Gigolos, Hallie Lieberman
Gigolos, Hallie Lieberman
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Gigolos
An Exploration of the Men Who Sell Sex and the Women Who Buy It

Author: Hallie Lieberman

Narrator: Beth Hicks, Pete Simonelli

Unabridged: TBD

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 01/26/2027


Synopsis

A wildly entertaining and thought-provoking exploration that challenges our rigid assumptions around the dynamics of sex work—from a sex historian and client

What kind of woman would hire a gigolo?

It’s a question that gripped Hallie Lieberman since living in Berlin, where she first paid for sex, prompting her to go on a Gigolo Quest. What she finds is that the world of gigolos and their clients is more complex than you might expect.

Both sexy and cerebral, Gigolos is an absorbing tapestry of history, reportage, and pop culture critique that tells the story of male sex workers and their female clients. Lieberman takes readers across time and space––from clandestine tea rooms in 1920s New York to contemporary male strip shows in Las Vegas. She encounters escorts–turned–reality TV stars, comedians moonlighting as OnlyFans models, male strippers (past and present), and male escort agencies for women.

She also spoke to countless women who pay for sex, legally and illegally, for a wide variety of reasons: to guarantee an orgasm, to ensure a sexual partner who respected consent, to save a sexless marriage, or to access sexual touch previously barred by disability.

Ranging from heartwarming to hot to hum-drum, these experiences show that sex work is not just about male clients and female sex workers. They also provide a pathway to discuss gender norms, power, and sexuality.

About The Author

Hallie Lieberman is a journalist and historian whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Slate, Wired, and many other outlets. Her previous book is Buzz: A Stimulating History of the Sex Toy.


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Quotes

“From the sheets to the stage and screen, Lieberman lovingly documents how paid male paramours have upended decades of stereotypes about them and their clients. Far from the Don Juans and Deuce Bigalows of the world, the real-life gigolos in Gigolos are complicated and subversive. In a world replete with dick pics, Gigolos remind us that the erotic is still out there, as are the women who really, really want it.”
—Samantha Cole, cofounder of 404 Media and author of How Sex Changed the Internet and the Internet Changed Sex

“Gigolos goes deep inside the hidden worlds of male sex workers that serve female clients. Women who read this book just might discover how, in a patriarchal world, sometimes hiring a sex worker is the safest, most exciting way to get their needs met. Plus, she might learn some great sexual skills. Well researched and entertaining too. Loved it!”
—Dr. Annie Sprinkle, former sex worker turned sex educator and filmmaker