Hastings Book Festival – Who Killed Private Life?

We live in an age of unprecedented exposure. Reality TV cameras follow strangers into their bedrooms and breakups. Royals and celebrities bare their souls on podcasts, and teenagers document every detail of their lives on TikTok. 

Today, privacy is not just rare, it is often seen as suspicious. But how did we get here? And what, exactly, are we losing?

In her provocative new book, Strangers and Intimates: The Rise and Fall of Private Life, cultural historian Dr. Tiffany Jenkins argues that our crisis of privacy runs far deeper than social media or surveillance capitalism. Drawing a sweeping narrative from ancient civilizations to today’s hyperconnected world, Dr Jenkins reveals the surprising history of private life; how it was once feared and how it slowly emerged as a cornerstone of human freedom and intimacy.

Now, she argues, that hard-won private realm is under threat. And not just from Big Tech. Long before algorithms and smartphones, the foundations were already being chipped away. Join us for a compelling conversation about how private life was created, why it matters, and what we risk losing as it disappears. 

Dr. Tiffany Jenkins is a writer, cultural historian, and trustee of the British Museum. She has presented several BBC Radio 4 series, including A History of Secrecy, and is the author of Keeping Their Marbles.

Dr Jenkins will be interviewed by local author, journalist and campaigner, Tessa Boase.