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The Sexual History of London

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Catharine Arnold

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If Paris is the city of love, London is the city of lust. This vibrant chronicle explores the relationship between London and sex throughout the ages. For over a thousand years, the capital has been synonymous with desire and the sins of the flesh. Richard of Devises, a monk from 1180, noted that "every quarter abounds in great obscenities." From the second century AD, London was infamous for its raucous festivities and disorderly houses, with the bawdy side of life flourishing over the centuries. The narrative delves into London's vice-laden history, showcasing its long-standing trade in sexual currency, from Fleet Street's pornographic publishers to Haymarket's courtesans. In an engaging style, the author guides us through the city's fleshpots, featuring characters like buxom strumpets, louche aristocrats, and Victorian flagellants, all vying for a place in London's league of licentiousness. The city has oscillated between sexual exuberance and moral panic, swinging from Puritanism to hedonism and back. The latter chapters examine Victorian London and the sexual underground of the twentieth century, presenting a fascinating chronicle of the city at its most raw and ribald.