Irreverent and provocative, this is a history of sex, from TikTok sensation Esmé Louise James.

It’s time to take your seat for a dinner party like no other. Discover the long, long history of the dildo. Hear James Joyce celebrate the beauty of his wife’s farts. And you’ll never guess Albert Einstein’s thoughts on marital relations.

Kinky History draws on Esmé Louise James’s phenomenally successful series on TikTok, which explores scandalous stories in the ancient world and the saucy secrets of famous figures. Teaming up with her statistician mother, Dr Susan James, the pair have surveyed the nation for all of your intimate secrets – and the results are in.

By placing the past in conversation with the present, we’ll explore five ‘kinks’ that challenge our thinking about sex. How has the idea of sin shaped our sex lives? Why is masturbation so taboo? Where are our hidden queer histories? How do kinks and fetishes play with the idea of sex? And why does pornography have so much power over us?

Kinky History aims to blow open our conversation about sexuality and gender. Strap yourself in (or on?) – let’s build a more liberated, sex-positive future.

‘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

‘A feast for the mind and the imagination, featuring histories you definitely didn’t learn in school. Best served over multiple sittings, it will leave you more than satisfied.’  Dr Amy Thunig

‘Esmé is wonderfully knowledgeable and passionate about the history of all things sex. Her unbridled enthusiasm is infectious, making it hard not to be drawn into the fascinating world of Kinky History!’  Dr Matt Agnew