From lightening and dragons in Iron Flame to trembling mountains in A Court of Thorns and Roses, from Sally Rooney’s Connell and Marianne to Ice Planet Barbarians - sex in books has gone mainstream. From serious high-brow literature to warm and cozy rom-coms, what do we want or need from writers when it comes to including sex in their books?
To consider the matter Kate is joined by critic Elizabeth Morris (Crib Notes), and author Alex Allison’ (The Art of the Body and Greatest of All Time)
We'll be bringing you our recommendations for books we think push all the right buttons,once we’ve figured out what those are.
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Booklist
Greatest of All Time by Alex Allison
Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon
Mrs Caliban by Rachel Ingals
The Literary Review's Bad Sex Awards
The Office of Gardens and Ponds by Didier Decoin
Pax by John Harvey
The River Capture by Mary Costello
City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert
The Electric Hotel by Dominic Smith
The Neapolitan Quartet by Elena Ferrante
I Love Dick by Chris Kraus
All Fours by Miranda July
The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary
The Vegetarian by Han Kang
Hunchback by Saou Ichikawa
Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld
American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld
Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld
Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld
Elmet and Hot Stew by Fiona Mosley
Tampa by Alyssa Nutting
Isaac by Curtis Garner
Intermezzo by Sally Rooney
Lullaby by Leïla Slimani
The Country of Others and Watch Us Dance by Leïla Slimani
The Bear by Marianne Engel
The Snow Ball by Brigid Brophy
Busy Being Free by Emma Forrest