
FLICK
The Story of Female Pleasure
Kate Lister(Author)
Bantam Books (Publisher)
Published on 28. May 2026
Book
Hardback
336 pages
978-0-85750-643-6 (ISBN)
Description
FLICK is a rousing history of women enjoying sex: sex with themselves, sex with each other, and occasionally sex with men as well.
Meet the women throughout history who, quite literally, came before us.
From the host of award-winning History Hit podcast Betwixt the Sheets.
'Flicking excellent . . . Kate Lister is a goddess.' DR LUCY WORSLEY
'This eye-opening account of how women's pleasure has been controlled throught time is thought provoking and intrepid...an excellent, spiky book.' TELEGRAPH
'Unique, brilliant, gripping and unforgettable.' PROF KATE WILLIAMS
There is a common misconception that before modern day feminism, women throughout history simply lay back and thought of England or their respective place of origin; that the modern 'sex positive' movement is a radical break from the past. But women demanding better sex did not arrive with free love or the Rampant Rabbit. It has been a very long fight indeed.
From Ancient Mesopotamian sex goddesses to the contraceptive pill, Kate Lister takes us through history to show us how women's sexual pleasure was controlled, understood and thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed.
Meet the women throughout history who, quite literally, came before us.
From the host of award-winning History Hit podcast Betwixt the Sheets.
'Flicking excellent . . . Kate Lister is a goddess.' DR LUCY WORSLEY
'This eye-opening account of how women's pleasure has been controlled throught time is thought provoking and intrepid...an excellent, spiky book.' TELEGRAPH
'Unique, brilliant, gripping and unforgettable.' PROF KATE WILLIAMS
There is a common misconception that before modern day feminism, women throughout history simply lay back and thought of England or their respective place of origin; that the modern 'sex positive' movement is a radical break from the past. But women demanding better sex did not arrive with free love or the Rampant Rabbit. It has been a very long fight indeed.
From Ancient Mesopotamian sex goddesses to the contraceptive pill, Kate Lister takes us through history to show us how women's sexual pleasure was controlled, understood and thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed.
Reviews / Votes
Flicking excellent . . . Kate Lister is a goddess. -- DR LUCY WORSLEY This eye-opening account of how women's pleasure has been controlled throught time is thought provoking and intrepid...an excellent, spiky book. * TELEGRAPH * Brilliantly researched, and joyfully written, this is a history of what sex really means for women. Finally. -- DR ELEANOR JANEGA FLICK delves into the history of women's lived experiences and sexual repression, while also making us question modern assumptions of female pleasure. -- LOUISE QUICK An absolute delight, and a must-read! Well-researched, informative and everything we have come to expect from Dr Lister. -- ROSALIE GILBERT Unique, brilliant, gripping and unforgettable -- PROF KATE WILLIAMS A deeply satisfying history -- DR JULIA MARTINS Flick is a brisk, irreverent and often darkly funny history of how we came to imagine that women should 'lie back and think of England' . . . What makes Flick more than a fun romp through sexual history is the way it draws the line straight to the present. Some readers may well bristle at Lister's work here . . . But - just maybe - those are the very readers who most need to hear it. -- Sarah Jones * History Extra *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Transworld Publishers Ltd
Dimensions
Height: 239 mm
Width: 159 mm
Thickness: 33 mm
Weight
540 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-85750-643-6 (9780857506436)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Person
Dr Kate Lister is an historian, columnist, television presenter and host of the award-winning History Hit podcast Betwixt the Sheets. She has published widely in the field of sex history, and lives in the north of England.

