Monogamous relationships may appear to be a relatively modern idea, but anthropologists suggest couples were feeling the urge and getting together on a long-term basis many years ago. ‘Marriage is miserable unless you find the right person that is yoursoulmate — and that takes a lot of looking.’ Marvin Gaye‘Don’t you know that a man […]

Sexual satisfaction was a key part of the sexual revolution in the 1960s, with pleasure as the main aim. People were talking more openly about sex and according to sex researcher Shere Hite, the time had come to focus on the female orgasm. She showed many women what they had been missing. Using revelations in […]

Miss Manners, aka author Judith Martin, has written an advice column since 1978. Her ‘heavy etiquette theory’ comes through in wit and serious analysis. The book includes such gems as offering toiletries to a one-night stand and how to get out of scrapes such as calling a lover by another’s name. ‘You shall haue euery […]

KAMA SUTRA These ancient Indian texts by philosopher Mallanaga Vatsyayana are actually mostly about love. A small section deals with sexual behaviour and positions, but rather than being a sex manual as is often thought, the general theme is caring and etiquette, including cooking and calligraphy. The work focuses on partnerships rather than the individual. […]

GLOBAL ROUND-UP Stay tuned for more sex Back after these messages… Research in 2002 revealed that scenes of a sexual nature can affect the memory. The study by ■ psychologists at Iowa State University involved 324 adults aged 18 to 54 watching programmes with mainstream adverts. They were questioned afterwards and also a day later. […]

Hollywood silent movie star Louise Brooks is famed for her sexual power over men on and off screen. As a rare sexually liberated woman, her philosophy was not generally well received at the time and she was saddled with a bad reputation. Her European films, which include Pandora’s Box (1929) and the heated tale of […]

‘Women with pasts interest men because men hope that history will repeat itself.’ Mae West LILLIE LANGTRY The twice-married Victorian-Edwardian-era social beauty and actress’s most famous lover may have been the Prince of Wales — later Edward VII — but she could also name one or two other notables among her conquests. Edward himself is […]

The Venice-born 18th century adventurer had a lusty career that took him all over Europe and which was funded by generous patrons, gambling and entrepreneurial endeavour. His autobiography Histoire De Ma Vie (Story Of My Life) revealed that he lost his virginity aged 16 to two sisters. He went on to take some 200 lovers, […]

T used to go missing a lot… Miss Canada, Miss United Kingdom, Miss World.’ George Best‘THE STUFF THAT DREAMS ARE MADE OF’ From a conservative background, Hugh Hefner began his lifetime of loving the ladies at 16 when he first fell in love working in a local cinema. He founded Playboy magazine in 1953, pioneering […]

Known as the Hollywood Madame, Fleiss’s career hit the headlines in 1993 when a police sting operation blew the cover on her high-class services, which apparently attracted numerous wealthy and famous clients. During her trial for pandering [providing prostitutes] and tax evasion, Heidi refused to name any of her high — profile customers, although actor […]