Books in the In Bed with the ... series

Learn what went on behind closed doors in the Tudor court. Illegitimate children, adulterous queens, impotent kings, and a whole dynasty resting on their shoulders. Sex and childbirth were quite literally a matter of life or death for the Tudors - Elizabeth of York died in childbirth, two of Henry VIII's queens were beheaded for infidelity, and Elizabeth I's elective virginity signalled the demise of a dynasty. Amy Licence guides the reader through the births of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York's two sons, Arthur and Henry, Catherine of Aragon's subsequent marriages to both of these men, Henry VIII's other five wives and his mistresses, and the sex lives of his daughters. This book details the experiences of all these women, from fertility, conception and pregnancy through to the delivery chamber, on to maternal and infant mortality. Each woman's story is a blend of specific personal circumstances, set against their historical moment: for some the joys were brief, for others it was a question that ultimately determined their fates.

In modern-day media, depictions of ancient Egyptian society are of a highly sexualised, lustful culture, but how accurate are these depictions of a people so shrouded in mystery and legend that it is sometimes hard to tell truth from fiction? In this fascinating and intimate insight into ancient Egyptian sex and sexuality, Charlotte Booth demystifies an ancient way of life, drawing on archaeological evidence and the written record to build a picture of what really went on in the bedrooms of the pharaohs and their subjects. Sex was a prominent part of ancient Egyptian society. It featured heavily in religion, mythology and artwork, and was not considered the taboo it is sometimes treated as in modern cultures. This book examines all aspects of ancient Egyptian sex lives, from idealised beauty and attitudes towards sexuality, to representations of fertility in art and the relationship between sex and religion. Many of the trials and tribulations that were faced are as relevant today as they were in the past: marriage, divorce and adultery are all discussed, as well as prostitution, homosexuality, sexual health and fertility. Whilst many of the remedies seem bizarre to the modern mind, some of the attitudes are surprisingly liberal, and all make for fascinating reading. From Akhenaten and his famously beautiful queen, Nefertiti, to the seductive Cleopatra's affairs with Julius Caesar and Marc Antony, Booth provides a tantilising glimpse into this extremely personal aspect of ancient Egyptian life.