Forbidden Books

What makes a book bad? Does it have to be nonsensical? Heretical? Libellous? Sexy?


Well for 500 years, a panel from the Roman Catholic Church attempted to grapple with this distinction.


Today Betwixt the Sheets, we find out what this collection of people deemed unsafe for the eyes of their worshippers.


Kate is joined by Robin Vose, a professor of history at St Thomas University in Canada to find out what made the cut, and what didn't.


*WARNING there are naughty words in this episode*


Produced by Charlotte Long and Sophie Gee. Edited and mixed by Anisha Deva.


Betwixt the Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society. A podcast by History Hit.


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Episoder(416)

How Filthy Were The Romans?

How Filthy Were The Romans?

Some of the key remnants of the Roman Empire are their public baths - huge complexes, multiple different rooms, the basis of many of our modern spas. But were the Romans clean?How regularly did they w...

2 Jan 36min

How Sexy Was Shakespeare?

How Sexy Was Shakespeare?

There's a bit of interest around Shakespeare at the minute - can we call this the Paul Mescal effect?The Bard’s work featured many references to sex and sexuality - some more obvious than others. But ...

30 Des 202547min

How Hot Was Lord Byron?

How Hot Was Lord Byron?

How 'mad, bad and dangerous to know' was Lord Byron really?We know the Romantic poet had a bit of a reputation, but how true was it? And how unusual would his behaviour have been?In this episode from ...

26 Des 202542min

How Has Porn Changed Through History?

How Has Porn Changed Through History?

With Christmas around the corner and everything being oh-so wholesome, we thought we would offer an episode from the archives of something not-so wholesome: a history of porn.What did porn look like b...

23 Des 202546min

Who Was The Virgin Mary?

Who Was The Virgin Mary?

Despite virginity being a myth, why has Mary’s virginity been considered so important?What does this tell us about the relationship between Christianity and sex? And what else do we know about this wo...

19 Des 202541min

The Truth About Sigmund Freud

The Truth About Sigmund Freud

It's the one we've all been waiting for!The Oedipus Complex; the oral, anal and phallic stages; penis envy; psychoanalysis - we've all heard of Sigmund Freud's work. But who was he?What did Freud real...

16 Des 202553min

Inside the Royal Harems of the Ottoman Empire

Inside the Royal Harems of the Ottoman Empire

You can't move for people talking about the Roman Empire or the British Empire, but what about the Ottoman Empire?It spanned a huge period of time and at the heart of it was the Royal harem: enslaved ...

12 Des 202550min

The Mother of All Tudors: Child Bride to Kingmaker

The Mother of All Tudors: Child Bride to Kingmaker

Ever heard of Margaret Beaufort? Probably not. But whilst her name has been overshadowed by those of her son, grandson and great-grandchildren, her impact on history remains.Lauren Johnson joins Kate ...

9 Des 202550min

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