What's Love Got to Do with It?

Rating:
Summary: Superficial approach to genetic psychology
Review: After a couple more years of education and reading, I have to look back and re-review this book.

Frankly, the reader from Ohio is correct; this book isn't perfect, is redundant, and I definitely cannot accept it as an introduction into these sorts of topics.

Rather, I'd like to turn your attention towards a far better book, "Anatomy of Love" by Helen Fisher, Ph.D.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting thesis, but redundant to the point of boredom.
Review: I couldn't put this book down -- maybe it was just the topic (sex), or maybe it was the fact that I'm a student of Anthropology. Whatever. I suggest this book to anyone curious!

Rating:
Summary: Interesting, thoughtful and informative
Review: I found that this book balances scientific data, psychological research, the author's personal experiences and area of expertise, and cultural influences on human sexuality very well. The end result is a thoughtful discussion of human sexuality - why we have strong sexual urges, how millions of years of evolution still affect us today, some of the qualities people look for in mates, and so forth.

While there is a certain level of repetition in the book - which the author, I believe, does in order to stress her main points - I did not find it redundant or dull; instead, I found myself coming away from the book with a clear sense of her position, which is not always the case with books exploring scientific subjects and incorporating information from different disciplines. The concrete examples with which she illustrates her points are well chosen, and I also appreciated her honesty about her own limitations in describing male sexuality.

I truly enjoyed this book and learned a great deal from it, from the physiological changes that occur during sexual arousal to the complex interactions between culture and biology, the obsession with finding a 'cause' of male homosexuality and the possibility that AIDS may, in some manner, affect human evolution. I think that those looking for an accessible, thoughtful, broad and informative overview of human sexuality will find this particular book a fascinating and educating read, one I recommend highly.

Rating:
Summary: An insightful overview of human behavior.
Review: This book is an honest look at human sexual behavior. It covers a broad range of topics and offers some possible explanations for our sometimes confusing behavior. I liked the fact that the author used information from a variety of scientific areas: evolution, psychology, physiology, anthropology, etc., to explore this fascinating topic.

Rating:
Summary: Superficial approach to genetic psychology
Review: This is a very easy-to-read book on the genetic or evolutionary basis of sexual behavior. However, in an attempt to make the topic acceptable as a popular psychology piece of writing, the author's coverage of issues such as mating choices, sexual behavior, etc. is very bland and superficial.

The entire book is based on assertions not backed up by research. This leads the book to look like a compendium on urban folklore rather than an introduction to evolutionary psychology. The very superficial explanations given to topics such as "why humans is the only species whose females have developed breasts" or "why even married men masturbate" make a mockery of what properly researched genetics have found.

Anyone wishing to learn about evolutionary psychology applied to human sexual behaviour is recommended to read "The Evolution of Desire" by David Buss. Probably the best thing written for readers with limited background on the subject matter.