The Curious History of Dating: From Jane Austen to Tinder

Description

A LIGHT-HEARTED, INTIMATE AND EMPHATICALLY FEMINIST HISTORY OF DATING 'A new approach to romance . . . The heroines of Regency novels could teach today's young women a trick or two' Sunday Times 'Entertaining and well-researched' The Lady 'Pacey, intelligent and authoritative with bags of wit' Law Gazette 'A whistle-stop tour of dating through history' History Extra What if Mr Darcy had simply been able to swipe right? Dating has never been easy. The road to true love has always been rutted with heartbreak, but do we have it any easier today? How did Victorians 'come out'? How did love blossom in war-torn Europe? And why did 80s' video-dating never take off? Bursting with little-known facts and tantalising tales of lovelorn men and besotted women, Nichi Hodgson's intriguing history of amorous relationships, from enamoured Georgians to frenziedly swiping millennials (and everyone in between) may leave you grateful that you live - and love - today.

Nichi Hodgson is a journalist, broadcaster and author living in London. She regularly contributes to Sky News, the BBC and the Telegraph on sex, love, the dating industry and gender politics. A former Silicon Valley matchmaker, Nichi consults for dating apps around the world. Nichi was one of the first British journalists to court-report via Twitter, and is cited in Wikipedia for her coverage of the 2012 obscenity trial, R v Peacock. Nichi co-hosts the Bisexual Brunch podcast and is a regular commentator on BBC Radio 2's The Jeremy Vine Show, BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour and on BBC Radio 5 Live. She makes frequent appearances in TV documentaries and debates on dating, technology and society. Her first book, Bound To You, detailing her time as a professional dominatrix and personal submissive, was published by Hodder.

Anyone who has negotiated the thrills of the chase for romance will smile with recognition and sigh in sympathy while reading this entertaining and well-researched history. * The Lady * Bound to You is a welt-mark above the majority of books which have been marketed to the Fifty Shades fan, and will make an elegant edition to any discerning woman's top shelf * Literary Review * Hodgson covers a lot of ground in 234 pages - this is a pacey, intelligent and authoritative account with bags of wit. * LawGazette.co.uk * Nichi Hodgson takes you on a whistle-stop tour of dating through history * historyextra.com * A new approach to romance . . . The heroines of Regency novels could teach today's young women a trick or two. * Sunday Times * Nichi's writing is articulate, entertaining, informative and eye-opening. -- J. V. Wilson A fascinating look at our attitudes to sex and relationships from the 1700s to the present day. Thoroughly recommended. -- Hazel Millichamp I loved it. -- Adele Taylor