“Whether passionate, dutiful, spiritual, or political, kissing has long been part of the human experience. In The Kiss, Barclay illuminates the rich history and changing meanings of kissing over the past thousand years. This is a curious and endlessly surprising cultural history.”

Michelle Arrow, former president of the Australian Historical Association

“This is an impressive piece of work as well as an enjoyable read. In tracing a major form of human expression from the Middle Ages to the later twentieth century, Barclay combines this ambitious range with persuasive analysis.”

Peter N. Stearns, author of "Shame: A Brief History"

“From the medieval Annunciation to the #metoo movement, this insightful account tracks the history of the kiss as sacred and sensual, romantic and political, intimate gesture and public spectacle. Marshaling a huge range of material, including literature, art, letters, film, and science, Barclay presents a compelling history of how the dynamics and transformative power of the kiss have changed. This lucid book exposes the deep roots of how we understand and experience the kiss today.”

Karen Harvey, professor of history, University of Birmingham