"What did sex mean for ordinary people before the sexual revolution of the 1960s and 1970s? Often pitied by later generations as repressed, unfulfilled and full of moral anxiety, this book provides the first rounded, first-hand account of sexuality in marriage in the early and mid twentieth century. Based on vivid, compelling and frank testimonies from a socially and geographically diverse range of individuals, these award-winning authors look beyond the conventions of silence among the respectable majority to challenge stereotypes of ignorance and inhibition. The book explores a spectrum of sexual experiences, from learning about sex and sexual practices in courtship, to attitudes to the body, marital ideals and birth control, demonstrating that whilst the era's emphasis on silence and strict moral codes could for some be a source of inhibition and dissatisfaction, for many the culture of privacy and innocence was central to fulfilling and pleasurable intimate lives"--Provided by publisher.