
Kinky History
A Rollicking Journey Through Our Sexual Past, Present, and Future
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Narrated by:
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Esmé Louise James
About this listen
A provocative journey through human sexual history, packed with fun factoids and forgotten stories, from the historian and storyteller behind Kinky History, @esme.louisee on TikTok
Contrary to popular belief, our predecessors had all sorts of obscene hobbies long before Christian Grey hit the scene. In this enlightening romp, learn about the first instances of homosexuality on record from the ancient world and the diverse history of nonbinary gender; encounter a thousand years’ worth of hilarious and horrifying contraceptive methods; consider the positive and negative effects of the widespread availability of pornography in the digital age—and how our relationship to it changed during the pandemic; take a sneaky riffle through centuries of bedside drawers; and discover the dirty little secrets of luminaries such as Julius Caesar, James Joyce, Albert Einstein, and Virginia Woolf.
Esmé Louise James also identifies the key tipping points that directly inform current beliefs around sex to place the past in conversation with the present. By educating ourselves about the weird, wonderful, and varied spectrum of human sexuality and experience, we can normalize and destigmatize sex, write people of marginalized sexual identities back into the pages of history, and build toward a more liberated future.
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Critic reviews
"Kinky History may not be the most fun you can have with your clothes on, because, well, you can have sex while still dressed. Regardless, Esmé Louise James’s book is a riotous romp that is entertaining, educational, empathetic, and inclusive. I loved it."—James Fell, author of On This Day in History Sh!t Went Down
“Who knew that history could be so…kinky? Esmé Louise James offers a lesson in history that you most definitely did not receive in school. She shows how, by looking into the past, we can learn a lot about sex in the present, including the root sources of sexual shame. This book shows how the path to modern sexual liberation starts with a comprehensive understanding of the history of sex, kinks and all.”—Justin J. Lehmiller, Ph.D., Host of the Sex and Psychology Podcast and author of Tell Me What You Want
"Bold and enlightening, Kinky History is a radical journey through the evolution of human intimacy. It’s a thrilling reminder of the need to break taboos and forge a sex-positive future. Not just a book, it’s a compelling call to sexual understanding and acceptance."—Chantelle Otten, author of The Sex Ed You Never Had
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Overall
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The first-ever social and scientific history of masturbation, which unapologetically critiques a system that has sought to control the very human desire for self-pleasure. Part sex-positive expose, part fascinating science, DIY spotlights generations of sex education countering anti-masturbation pseudoscience with empowering truths about pleasure. This sex book is perfect for fans of Mary Roach books like Bonk or anyone curious about the history of sex and masturbation.
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Loved this book!
- By Haugenad on 04-08-25
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Playing on the Edge
- Sadomasochism, Risk, and Intimacy
- By: Staci Newmahr
- Narrated by: Susan Marlowe
- Length: 9 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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In this pathbreaking audiobook, ethnographer Staci Newmahr delves into the social space of a public, pansexual SM community to understand sadomasochism from the inside out. Based on four years of in-depth and immersive participant observation, she juxtaposes her experiences in the field with the life stories of community members, providing a richly detailed portrait of SM as a social space in which experiences of "violence" intersect with experiences of the erotic.
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Excellent information for beginners and experienced.
- By Britt on 06-21-19
By: Staci Newmahr
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Bow Down
- Lessons from Dominatrixes on How to Get Everything You Want
- By: Lindsay Goldwert
- Narrated by: Lisa Flanagan, Linsday Goldwert - introduction
- Length: 7 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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Imagine a world where the usual power dynamic is turned on its head. Where women not only stop apologizing, but seize - and enjoy - control. This is the quickly-mainstreaming world of BDSM (bondage, discipline, sadism, masochism) - and it has a lot to teach women about empowerment, negotiation, open-mindedness, and more. Popular podcaster and personal finance expert Lindsay Goldwert has traveled across the United States to meet the stars of the subculture. In Bow Down, these Alpha women show how you can reset the power dynamic in any situation to get what you want.
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Not a book on the BDSM lifestyle
- By Gary Haddock on 06-03-21
By: Lindsay Goldwert
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Hurts So Good
- The Science and Culture of Pain on Purpose
- By: Leigh Cowart
- Narrated by: Leigh Cowart
- Length: 11 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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Masochism is sexy, human, reviled, worshipped, and can be delightfully bizarre. Deliberate and consensual pain has been with us for millennia, encompassing everyone from Black Plague flagellants to ballerinas dancing on broken bones to competitive eaters choking down hot peppers while they cry. Masochism is a part of us. It lives inside workaholics, tattoo enthusiasts, and all manner of garden variety pain-seekers.
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I can't recommend this highly enough
- By K. Reay on 12-10-21
By: Leigh Cowart
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The Psychology of Human Sexuality
- By: Justin J. Lehmiller
- Narrated by: Daniel Henning
- Length: 24 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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The Psychology of Human Sexuality is a comprehensive guide to major theoretical perspectives on human sexuality and the vast diversity of sexual attitudes around the world, with topics including anatomy, gender and sexual orientation, sexual behaviors, sexual difficulties and solutions, sex work, and pornography. Written from a sex-positive perspective with material that is inclusive and respectful of a diverse audience, the text includes cutting edge research on the origins of sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as new treatments for sexually transmitted infections and diseases.
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Exceptionally Comprehensive!
- By Robert Cooper on 08-17-24
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Sex in the Middle Ages
- By: Jennifer McNabb, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Jennifer McNabb
- Length: 5 hrs and 12 mins
- Original Recording
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Sex. The word makes some people giggle or blush, while others may draw back in discomfort. So, why do we find it so difficult to talk openly about sex? Much of our reticence in discussing and acknowledging the realities of sex comes, at least in part, from a unique time and place: medieval Europe. In the 12 episodes of Sex in the Middle Ages, Professor Jennifer McNabb and a panel of experts in medieval history and literature will take you back to the period between the fall of Rome and the rise of the Renaissance to explore the ideals and realities of sex and sexuality.
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Laced with modern narratives
- By Zach on 04-19-24
By: Jennifer McNabb, and others
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Insatiable Wives
- Women Who Stray and the Men Who Love Them
- By: David J. Ley
- Narrated by: Rose Caraway
- Length: 12 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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Long before the term cuckold was a common word thrown around in the media, Dr. Ley explored the history and science of cuckolding. This groundbreaking work explores why and how some men not only allow, but encourage, their wives to pursue sexual relationships with other men.
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Challenge your marriage
- By A.C.V. on 05-09-23
By: David J. Ley
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Fierce Desires
- A New History of Sex and Sexuality in America
- By: Rebecca L. Davis
- Narrated by: Stephanie Dillard
- Length: 11 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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Our era is one of sexual upheaval. It may seem as though debates over sex are more intense than ever, but as acclaimed historian Rebecca L. Davis demonstrates in Fierce Desires, we should not be too surprised, because Americans have been arguing over which kinds of sex are "acceptable"—and which are not—since before the founding itself. Davis presents a sweeping, engrossing, illuminating four-hundred-year account of this nation's sexual past.
By: Rebecca L. Davis
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The Very Secret Sex Lives of Medieval Women
- An Inside Look at Women & Sex in Medieval Times
- By: Rosalie Gilbert
- Narrated by: Cat Gould
- Length: 8 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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Inside The Very Secret Sex Lives of Medieval Women, a fascinating book about life during medieval times, you will discover tantalizing true stories about medieval women and a myriad of historical facts.
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Very Well Done!
- By Stephanie Meier on 03-25-21
By: Rosalie Gilbert
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Sex, the World History
- Through Time, Religion and Culture
- By: John R. Gregg
- Narrated by: Florence Foster
- Length: 23 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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Sex, The World History: Through Time, Religion, and Culture is a daring, deep historical-anthropological exploration. It is also a scathing condemnation of religion and its insistent control of sex.
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Very comprehensive, but biased and slanted
- By Anonymous User on 11-18-21
By: John R. Gregg
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Life With Mommy
- A Mommy Domme, Little Boy Tale
- By: Amy Cummings
- Narrated by: Virtual Voice
- Length: 1 hr and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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Little Zach is back—and he’s living the life of his dreams with Mommy! Zach was beginning to give up hope that he’d ever meet his Mommy. As a submissive Little, he’d nearly resigned himself to a life of only dreaming and longing. Then, one day, the most beautiful woman in the world wanders into his store, The Nostalgia Stop, browsing for merchandise…and more. Zach suddenly found himself in a world of Aunties, Dommes, and Mommies. His Mommy. Now, happily married to Mommy Destiny, his life is more amazing than he’d ever dreamed. But not everyone is happy. Someone is wanting to ...
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this was really enjoyable
- By M. P. on 04-23-25
By: Amy Cummings
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Sex at Dawn
- How We Mate, Why We Stray, and What It Means for Modern Relationships
- By: Christopher Ryan, Cacilda Jetha
- Narrated by: Allyson Johnson, Jonathan Davis, Christopher Ryan (Preface)
- Length: 10 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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Since Darwin's day, we've been told that sexual monogamy comes naturally to our species. Mainstream science - as well as religious and cultural institutions - has maintained that men and women evolved in families in which a man's possessions and protection were exchanged for a woman's fertility and fidelity. But this narrative is collapsing....
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Strawmen and Ad Hominems
- By Carolyn on 09-18-12
By: Christopher Ryan, and others
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Magnificent Sex
- Lessons from Extraordinary Lovers
- By: Peggy J. Kleinplatz PhD, A. Dana Ménard PhD
- Narrated by: Holly Adams
- Length: 8 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Magnificent Sex is based on the largest, in-depth interview study ever conducted with people who are having extraordinary sex. It gathers the nuggets for remarkable sex from the "experts", distilling them into an attainable blueprint for ordinary lovers who want to make erotic intimacy grow over the course of a lifetime.
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Narrators Take Note!!!
- By G. of Rivia on 01-17-22
By: Peggy J. Kleinplatz PhD, and others
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Perv
- The Sexual Deviant in All of Us
- By: Jesse Bering
- Narrated by: Jesse Bering
- Length: 6 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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In his eye-opening new book, Perv, the award-winning columnist and psychologist Jesse Bering argues that we are all sexual deviants on one level or another. As Bering takes us into the lives of a woman who falls madly in love with the Eiffel Tower, a young man addicted to seductive sneezes, and a pair of deeply affectionate identical twins, among others, he challenges us to move beyond our judgments and attitudes toward "deviant" sex and consider the alternative: What would happen if we rise above our fears and revulsions and accepted our true natures?
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Fantastic!
- By Matthew on 11-09-13
By: Jesse Bering
What listeners say about Kinky History
Highly rated for:
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- Amazon Customer
- 04-06-25
The narrator was terrible!
I couldn’t concentrate on the story at all—the narrator said everything as if in mid-giggle, which made even factual information sound false coming from her voice. I would avoid and save the money!
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- Emily Upton
- 08-21-24
What a Fun Lense for Analyzing Modern Sex
This is a deeply thoughtful and extremely fun look at humanity and sexuality in the past, present, and future. I highly recommend!!
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- Paula
- 06-19-24
Enthusiastic History
James' writes and reads a fun and enthusiastic take on history. Her writing style is eloquent and clear. And her presentation is welcoming and playful. The subject is of course interesting. and goes into details that will amuse and inform. a must read.
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- Anonymous User
- 01-16-25
Good Listen
Enjoyable set up for a story on a integeral part of the human experience, historically written with enough wit to prevent droning or loosing interest. The author reads her work in a way that shows a passion for the subject
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- Anonymous User
- 07-15-24
Your creative storytelling and connections!💗
I preordered this and was just waiting for it to pop up in my library😭
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- Red-Haired Ash
- 08-21-24
A fascinating look at history
After following James’ Kinky History videos on Instagram, I knew I needed to read this book. She always presents the kinky facts from history in a fun and easy to understand manner. This book is just a longer version of that.
James uses a mixture of history, science, and personal anecdote to tell the history of kink. She uses a dinner party as a framing device to showcase various well-known people from history and their proclivities and dives further into the history of that kink. This was an extremely well researched book and James does a great job at presenting the information in a fun and easy to read manner. As she presents this history, she is also teaching us to be more tolerant of people’s sexual choices and learn to embrace our own sexuality.
Overall, this was a wonderful and fascinating look at the history of kink. I highly recommend this book if you are interested in the history of kink because James really does a great job at presenting this information in an educated and celebratory way.
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- RG
- 02-15-25
The wealth of information provided by the author.
This book is both entertaining and informative. The way the author presents the information is enjoyable for both the academic learner and the curious sexual adventurer. Information is power, this rings true for understanding our sexuality, sexual impulses and kink.
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- Patrick
- 06-30-24
Kiny History
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was very interesting and informative. It's easy to listen to because of Esmee's enthusiasm. I follow her on TikTok also.
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- L
- 01-01-25
Good intro to sex history
Good intro to the history of sex but the narrator and framing of the book as a dinner party were a little annoying
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- Cheyenne P.
- 02-01-25
History’s Kinks No Longer A Secret
My Review:
5 ⭐️ 3 🌶️
If you think kinks and queer identities are a modern fad, Kinky History is here to spank that notion right out of you. Esmé Louise James serves up a wildly entertaining, well-researched deep dive into humanity’s long, messy, and often eyebrow-raising sexual past—complete with an imaginary dinner party featuring historical icons like Julius Caesar and Virginia Woolf spilling their dirtiest secrets.
From ancient contraception nightmares to the politics of porn, James proves that nothing in the bedroom (or beyond) is truly new—just recycled with better branding. Her sharp wit and academic chops make this both an enlightening and laugh-out-loud read. Perfect for history nerds, kink-curious folks, and anyone who wants to scandalize their fellow commuters with a bold book cover. So grab a copy and get ready to learn—because history has always been down to Roman around.
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