What We Did in Bed: A Horizontal History

This book uncovers the fascinating history of the bed, from its ancient origins to its modern transformation.From Louis XIV’s bedchamber to Winston Churchill’s during World War II, beds have played a pivotal role in history. Travelers shared beds with strangers, and families shared beds in preindustrial households. Beds were expensive and often decorative, with Tutankhamun buried on a golden bed and wealthy Greeks sent to the afterlife on dining beds.

Authors Brian Fagan and Nadia Durrani explore the bed’s diverse role throughout history, from sex and death to storytelling and sociability. The bed’s social history has been largely forgotten in the modern era, where it has become a private and hidden zone.

(This book may contain a sharpie mark on the top or bottom edge and may show mild signs of shelfwear.)