Bad Sex: Truth, Pleasure & an Unfinished Revolution

A fearless exploration of desire, freedom, and modern feminism.

Nona Willis Aronowitz delivers a raw, courageous memoir that interrogates what sexual freedom truly means in our complex modern world. As her marriage crumbles and her understanding of desire evolves, Nona turns to the voices of past sexual rebels—including her late mother, pioneering feminist Ellen Willis—to navigate personal chaos and political upheaval.

This powerful narrative explores:

• The evolution of sexual freedom across two centuries
• Personal journey through marriage, loss, and reinvention
• Voices of ambivalent wives, free lovers, and radical lesbians
• Tensions between desire and systemic oppression
• How sexism, capitalism, and racism shape sexual autonomy
• The triumphs and limitations of modern feminism
• Universal questions about pleasure and fulfillment
• Honest reckoning with fantasy versus reality

With unflinching honesty and vulnerability, Nona examines the gap between feminist ideals and lived experience, asking: What do I truly want? Are my desires achievable in a world still shaped by inequality? This brave, intimate exploration reveals both the progress and unfinished work of the sexual revolution, offering profound insights for anyone grappling with desire, autonomy, and authentic connection.

Hardcover format. Published by Penguin. Made in USA.