Sex and the City: A Cultural History

In this insightful look back at the show that made Cosmos and Manolo Blahnik household names, award-winning Evelina (LJ’s 2018 Missouri Top Independent Author; The Once and Future Queen) compiles years of previously published interviews, articles, and studies on the impact Sex and the City had on television, women, and society. First waxing nostalgic, Evelina asserts that the show is a traditional fairy tale, with fairy godmothers for each of the main characters (New York City is Carrie’s) and white knights who rescue the princesses. The author stresses the importance of the groundbreaking portrayals of single women in the 1990s, complete with sexual liberation, third-wave feminism, and unprecedented sartorial successes. She also delves into the series’ problematic issues—a predominant theme of accepted toxic masculinity (Big is an alpha who blatantly stalks Carrie), a lack of diversity in race and sexual orientation, and tropes and slurs used by the main characters. The controversial abortion episode is briefly discussed, and the divisive prequel, movies, and recent reboot are dissected. The book ends with a summary of the 31 “most important” episodes.