Bare

With beach-read season in full flow, we were heartened to read Kirsty Blake-Knox’s cover story in the Irish Independent magazine, investigating women’s sexual fantasies. As Blake-Knox points out, before the publication of Nancy Friday’s groundbreaking My Secret Garden, it was generally assumed that women had no inner sexual life. Perhaps more accurately, for hundreds of years, men, fearing the power of women, had pushed women’s sexuality to the margins. And yet, like any sturdy plant, it continued to grow there. Now, at long last, it may again be taking centre stage.

The article referenced our contribution to this change with the publication of Bare: Irish Women’s Sexual Fantasies, back in 2015; Gillian Anderson has recently fronted a similar collection. (Not for the first time, we were ahead of the game.)

Like the best poems, the fantasies related in the book have stood the test of time. (We believe one was written by a man, but are not sure which one. This is part of the fun of it.) A somewhat daring beach read, not suitable for younger readers – and a definite conversation-starter.

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You can read Kirsty’s article here  – and buy the book here or from our friends in Sex Siopa.