Men At War – Lusting Loving Fighting Remembering 1939-1945

In his wonderful memoir The Naked Civil Servant, Quentin Crisp wrote that "as soon as the bombs started to fall, London became like a paved double-bed". In this talk, author Luke Turner explores how the social upheaval of the Second World War had a profound impact on the sex lives of Londoners, from the privacy afforded by the blackout to the complex identities and desires of the thousands of servicemen and women passing through the capital.

Drawing on the research for his book Men At War – Lusting Loving Fighting Remembering 1939-1945, Luke introduces us to characters who made London their home during the war years and afterwards, and explores how it was at the heart of a sexual revolution. Men At War is a critically-acclaimed account of masculinity and sexuality during the Second World War and how the conflict impacts our culture today.

About the Author:

Luke Turner's first book Out of the Woods is a reflection on sexuality, faith, masculinity and the relationship between humans and 'nature' in London's Epping Forest. It was a Guardian Book of the Day, shortlisted for the 2019 Wainwright Prize for nature writing, and longlisted for the Polari Prize for first book by an LGBT+ writer.

Luke has participated in collaborative exhibitions at the V&A, Hayward, and Serpentine Galleries. He is co-founder and editor of online culture magazine The Quietus and writes for a variety of publications including The Observer, Guardian, Financial Times, Telegraph, Sunday Times, Vice, Dazed & Confused, National Geographic, NME, and the SomeSuch journal, and has appeared on BBC Radio Three, Four and 6Music, as well as television programmes including Countryfile and the Big Scottish Book Club.

Copies of Luke's book will be available to purchase on the night courtesy of Clerkenwell's Coffee & Books.