The book that was to become Married Love grew from Marie Stopes's conviction that the state of modern middle-class marriage was, like her own, desperate, and that the cause of this desperation was sexual unhappiness. She knew that her book would "probably electrify the country" of England. Indeed, it remains one of the best-known sex manuals ever written. This is the only available edition of Marie Stopes's pioneering sex manual--one of the first books to discuss sex frankly and to describe how to achieve pleasure for both sexes during intercourse. The manual combines a lyrical evocation of marital love with a no-nonsense and detailed account of sexual intercourse and sexual pleasure that was a sensation when it was published in 1918. Stopes advocated equality in marriage and the importance of women's sexuality and sexual desire. She also took the controversial step of openly supporting birth control.

In this edition of Stopes's ground-breaking work, Ross McKibbin's introduction reveals fascinating insights into Stopes and the prevailing attitudes towards class, religion, science, and above all, sex. Stopes's own experience in marriage is inextricably linked with Married Love and her often controversial views are fully discussed.