"Fascinating . . . chart[s] a gradual but decisive shift in the way Americans have understood sex and its meaning in their lives." — New York Times Book Review The first full length study of the history of sexuality in America , Intimate Matters offers trenchant insights into the sexual behavior of Americans, from colonial times to today. D'Emilio and Freedman give us a deeper understanding of how sexuality has dramatically influenced politics and culture throughout our history. " Intimate Matters was cited by Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy when, writing for a majority of court on July 26, he and his colleagues struck down a Texas law criminalizing sodomy. The decision was widely hailed as a victory for gay rights. . . . The justice mentioned Intimate Matters specifically in the court's decision." — Chicago Tribune "With comprehensiveness and care . . . D'Emilio and Freedman have surveyed the sexual patterns for an entire nation across four centuries." — Nation "Comprehensive, meticulous and intelligent." — Washington Post Book World "This book is remarkable . . . [Intimate Matters] is bound to become the definitive survey of American sexual history for years to come." —Roy Porter, Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences