{"product_id":"birth-control-sex-and-marriage-in-britain-1918-1960-social-history","title":"Birth Control, Sex, and Marriage in Britain 1918-1960 - Social History","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn this review of Birth Control, Sex, and Marriage in Britain 1918-1960, the reviewer finds a carefully documented, testimonial-driven book best suited to readers interested in social change, gender relations, and the history of contraception. Drawing on over 190 oral history interviews, Kate Fisher offers a vivid, human-centred account of how married people negotiated sex, family size, and contraceptive practice across four decades. The single biggest reason to buy is the book's reliance on firsthand testimony, which challenges established demographic assumptions and brings nuance to the story of the smaller modern British family.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eKey Features\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eExtensive oral testimony:\u003c\/strong\u003e Over 190 interviews provide direct voices and personal detail that illuminate everyday contraceptive practice and marital negotiation.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLongitudinal coverage:\u003c\/strong\u003e The book covers 1918 to 1960, showing change across generations rather than a single snapshot in time.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGender-focused analysis:\u003c\/strong\u003e Fisher highlights how gender relations shaped sexual attitudes and decision-making about family size.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eChallenges established narratives:\u003c\/strong\u003e By using individual testimony the author revisits assumptions made by demographic and historical scholars about what enabled falling fertility.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMixed sources:\u003c\/strong\u003e The text combines oral history with other first-hand evidence to create a rounded social history rather than a purely statistical account.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch2\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis book will appeal to readers of social history, students and researchers in gender studies, and anyone curious about the lived experience behind twentieth-century fertility change. The emphasis on oral testimony makes it especially useful for qualitative researchers and seminar discussion leaders who need primary voices to illustrate shifts in sexual culture.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThose seeking a practical manual on contraception or a purely medical history should look elsewhere; the book is analytical and qualitative rather than a clinical guide. Readers expecting modern contraceptive technology detail will find the value here in attitudes and practices, not medical instruction.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003ePros \u0026amp; Cons\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePros\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRich primary material gives authenticity to social and sexual histories.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eClear thematic focus on gender relations that clarifies how decisions about family size were negotiated.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWide chronological span allows readers to trace change across cohorts born between 1900 and 1930.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCons\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe qualitative emphasis means the book does not serve as a technical or medical history of contraceptive methods.\u003c\/li\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTitle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBirth Control, Sex, and Marriage in Britain 1918-1960\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAuthor\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eKate Fisher\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEvidence base\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOver 190 oral history interviews and other first-hand accounts\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTime period covered\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e1918 to 1960\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFocus\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eGender relations, sexual attitudes, contraceptive practices\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eApproach\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eQualitative social history using individual testimony\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\u003ch2\u003eOur Verdict\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eBirth Control, Sex, and Marriage in Britain 1918-1960 is a rewarding read for anyone interested in social change and the lived experience of fertility decline. Its reliance on firsthand interviews gives the narrative authenticity and analytical depth, making it good value for students and readers seeking a qualitative account of how gender and sexuality shaped family planning in modern Britain.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes the book use primary sources?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes, the book draws on over 190 oral history interviews and other first-hand evidence.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs this a medical guide to contraception?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNo, the work is a qualitative social history focused on attitudes and practices rather than medical instruction.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat period does the book cover?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe study examines developments between 1918 and 1960, focusing on people born roughly 1900 to 1930.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kate Fisher","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48778509189339,"sku":"0199544603","price":64.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0724\/1043\/1707\/files\/61G8kKeILLL._SL1360.jpg?v=1778917711","url":"https:\/\/gearmusthave.com\/products\/birth-control-sex-and-marriage-in-britain-1918-1960-social-history","provider":"GearMustHave","version":"1.0","type":"link"}