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Really interesting historical perspective on sex and how it has shaped society
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Intimate Matters: A History of Sexuality in America
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The 1st full length study of the history of American sexuality, Intimate Matters offers trenchant insights into sexual behavior from colonial times to today. D'Emilio & Freedman give a deeper understanding of how sexuality has dramatically influenced politics & culture throughout history.
"The book John D'Emilio co-wrote with Estelle B. Freedman, Intimate Matters, was cited by Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy when, writing for a majority of court on July 26, he and his colleagues struck down a Texas law criminalizing sodomy. The decision was widely hailed as a victory for gay rights—& it derived in part, according to Kennedy's written comments, from the information he gleaned from D'Emilio's book, which traces the history of American perspectives on sexual relationships from the nation's founding thru the present day. The justice mentioned Intimate Matters specifically in the court's decision."—Julia Keller, Chicago Tribune
"Fascinating...[they] marshall their material to chart a gradual but decisive shift in the way Americans have understood sex & its meaning in their lives."—Barbara Ehrenreich, NY Times Book Review
"With comprehensiveness & care...D'Emilio & Freedman have surveyed the sexual patterns for an entire nation across four centuries."—Martin Bauml Duberman, Nation
"Intimate Matters is comprehensive, meticulous & intelligent."—Jonathan Yardley, Washington Post Book World
"This book is remarkable...bound to become the definitive survey of American sexual history for years to come."—Roy Porter, Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences
Acknowledgments
Introduction
The reproductive matrix, 1600-1800
Divided passions, 1780-1900
Toward a new sexual order, 1880-1930
The rise & fall of sexual liberalism, 1920 to the present
Notes
Selected Bibliography
Index
"The book John D'Emilio co-wrote with Estelle B. Freedman, Intimate Matters, was cited by Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy when, writing for a majority of court on July 26, he and his colleagues struck down a Texas law criminalizing sodomy. The decision was widely hailed as a victory for gay rights—& it derived in part, according to Kennedy's written comments, from the information he gleaned from D'Emilio's book, which traces the history of American perspectives on sexual relationships from the nation's founding thru the present day. The justice mentioned Intimate Matters specifically in the court's decision."—Julia Keller, Chicago Tribune
"Fascinating...[they] marshall their material to chart a gradual but decisive shift in the way Americans have understood sex & its meaning in their lives."—Barbara Ehrenreich, NY Times Book Review
"With comprehensiveness & care...D'Emilio & Freedman have surveyed the sexual patterns for an entire nation across four centuries."—Martin Bauml Duberman, Nation
"Intimate Matters is comprehensive, meticulous & intelligent."—Jonathan Yardley, Washington Post Book World
"This book is remarkable...bound to become the definitive survey of American sexual history for years to come."—Roy Porter, Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences
Acknowledgments
Introduction
The reproductive matrix, 1600-1800
Divided passions, 1780-1900
Toward a new sexual order, 1880-1930
The rise & fall of sexual liberalism, 1920 to the present
Notes
Selected Bibliography
Index
466 pages, Paperback
First published April 1,1988
This edition
- Format
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466 pages, Paperback
- Published
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February 28, 1998 by University of Chicago Press
- ISBN
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9780226142647
- ASIN
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0226142647
- Language
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English
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Rating(3.9 / 5.0, 54 votes)
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54 reviews All reviews
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A classic work of sexuality history!
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A must-read, not only for academics but any LGBT+ person who wants to read up on the history of the community in the US. Tremendously informative, well-written, easy to follow.
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very dense…. i skipped a few chapters in the 3rd quarter because it was for a class. however if i had more time i would’ve read and annotated every page. Lots of focus on the birth control movement and gave insight into many parts of western history !!
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if you have ever wondered how the creation of the Erie Canal and the Industrial Revolution led to Lady Gaga being hot as fuck in the Paparazzi music video, then this is the book for you!
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This was a very interesting read. Even though I normally do not read non fiction books, this book had some good information in it and made you think about things.
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Very interesting book--read for class, but would have enjoyed reading it anyway.
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Inevitably, covering a topic this immense leads to places where I wanted more depth, but I couldn't really argue with any of the decisions the authors--two cultural historians who have established themselves with previous work--made in the face of limited pages. Very good on the transition from the purity-obsessed immediate post-World War II period to the 60s and 70s.
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