What I read
Finished Hallie Lieberman Buzz: The Stimulating History of the Sex Toy, discussed in detail elsewhere.
Re-read of KJ Charles, The Gentle Art of Fortune-Hunting.
Ann Paris (pseud. of Orania Papazoglou/Jane Haddam), Graven Image (1987). I guess this would count as romantic suspense/romantic thriller? anyway that genre in which our protag ( Read more... )

I was predisposed in favour of this book because Lieberman co-authored an article which showed on what very specious evidence Maines had based her dubious contentions in her notorious and unfortunately influential work.
The book does indicate that the whole Victorian doctors and 'hysterical paroxysms' and vibrators is a MYTH, but in a fairly muted ( Read more... )

I sighed when I came across this, because it is is yet another iteration of a previously-observed phenomenon: Donors Worry About Fate of Artifacts as Museum on Irish Famine Closes: Quinnipiac University, which had opened Ireland’s Great Hunger Museum in 2012, said that it could no longer afford to operate it. Enthusiastic person sets up a ( Read more... )

What I read
Had a vague recollection that I had heard fairly well of Heyer's Frederica (1965), and I will give it points for being able to see the Alpha Hero growing and changing under the impact of the older and sensible heroine (and her brothers), but even so, there were rather annoying aspects, like again, She Is Not Like Other Women, who are ( Read more... )

Okay, compared to vaginal steaming* and the jade egg business, which we observe she still defends, I boggle forever, this looks, on the face of it, positively sane and none-woowooish?
Gwyneth Paltrow Is Selling Vibrators
Okay, I'm pretty sure that the model she is selling is not entirely unlike any other model on the market? (without actually ( Read more... )

(Please do comment below if you have any further questions you would like me to address over the course of the month.)
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A sighting in the wild of as, as far as I know, random person talking about the Victorian vibrator myth as, you know, a MYTH and an instance of the condescension of posterity about the supposed naivety of the past -
(I would like to think, my work here is done, but of the proliferation of error there is, alas, no end and I cannot imagine this take ( Read more... )

What I Read
Finished The Reinvention of Humanity which was very good: clearly the author thought these people were doing important work around race and culture that we needed to be reminded of and was still of value, but he did not glide over the unexamined attitudes around race and sex that they still retained. But as far as saying people from, oh ( Read more... )

Ann Summers* is the latest struggling retailer to seek lower rents from landlords amid a high street downturn.
*UK high street retailer, best known for its sex toys and lingerie, established in the 1970s as the first lady-friendly sex-shop, but I think its home-based parties possibly did more to get British women into buying sex toys etc.
And I ( Read more... )

One should merely be extremely grateful that more and more people are recognising that A Certain Work which has gained far too much cultural credence when in fact it was Making Shit Up was based on dreadfully shoddy research -
Because what is important is that Error Is Overthrown and people give more attention to historical accuracy and do not ( Read more... )