The history of selling sex is a hidden one, its practitioners a 'damnable crew' pushed to the margins of history. Harlots, Whores & Hackabouts redresses the balance, revealing the history of sex for sale, from medieval back street to Wild West saloon, and from the brothel to state bedroom. This enthralling history is brought to life by Kate Lister's witty and authoritative text, and illuminated by a rich archive of photographs, artworks and objects.
Structured thematically in broadly chronological order, the book introduces a lively cast of complex and entertaining characters operating in an array of different periods and settings. The Mesopotamian harlot Shamhat was powerful and respected, able to civilize the wild man Enkidu through her charms. In medieval London Elizabeth Moryng serviced clergy under the guise of an embroidery business, though was eventually jailed for being a prolific procuress and bawd. In Renaissance Venice the courtesan Veronica Franco published her poetry, rubbed shoulders with royalty and founded a charity for other courtesans. In the hedonistic floating world of Edo, Japan, kabuki actresses and then geishas entertained and pleasured their patrons. Three men were hanged in 18th-century London for buggery after being found in the Molly House of Margaret Clap. And at the turn of the century, in New Orleans, Lulu White ran Mahogany Hall, a four-storey building that housed up to forty sex workers.
Lister's illuminating tales invite readers to look, listen and reconsider everything they thought they knew about the world's oldest profession.
With 450 illustrations in colour
By:
Kate Lister
Imprint: Thames & Hudson
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 240mm,
Width: 170mm,
Weight: 970g
ISBN: 9780500252444
ISBN 10: 0500252440
Pages: 256
Publication Date: 07 October 2021
Audience:
General/trade
,
ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Introduction, Tales from Gropecunt Lane Chapter 1: In Service of the Gods, Sex in the Ancient World Chapter 2: Toads and She-Wolves, Selling Sex in the Classical World Chapter 3: The Geese that Laid the Golden Egg, Sex Work in Medieval London Chapter 4: The Honest Courtesans, Selling Sex in Renaissance Europe Chapter 5: The Pleasures of the Moon, The Floating World of Edo Japan Chapter 6: Molly Houses and Mary-Anns, Men Selling Sex in Regency Britain Chapter 7: Master of the Plum Blossoms, Sex in the Qing Dynasty Chapter 8: The Great Social Evil, Prostitution in the 19th Century Chapter 9: Soiled Doves and Jailbirds, Sex for Sale in the Land of the Free Chapter 10: Maisons de Tolerance, Sex and the Belle Epoque Chapter 11: The Prophylactic Dictatorships, Sex in Wartime Conclusion, The Fight Back
Kate Lister is the creator of the award-winning online research project 'Whores of Yore', which seeks to build public engagement and disseminate research on the history of sex and sexuality through social media. The Twitter feed has 464,000 followers and the website receives an average of 60,000 independent visits a month. She also lectures at Leeds Trinity University, is widely published on the sex trade and collaborates with several sex-worker charities and campaign groups.
Reviews for Harlots, Whores and Hackabouts: A History of Sex for Sale
'Lavishly illustrated ... full of interesting nuggets' - Sunday Times 'The range of Lister's scholarship is impressive ... a fascinating book about a subject too often swept under the rug. It's also very beautiful, magnificently designed and packed with hundreds of superb photos ... packs a powerful bite' - The Times 'An engrossing exploration of individual lives and societies' approaches to sex work across the centuries ... [Lister] showcases incredible stories of agency and freedom while also recognising social stigmatisation and hardship' - Dr Fern Riddell, BBC History Magazine 'Engaging, readable and written with humour, compassion and sensitivity' - Catherine Curzon, All About History
