was also interesting to read about how there were plenty of stereotypes and othering going on in England regarding other European countries – Italy, for example, was understood as this den of sodomy and sin.
Though this book is a general overview, you do get to know some characters and figures quite well. And I'm not just talking about the monarchs, who all have their own chapter dedicated to their sexual escapades (and boy were there many royal escapades – looking at you, Charles II and James II!) but also some members of the royal court and artists, most notably John Wilmot, the 2nd Earl of Rochester, who was a notorious libertine and an absolute chaos beast. I knew quite a bit about him already but boy did I learn many a new scandalous story. The Farce of Sodom, most likely authored by Wilmot, was the first literary work in England censored for obscenity, he wrote a poem called Signior Dildo (which says everything you need to know about his style of humorous literature), he delighted everyone by revealing, through a poem, that to avoid STDs he mainly gets handjobs when visiting sex workers (ironically, he died from syphilis) and he wrote a charming rhyme about Barbara Palmer, Charles II's infamous mistress: "That pattern of virtue Her Grace of Cleveland / Has swallowed more pricks than the ocean has sand". Wilmot is one of those figures that makes you wonder how on earth he managed to stay alive as long as he did. Another memorable story for me was that of Sir Charles Sedley, who for some reason pretended to have sex with a guy on the balcony of Cock Inn, hurled insults at those who walked by him, then put his dick in his wine glass, sloshed it around and then drank the wine. Classic Restoration courtier shenanigans. I've read quite a lot about the monarchs before, so there wasn't a lot of new stuff there. I liked the contemporary description of James II (outshined in randiness by his very horny brother, but, honestly, he was just as bad as Charlie boy) as the ""most unguarded ogler of his time". I was also not aware that the longtime mistress of William III, Elizabeth Villiers, was Mary's companion and lady-in-waiting – apparently, when Mary found out (William kept it discreet), there was a raging, tear-filled shouting match between the spouses.
The monarchs are a great segway into my only big gripe with the book. History is, in the end, all interpretation and analysis, and every historian comes to their own conclusions and just because someone arrives at a different conclusion doesn't mean their conclusion is bad (provided that it's based on good evidence). So I am not saying Zuvich is inherently wrong here, but I did feel like she occasionally dismissed the queer potential of some of the Stuart monarchs (specifically William, Mary and Anne) a bit too readily or staunchly. Yes, we will never know whether Mary's passionate letters to Frances Apsley were romantic or not, but it's important that this potential is acknowledged and respected because, well, I'd say it's more than possible. There were also a handful of times where Zuvich seemed to indicate that just because someone was intensely religious, like William or Mary, that means they most likely weren't queer because they would've seen queer sex acts as sinful. I'd say it makes it likely they would avoid physical intimacy, but someone's religiosity and/or their opinions about sexual intimacy doesn't impact what they might feel. There was also the indication that lack of concrete evidence of sexual intimacy is enough to say that, for example, Anne most likely wasn't attracted to Sarah Churchill. There are plenty of straight couples in history that are happily labeled lovers without there being actual concrete evidence that they shagged. I felt like she made some of these interpretations a bit too readily. We cannot label most historical figures as queer easily, but when there is potential (and contemporary rumours, stories and so on) it is important that they are given space. I also chafed against the insinuation she made (whether she meant to insinuate it or not, I don't know) that some historians are looking to label historical figures willy nilly as queer.
I would happily recommend this book for anyone interested in this time period or this field of history, and I would happily read more from Zuvich. Her love for this era of history shines in her text, which makes the book extra fun to read. Just don't go into this expecting a deep-dive into each topic – this is, above all, a general overview.
Some interesting facts I learned:
- My new favorite slang word for penis is "dandilolly" and for vagina is "tuzzy-muzzy".
- One Stuart-era tonic for good skin was puppy dog water – this could either mean a puppy's pee or, horrifyingly, the water used to boil a puppy.
- The first recorded use of the words "toothbrush" is from 1651.
- Charles II hired actress Elizabeth Barry to tutor his shy niece, Princess Anne, in public speaking.
- It was a popular trend for a while in the 17th century for women to wear their wedding ring on their thumb.
- Antonie van Leeuwenhoken was the first person to see sperm cells: he studied his own semen under a microscope.
- "Pygist" was a slang term for the top in a gay relationship.
- By the end of the Stuart era, male doctors became more common assistants at childbirth either alongside or instead of a midwife, who had no official training, just hands-on experience.
- Oranges, nettle seeds and ginseng were considered aphrodisiacs.
- Matrimonial whoredom was when a woman past her child-bearing years married – because, obviously, an older woman could only ever marry someone because they are desperate for sex.
- The word for hyper sexuality or an abnormally strong libido was "satyriasis" or "frenzie of the womb"
- The Royal African Company was established in 1663.
- During the plague, kids were instructed to smoke because people believed that would prevent catching the sickness.
- Nell Gwyn was referred to, in a poem, as Cinder-Nell – a nod to her Cinderella-esque story.
- Charles II's mistress Hortense Mancini probably also had an affair with Charles's daughter, Anne.
- Black servants were often depicted alongside their masters in portraits because a) they were a symbol of their boss's wealth and status, and b) it was thought that their dark skin would make the white skin of the central figures more highlighted.
- Some feared that coffee could cause impotence. The women's petition against men drinking coffee because of this supposed after-effect was answered with a men's petition that claimed coffee "makes the erection more vigorous"
- Stuart boys were "breeched" aka given their first trousers usually at the age of 6–8. Before this they dressed quite similarly to girls.
Sex and Sexuality in Stuart Britain is a concise and broad look at different phenomena related to sex, sexuality and gender in the Stuart period of English/British history. Zuvich explores everything from gender roles to anatomy to childbirth to kinks to sexual crimes to marriage to beauty standards, and she does this by quoting extensively from original, contemporary sources. After this general overview, there's also a chapter on the sexual life of each of the Stuart monarchs.
Sex and Sexuality in Stuart Britain is a wonderful primer for anyone interested in sex and sexuality history and the Stuart era. Zuvich does not go in depth about any one topic: instead, she explores a huge array of topics briefly, quoting original sources, sharing a few anecdotes and giving use the bare-bones, basic answers to different questions. Don't expect in depth analysis here, because that's not what this book aims to do. I had a great time reading this book, even though I am well versed enough in this time period and sexuality history that a lot of the topics were already familiar to me. I also really appreciated how much Zuvich quoted Stuart-era sources – poems, pamphlets, plays, medical texts, diaries, letters, books and so on – because it is always wonderful to get to read the actual words of the people who lived and breathed in the era at the heart of the book. The writing, though nothing grand or particularly polished, was fine, though I did at times grow annoyed at how frequently Zuvich used exclamation points, but that's a really subjective thing.
There were interesting stuff in every chapter, but I found myself most intrigued by the sections about sexuality, sex, law and criminality. I was especially fascinated by the different types of punishments for different crimes and what sexual acts even were considered crimes. I had no idea that, at its worst, the punishment for a "bawd" (brothel-keeper) was public whipping, time in the pillory, being branded with a B on their forehead, prison for three years and then, if they re-offended, execution. I was angry but not surprised that a man murdering his wife was considered less bad a crime than a wife murdering her husband, which was considered petty treason and akin to a servant murdering their master. The definition of incest was much wider than I realised – incest was not just acts between blood-relatives, but having sex with your in-laws, step family members or something like you brother's son's wife was considered incest. It was also telling of the time and its understanding of gender that the sexual abuse of a female child under the age of 10 was severely punished, but the law didn't seem to make no mention of sexual abuse of male children. This was not a legal thing necessarily, but it was quite harrowing – and yet another great example of the era's gender roles – that if a woman nagged and annoyed her husband too much, she could be put in a "scold's birdle", a sort of iron muzzle to silence and publicly shame her.
Another really interesting chapter was the one about sex, sexuality, race, slavery and so on. Though the chapter was brief, Zuvich managed to convey the era's uncomfortable, racist narratives, discourses and so on. A lot of it was uncomfortably familiar, stuff you see online even today. The Stuart era people, for example, saw non-white women as highly sexualised, exotic creatures with loose clothes and loose morals, objects they could ogle at and use as they pleased. They were always compared to the so-called civilised white women, and, of course, they could only ever come second. Stories of sexual violence of black and brown men were also common, which has echoes of the still prevalent stereotype of the scary black man and the predatory POC man who targets, specifically, white women. All of this was highly unpleasant to read about, but very interesting at the same time. It was also interesting to read about how there were plenty of stereotypes and othering going on in England regarding other European countries – Italy, for example, was understood as this den of sodomy and sin.
Though this book is a general overview, you do get to know some characters and figures quite well. And I'm not just talking about the monarchs, who all have their own chapter dedicated to their sexual escapades (and boy were there many royal escapades – looking at you, Charles II and James II!) but also some members of the royal court and artists, most notably John Wilmot, the 2nd Earl of Rochester, who was a notorious libertine and an absolute chaos beast. I knew quite a bit about him already but boy did I learn many a new scandalous story. The Farce of Sodom, most likely authored by Wilmot, was the first literary work in England censored for obscenity, he wrote a poem called Signior Dildo (which says everything you need to know about his style of humorous literature), he delighted everyone by revealing, through a poem, that to avoid STDs he mainly gets handjobs when visiting sex workers (ironically, he died from syphilis) and he wrote a charming rhyme about Barbara Palmer, Charles II's infamous mistress: "That pattern of virtue Her Grace of Cleveland / Has swallowed more pricks than the ocean has sand". Wilmot is one of those figures that makes you wonder how on earth he managed to stay alive as long as he did. Another memorable story for me was that of Sir Charles Sedley, who for some reason pretended to have sex with a guy on the balcony of Cock Inn, hurled insults at those who walked by him, then put his dick in his wine glass, sloshed it around and then drank the wine. Classic Restoration courtier shenanigans. I've read quite a lot about the monarchs before, so there wasn't a lot of new stuff there. I liked the contemporary description of James II (outshined in randiness by his very horny brother, but, honestly, he was just as bad as Charlie boy) as the ""most unguarded ogler of his time". I was also not aware that the longtime mistress of William III, Elizabeth Villiers, was Mary's companion and lady-in-waiting – apparently, when Mary found out (William kept it discreet), there was a raging, tear-filled shouting match between the spouses.
The monarchs are a great segway into my only big gripe with the book. History is, in the end, all interpretation and analysis, and every historian comes to their own conclusions and just because someone arrives at a different conclusion doesn't mean their conclusion is bad (provided that it's based on good evidence). So I am not saying Zuvich is inherently wrong here, but I did feel like she occasionally dismissed the queer potential of some of the Stuart monarchs (specifically William, Mary and Anne) a bit too readily or staunchly. Yes, we will never know whether Mary's passionate letters to Frances Apsley were romantic or not, but it's important that this potential is acknowledged and respected because, well, I'd say it's more than possible. There were also a handful of times where Zuvich seemed to indicate that just because someone was intensely religious, like William or Mary, that means they most likely weren't queer because they would've seen queer sex acts as sinful. I'd say it makes it likely they would avoid physical intimacy, but someone's religiosity and/or their opinions about sexual intimacy doesn't impact what they might feel. There was also the indication that lack of concrete evidence of sexual intimacy is enough to say that, for example, Anne most likely wasn't attracted to Sarah Churchill. There are plenty of straight couples in history that are happily labeled lovers without there being actual concrete evidence that they shagged. I felt like she made some of these interpretations a bit too readily. We cannot label most historical figures as queer easily, but when there is potential (and contemporary rumours, stories and so on) it is important that they are given space. I also chafed against the insinuation she made (whether she meant to insinuate it or not, I don't know) that some historians are looking to label historical figures willy nilly as queer.
I would happily recommend this book for anyone interested in this time period or this field of history, and I would happily read more from Zuvich. Her love for this era of history shines in her text, which makes the book extra fun to read. Just don't go into this expecting a deep-dive into each topic – this is, above all, a general overview.
Some interesting facts I learned:
- My new favorite slang word for penis is "dandilolly" and for vagina is "tuzzy-muzzy".
- One Stuart-era tonic for good skin was puppy dog water – this could either mean a puppy's pee or, horrifyingly, the water used to boil a puppy.
- The first recorded use of the words "toothbrush" is from 1651.
- Charles II hired actress Elizabeth Barry to tutor his shy niece, Princess Anne, in public speaking.
- It was a popular trend for a while in the 17th century for women to wear their wedding ring on their thumb.
- Antonie van Leeuwenhoken was the first person to see sperm cells: he studied his own semen under a microscope.
- "Pygist" was a slang term for the top in a gay relationship.
- By the end of the Stuart era, male doctors became more common assistants at childbirth either alongside or instead of a midwife, who had no official training, just hands-on experience.
- Oranges, nettle seeds and ginseng were considered aphrodisiacs.
- Matrimonial whoredom was when a woman past her child-bearing years married – because, obviously, an older woman could only ever marry someone because they are desperate for sex.
- The word for hyper sexuality or an abnormally strong libido was "satyriasis" or "frenzie of the womb"
- The Royal African Company was established in 1663.
- During the plague, kids were instructed to smoke because people believed that would prevent catching the sickness.
- Nell Gwyn was referred to, in a poem, as Cinder-Nell – a nod to her Cinderella-esque story.
- Charles II's mistress Hortense Mancini probably also had an affair with Charles's daughter, Anne.
- Black servants were often depicted alongside their masters in portraits because a) they were a symbol of their boss's wealth and status, and b) it was thought that their dark skin would make the white skin of the central figures more highlighted.
- Some feared that coffee could cause impotence. The women's petition against men drinking coffee because of this supposed after-effect was answered with a men's petition that claimed coffee "makes the erection more vigorous"
- Stuart boys were "breeched" aka given their first trousers usually at the age of 6–8. Before this they dressed quite similarly to girls.
August 16, 2020
With a king fond of attractive young men, a parliament driven by Puritan values, a theatrical explosion in sexualised themes and the inability of queens to bear healthy heirs, Stuart Britain was home to many matters connected with sex in one way or another, and Andrea Zuvich has covered it all with extensive delving into diaries, literature, legal records and letters to demonstrate the views and sometimes shocking realities of sex in the 17th and early 18th centuries.
The book strikes a perfect balance between an educational resource and an enjoyable read. Facts are put across in a way that readers can connect with, no matter how familiar they may or may not already be with this period of history, and the author reminds us of the era’s context along the way. I found it easy to take everything in, which is quite remarkable given how comprehensive this work is.
Something that helps further is the format. Part One covers a wide range of subjects, each having its own subheading within chapters, so it’s a nice easy reference to use but this categorisation also helps absorb the information when reading from cover to cover. A great deal of social history features in Part One but Part Two focuses on the monarchs of the period in terms of their sex lives and tales that often led to rumour. In this, Zuvich sets a few facts straight and discusses historical evidence to examine the likelihood of the speculation. It’s clear that the author is an expert in Stuart history and can use her knowledge to explain exactly what she means when she makes a point about anyone in the royal Stuart circle.
I was struck by the number of legal records unearthed in the book, and I found the use of several quotations highlighted social views of the time really well, although I was glad the author clarified the meanings of Stuart wording in some cases! I was also interested to see connections with matters I wouldn’t otherwise have associated with sex. If you look at the Contents page, you may be surprised by a few of the chapter headings. Perhaps the most striking thing about the book though is the depth to which it delves. We’re treated to some of the filthiest subjects you can imagine, yet at other times we’re faced with the more upsetting side of sex and its consequences. As I said, this is a comprehensive work and Andrea Zuvich hasn’t held back in telling the truth. Part One in particular is packed with detail that shows a lot of the problems Stuart people had to contend with, and some of the examples are fascinating.
You don’t need to be a history enthusiast to get something out of Sex and Sexuality in Stuart Britain. It’s written in a style that’s easy to follow, occasionally includes humour and throws in recognisable names such as Samuel Pepys alongside the more obscure facts and figures. Obviously not a book for children or the very easily shocked, but I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone else.
The book strikes a perfect balance between an educational resource and an enjoyable read. Facts are put across in a way that readers can connect with, no matter how familiar they may or may not already be with this period of history, and the author reminds us of the era’s context along the way. I found it easy to take everything in, which is quite remarkable given how comprehensive this work is.
Something that helps further is the format. Part One covers a wide range of subjects, each having its own subheading within chapters, so it’s a nice easy reference to use but this categorisation also helps absorb the information when reading from cover to cover. A great deal of social history features in Part One but Part Two focuses on the monarchs of the period in terms of their sex lives and tales that often led to rumour. In this, Zuvich sets a few facts straight and discusses historical evidence to examine the likelihood of the speculation. It’s clear that the author is an expert in Stuart history and can use her knowledge to explain exactly what she means when she makes a point about anyone in the royal Stuart circle.
I was struck by the number of legal records unearthed in the book, and I found the use of several quotations highlighted social views of the time really well, although I was glad the author clarified the meanings of Stuart wording in some cases! I was also interested to see connections with matters I wouldn’t otherwise have associated with sex. If you look at the Contents page, you may be surprised by a few of the chapter headings. Perhaps the most striking thing about the book though is the depth to which it delves. We’re treated to some of the filthiest subjects you can imagine, yet at other times we’re faced with the more upsetting side of sex and its consequences. As I said, this is a comprehensive work and Andrea Zuvich hasn’t held back in telling the truth. Part One in particular is packed with detail that shows a lot of the problems Stuart people had to contend with, and some of the examples are fascinating.
You don’t need to be a history enthusiast to get something out of Sex and Sexuality in Stuart Britain. It’s written in a style that’s easy to follow, occasionally includes humour and throws in recognisable names such as Samuel Pepys alongside the more obscure facts and figures. Obviously not a book for children or the very easily shocked, but I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone else.
June 28, 2020
The royal court of Stuart England was definitely not boring - or consistent - where sexual mores were concerned, from the relatively dissolute court of James I to the more sedate one of his son, Charles I, and then, after the interregnum Cromwell's Puritan Commonwealth, veering wildly back to the notorious excesses of Charles II and his intimates. While all this was happening in the aristocracy and upper classes, however, apart from stricter laws and public policy during the Commonwealth that affected them, the lives - and sex lives - of the ordinary people went on with relatively little upheaval.
In the first part of Sex and Sexuality in Stuart Britain, Andrea Zuvich gives the interested reader a lively and informative guide through all strata of society where all aspects of sexuality are concerned, from marriage and divorce to prostitution, STDs, attitudes about pre- and extramarital sex, same-sex attraction, and pedophilia, to name a few. Spiced with anecdotes about people of all classes (often from court records), she portrays a society that in many ways had surprisingly modern attitudes about sex, while in other ways they seem to us to be incredibly backward. For instance, it was believed that a woman's pleasure was important in conceiving a healthy child, with the unfortunate flip side (occasionally voiced even in our own day) that if a woman became pregnant she could not have been raped. Even the Puritans, however, had a surprisingly healthy attitude towards sex in general, as long as it was kept within the bonds of matrimony.
In the second part of the book, Zuvich examines the sex lives of the Stuart monarchs themselves, which offer a great deal of material. While concluding that James I was almost certainly bisexual at the very least, she finds the rumors of same-sex relationships about the last three (William III, Mary II, and Anne) unlikely to have been true, and of course, Charles II, with his many mistresses and illegitimate children, provides a lot of grist for the mill.
All in all, I found this book to be a fascinating portrait of the times, carefully footnoted but narrated in an entertaining manner that keeps the interest of the educated layperson.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for. an honest review.
In the first part of Sex and Sexuality in Stuart Britain, Andrea Zuvich gives the interested reader a lively and informative guide through all strata of society where all aspects of sexuality are concerned, from marriage and divorce to prostitution, STDs, attitudes about pre- and extramarital sex, same-sex attraction, and pedophilia, to name a few. Spiced with anecdotes about people of all classes (often from court records), she portrays a society that in many ways had surprisingly modern attitudes about sex, while in other ways they seem to us to be incredibly backward. For instance, it was believed that a woman's pleasure was important in conceiving a healthy child, with the unfortunate flip side (occasionally voiced even in our own day) that if a woman became pregnant she could not have been raped. Even the Puritans, however, had a surprisingly healthy attitude towards sex in general, as long as it was kept within the bonds of matrimony.
In the second part of the book, Zuvich examines the sex lives of the Stuart monarchs themselves, which offer a great deal of material. While concluding that James I was almost certainly bisexual at the very least, she finds the rumors of same-sex relationships about the last three (William III, Mary II, and Anne) unlikely to have been true, and of course, Charles II, with his many mistresses and illegitimate children, provides a lot of grist for the mill.
All in all, I found this book to be a fascinating portrait of the times, carefully footnoted but narrated in an entertaining manner that keeps the interest of the educated layperson.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for. an honest review.
June 13, 2020
Disclaimer: I received an advance reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Sex and sexuality are topics I love to read about, and so I thought this would be great fun especially since I've read quite a bit of Tudor and Stuart era historical fiction recently. Unfortunately, this wasn't nearly as exciting of a read as I had hoped.
This reads a lot like a master's thesis (which I highly suspect it is), which is ok... and don't get me wrong Zuvich's research and knowledge is extensive. It's just that for the first 20 chapters everything reads a bit like what my English prof would have called 'a grocery list'; here is a topic, here is a definition, and here is an example, NEXT.
I felt like what was missing was the lived experience of the people whose records and diaries were being examined. What was it like to be a Stuart era commoner, noble, king or queen and to have sex, want sex, be imprisoned or killed for sex.
Zuvich really caught her stride though in the last chapters dedicated specifically to the different reigns within the Stuart era and the rulers's kinks and quirks. Reinforcing me, that her writing would have been stronger had she afforded the other topics with this kind of focus on the lived experience.
Also, I appreciate that Samuel Pepys and are an invaluable resource, but if he is to be cited so frequently perhaps some time could have been spent discussing him, and the method with which the author assembled the documents that were used in the writing of this book.
A good cursory overview, but not the in-depth history I was hoping for.
Sex and sexuality are topics I love to read about, and so I thought this would be great fun especially since I've read quite a bit of Tudor and Stuart era historical fiction recently. Unfortunately, this wasn't nearly as exciting of a read as I had hoped.
This reads a lot like a master's thesis (which I highly suspect it is), which is ok... and don't get me wrong Zuvich's research and knowledge is extensive. It's just that for the first 20 chapters everything reads a bit like what my English prof would have called 'a grocery list'; here is a topic, here is a definition, and here is an example, NEXT.
I felt like what was missing was the lived experience of the people whose records and diaries were being examined. What was it like to be a Stuart era commoner, noble, king or queen and to have sex, want sex, be imprisoned or killed for sex.
Zuvich really caught her stride though in the last chapters dedicated specifically to the different reigns within the Stuart era and the rulers's kinks and quirks. Reinforcing me, that her writing would have been stronger had she afforded the other topics with this kind of focus on the lived experience.
Also, I appreciate that Samuel Pepys and are an invaluable resource, but if he is to be cited so frequently perhaps some time could have been spent discussing him, and the method with which the author assembled the documents that were used in the writing of this book.
A good cursory overview, but not the in-depth history I was hoping for.
September 19, 2025
A more broadly-appealing and rather straight-forward collection of...statements.
In some areas I was very pleased as it was otherwise difficult for me to find much information on the subject via a lazy google search as opposed to reading primary sources and academic literature, so it was excellent to have everything laid before me, e.g. the slang for body parts and sexual acts
I very much appreciate the author going to lengths to emphasize the awareness and avoidance of modern cultural biases when interpreting history, as well as the authors note specifically on women and the recent bias toward emphasising 'strong' women which, when dealing with history, naturally introduces bias which would be inherently counter-productive to the goal of this book and a clear example of how modern cultural biases can and do have a profound impact on the preservation and interpretation of history.
The wording in some parts feels a bit too 'certain' ...in that felt statements were made that could have been elaborated on with more nuance or context, and overall sex and sexuality is a deeply complex topic, so I found myself wishing for more in-depth analysis, discussion, and debate, specifically over the varied interpretations and their supporting arguments when it came to the cultural beliefs and attitudes of the day, or any topic that was not so cut and dry, such as what evidence exists and what arguments can be made for interpreting the degree of James I & IV's intimacy with each of his favourites, and what inferences could be given more or less credit.
As I am already somewhat familiar with Stuart Britain, there were several times where I came across stated information that I had seen discussed by other authors, and I feel conflicted. to what degree were those other authors sensationalising and embellishing? To what degree were certain details skipped over that I felt the way in which they were interpreted significantly impacted the perspective given? Was the lack of embellishment or further discussion over certain details simply what the author concluded was most 'factually' and broadly 'true?' and therefore was thus actually a more 'neutral' perspective than other authors may have taken?
At the same time, the less interpretive and more directive viewpoint helps to make this book a straightforward read.
Though I must concede that this is a work of ***bredth *** and intended as such. it never claims to be and is indeed by no means a completely exhaustive deconstruction of the culture of Stuart Britain, of which religion, politics, the very structure of society...etc, all impacts upon sex and sexuality and much like anything else involving human attitudes and behaviour, nothing broadly stated can be professed to be 100% accurate to an individual level, and furthermore, as a 'taboo' subject, it comes with unique challenges to historical study and interpretation.
Entire books have been and could be written on any number of individual topics raised in this book.
The introduction acknowledges this as such - this is introductory work at a macro level, and never attempts to be more than an overview when addressing the individual stuart sovereigns.
After reading other reviews, I find them accurate to a degree. It depends on what you are expecting. I personally enjoyed the bredth and both the macro and micro views.
I particularly enjoy how broad the first section is, as it covers topics that might otherwise not even be considered by the reader, yet are, of course, very relevant to...well, sex and sexuality, yet may be passed over in favour of more mainstream or lurid aspects of the topic.
Closer to a 3.5 than a 4 as I do still wish there was a more analytical approach taken.
In some areas I was very pleased as it was otherwise difficult for me to find much information on the subject via a lazy google search as opposed to reading primary sources and academic literature, so it was excellent to have everything laid before me, e.g. the slang for body parts and sexual acts
I very much appreciate the author going to lengths to emphasize the awareness and avoidance of modern cultural biases when interpreting history, as well as the authors note specifically on women and the recent bias toward emphasising 'strong' women which, when dealing with history, naturally introduces bias which would be inherently counter-productive to the goal of this book and a clear example of how modern cultural biases can and do have a profound impact on the preservation and interpretation of history.
The wording in some parts feels a bit too 'certain' ...in that felt statements were made that could have been elaborated on with more nuance or context, and overall sex and sexuality is a deeply complex topic, so I found myself wishing for more in-depth analysis, discussion, and debate, specifically over the varied interpretations and their supporting arguments when it came to the cultural beliefs and attitudes of the day, or any topic that was not so cut and dry, such as what evidence exists and what arguments can be made for interpreting the degree of James I & IV's intimacy with each of his favourites, and what inferences could be given more or less credit.
As I am already somewhat familiar with Stuart Britain, there were several times where I came across stated information that I had seen discussed by other authors, and I feel conflicted. to what degree were those other authors sensationalising and embellishing? To what degree were certain details skipped over that I felt the way in which they were interpreted significantly impacted the perspective given? Was the lack of embellishment or further discussion over certain details simply what the author concluded was most 'factually' and broadly 'true?' and therefore was thus actually a more 'neutral' perspective than other authors may have taken?
At the same time, the less interpretive and more directive viewpoint helps to make this book a straightforward read.
Though I must concede that this is a work of ***bredth *** and intended as such. it never claims to be and is indeed by no means a completely exhaustive deconstruction of the culture of Stuart Britain, of which religion, politics, the very structure of society...etc, all impacts upon sex and sexuality and much like anything else involving human attitudes and behaviour, nothing broadly stated can be professed to be 100% accurate to an individual level, and furthermore, as a 'taboo' subject, it comes with unique challenges to historical study and interpretation.
Entire books have been and could be written on any number of individual topics raised in this book.
The introduction acknowledges this as such - this is introductory work at a macro level, and never attempts to be more than an overview when addressing the individual stuart sovereigns.
After reading other reviews, I find them accurate to a degree. It depends on what you are expecting. I personally enjoyed the bredth and both the macro and micro views.
I particularly enjoy how broad the first section is, as it covers topics that might otherwise not even be considered by the reader, yet are, of course, very relevant to...well, sex and sexuality, yet may be passed over in favour of more mainstream or lurid aspects of the topic.
Closer to a 3.5 than a 4 as I do still wish there was a more analytical approach taken.
September 7, 2020
Written to appeal to scholars and general-interest readers alike, Ms.Zuvich's stunning new compendium of all things sexy in Stuart Britain is a wide-ranging study of the most prevalent of human emotions—love, passion, attraction—and the consequences and influences of these on social history. Divided into two parts, the first addresses pretty much every conceivable topic related to sex and sexuality, and while comprehensive and forthright (not for the faint-hearted if frank talk offends), the author's voice lightens the narrative and brings each chapter to life. I found the footnotes and bibliography incredibly useful in further study, for certainly a subject as broad as this can only command a first-tier write-up in one book. I very much enjoyed exploring Ms Zuvich's sources in the areas I found interesting. The second half of the book is a summary of each Stuart monarch and their own sexual predilections and is a useful synopsis of this complicated royal line against a backdrop of a world moving from superstition to science. Definitely a valuable book I will keep as a handy reference, and I look forward to delving deeper into the bibliography.
July 13, 2021
Thank you to the publishers, Netgalley and the author for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is such an interesting book and, though academic and well-researched, is easy to read. I learned so much - some of it a bit gross, like puppy dog water being used to make oneself beautiful.
And no, puppy dog water isn't what you think - it's far worse.
I found it so interesting how the concept of beauty seemed to be based around indolence and indulgence and that so many of the celebrated beauties of the age looked nearly identical.
I learned about what happened to the 'camp followers' after the Battle of Naseby and Methven, a story that will stay with me for a long time.
Women like Aphra Behn, Celia Fiennes and Susan Hyde were mentioned briefly and I am looking forward to learning more about them.
And of course Queen Anne and her 'Favourites' were covered - very enlightening.
Well worth a read if, like me, you know a lot about the more popular Tudor history and not much about Stuart history - it's just as compelling a period.
This is such an interesting book and, though academic and well-researched, is easy to read. I learned so much - some of it a bit gross, like puppy dog water being used to make oneself beautiful.
And no, puppy dog water isn't what you think - it's far worse.
I found it so interesting how the concept of beauty seemed to be based around indolence and indulgence and that so many of the celebrated beauties of the age looked nearly identical.
I learned about what happened to the 'camp followers' after the Battle of Naseby and Methven, a story that will stay with me for a long time.
Women like Aphra Behn, Celia Fiennes and Susan Hyde were mentioned briefly and I am looking forward to learning more about them.
And of course Queen Anne and her 'Favourites' were covered - very enlightening.
Well worth a read if, like me, you know a lot about the more popular Tudor history and not much about Stuart history - it's just as compelling a period.
June 16, 2020
This book provides a vivid overview of what people in the Stuart period enjoyed and also suffered when it came to sex. The author presents a broad spectrum of topics from marriage and adultery to infertility and incest and a lot more. When it came to sex, the people of 17th century Britain had to deal with STDs, superstitions and magic, lack of medical care, contraception and drastic punishment.
The first part of the book deals with all these aspects of every day sexual life, always accompanied by their own voices, e.g. Samuel Pepys.
The second part focusses on the sex life of the Stuart royalty, which reminded me a lot of modern tabloids and their obsession with the sex lives of the rich and famous.
I would have preferred to get more of the first part and could have done without the royals, but overall this book is highly entertaining and well structured, a good starting point into the history of 17th century sexuality.
The first part of the book deals with all these aspects of every day sexual life, always accompanied by their own voices, e.g. Samuel Pepys.
The second part focusses on the sex life of the Stuart royalty, which reminded me a lot of modern tabloids and their obsession with the sex lives of the rich and famous.
I would have preferred to get more of the first part and could have done without the royals, but overall this book is highly entertaining and well structured, a good starting point into the history of 17th century sexuality.
March 19, 2026
Sex and Sexuality in Stuart Britain is a non fiction history book. Due to the topic, it does contain information and detail that some readers may find offensive, however the author strives to remain objective.
Part 1 covers general aspects about sex and sexuality, using thorough research and primary sources. There is a light tone and the descriptions are not gratuitous. The author makes a good effort not to impart modern morals and judgement on the people of 400 years ago.
Some elements are outlined only very briefly and I felt that they should be covered in more depth. I also wish there had been pictures rather than descriptions, especially when describing artworks!
Part 2 of the book details the sex lives of the Stuart monarchs, again focussing on intimate information without making judgements.
Sex and Sexuality in Stuart Britain is a well researched and informative book which brings the private lives of the 1600s to life.
Part 1 covers general aspects about sex and sexuality, using thorough research and primary sources. There is a light tone and the descriptions are not gratuitous. The author makes a good effort not to impart modern morals and judgement on the people of 400 years ago.
Some elements are outlined only very briefly and I felt that they should be covered in more depth. I also wish there had been pictures rather than descriptions, especially when describing artworks!
Part 2 of the book details the sex lives of the Stuart monarchs, again focussing on intimate information without making judgements.
Sex and Sexuality in Stuart Britain is a well researched and informative book which brings the private lives of the 1600s to life.
October 14, 2020
A wonderful, easy to read resource about life during the Stuarts, examining attitudes towards sex and sexuality, and what was acceptable back then and what wasn't.
'Sex and Sexuality in Stuart Britain' is well-researched and a definitely must-have for anyone interested in the Stuart era.
I sure wish a book similar to this one was around when I first started researching the 17th Century many years ago.
Some things haven't changed when it comes to human nature but attitudes certainly have, especially when it comes to penalties for adultery, incest and fornication (pre-marital sex).
Andrea also looks at the sexy Stuart monarchs' love lives from James VI of Scotland and I of England, including the Interregnum, through to Queen Anne's tragic gynaecological history and those of ordinary people, including marriage, pregnancy and childbirth.
On the flip side, there was the dark side of 17th Century life such as prostitution, sexual violence, infanticide and sexual deviance.
'Sex and Sexuality in Stuart Britain' is well-researched and a definitely must-have for anyone interested in the Stuart era.
I sure wish a book similar to this one was around when I first started researching the 17th Century many years ago.
Some things haven't changed when it comes to human nature but attitudes certainly have, especially when it comes to penalties for adultery, incest and fornication (pre-marital sex).
Andrea also looks at the sexy Stuart monarchs' love lives from James VI of Scotland and I of England, including the Interregnum, through to Queen Anne's tragic gynaecological history and those of ordinary people, including marriage, pregnancy and childbirth.
On the flip side, there was the dark side of 17th Century life such as prostitution, sexual violence, infanticide and sexual deviance.
October 8, 2023
This book covers some very interesting information. I particularly enjoyed the individual examples. It did disappoint me when the author discussed paintings and then didn't include them in the book. Also, I was rather annoyed when the author hinted at things, such as a poor ending to someone's life, and then neglected to follow up on that information. The book covers an interesting topic, but the execution was just okay.
June 27, 2020
It's a well researched, detailed and entertaining book that made me learn a lot of new things enjoying what I read.
I liked the style of writing and how the book is organised.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
I liked the style of writing and how the book is organised.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
September 30, 2025
Very enlightening .... thank goodness for antibiotics ! We take so much for granted in our present day. However life still carried on in all it's rich tapestry whether protected or not.
A good read.
A good read.
June 17, 2020
This was a romp interesting book about a seldom talked about or written about subject that is nevertheless a driving force throughout history.
July 1, 2020
A great and thorough resource looking at a variety of sexual practices, morality and legality of which, throughout the Stuart period!
September 5, 2020
I thought this book would be an in-depth look at sex and sexuality in the Stuart era. Instead, it was made up of what are essentially long bullet-points.
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