Shirley Conran wrote a bonkbuster to teach schoolgirls about sex
The author and campaigner for maths education died on May 9th, aged 91
Did it excite her? That was what people always wanted to know. They meant sexually, of course, though they didn’t dare to use that word. Did it excite her to write sex scenes? They all seemed to think that she was panting over her keyboard. Certainly Dame Shirley Conran wrote a lot about sex. And she did dare to use the word “sexual”—and indeed “panting”. Not to mention “gasping”, “throbbing” and “writhing”. But she didn’t find it arousing: she was too busy concentrating on her spelling.
This article appeared in the Obituary section of the print edition under the headline “Shirley Conran ”
From the May 18th 2024 edition
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