A little bombastic, tinged with great retrospection
Feature image credit: Pantera Press
Kinky History started as a TikTok lecture series in 2020. From there, it has grown into a podcast, the TEDx Talk, spin-off series SexTistics and finally, Kinky History, a published book. Author Esmé Louise James wants to reach all types of audiences in an educational, accessible, and entertaining manner, hence the use of multiple media platforms. She passionately envisions a future marked by an inclusive global community in which enduring taboos surrounding identity, gender, sexuality, and, most notably, sex, are erased.
The book is split into five main parts, all relatively equal in length. Part one relates to attitudes towards sex, and how religion or the powers of the day have influenced them. Part two is about pleasure, part three queer, part four the “kink kink,” and part five is on pornography.
The author talks about the Penis Festival in Japan, the escapades of esteemed Les Misérables and The Hunchback of Notre-Dame novelist Victor Hugo, ancient civilisations (in particular Greece), diverse cultures (with a notable focus on Japan), and includes statistics collaborated by her with her mum Dr Susan James. She clarifies some of the jargon around sex such as the difference between homoerotic behaviour and homosexual identification, cites text verbatim (from other sources) on many occasions, and discusses the popularity of Hentai and other fantasies.
Her writing style varies, and is occasionally longwinded in parts with exaggerated language or dramatic flair, at times bordering on excess. Simultaneously, the entire text carries an undercurrent of deep analysis, demonstrating James’s extensive research and examination of historical attitudes or perspectives on sex. All her assessments are backed by statistical data, artefacts, literature or other educational texts (a list of the latter is provided near the end).
She infuses personal stories, her considered opinions and humour throughout the book. For example, on page 102, she highlights the following statistic: 80.6% of postgraduate degree holders use sexual aids, in contrast to 49.04% of individuals with less than a secondary education. While demonstrating a correlation between education levels and the use of toys, James imparts this revelation with a touch of humour, offering light-hearted theories on the data. In this way, she makes facts entertaining for all audiences.
Reviewed by Rebecca Wu
The views expressed in this review belong to the author and not Glam Adelaide, its affiliates, or employees.
Distributed by: Pantera Press
Released: October 2023
RRP: $34.99
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