A Natural History of Sex (The Curious Naturalist Series) [Paperback]

Adrian Forsyth (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1993

Described by the author as a book "about the weird diversity of sexual behavior," A Natural History of Sex explores "how to look at life, how to analyze and speculate about why something is as it is and not otherwise." In a series of engaging essays, Forsyth considers a host of more specific questions, which run the gamut from the obscure and the bizarre to the familiar. Why do roosters crow and waggle their wattles? Why does it benefit the female human to remain inscrutable about her sexual cycle? Who instituted monogamy? Why would a male mite copulate with its mother? Why does the male bedbug drive its "outlandish, formidable penis" into the female's abdomen? Forsyth's highly observational mind ranges over the natural world, revealing the seemingly random patterns and consequences of animal sexual behavior. This classic reference is a must for anyone who has ever wondered just what it is that makes the world go round.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

An award-winning natural-science writer, Adrian Forsyth is a senior biodiversity scientist based at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. He is also the author of The Nature of Birds, Portraits of the Rainforest, Mammals of North America: Temperate and Arctic Regions and How Monkeys Make Chocolate.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Mariner Books (March 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0963159186
• ISBN-13: 978-0963159182
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #415,869 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars INteresting reading, August 30, 2002

By 

Puneet Tanwar (Hyderabad) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Natural History of Sex: The Ecology and Evolution of Mating Behavior (Paperback)

Lots of VERY interesting facts and pretty good analysis+presentation.
The book is not very comprehensive in dealing with issues - perhaps that is its strength. I have enjoyed reading Dawkins, Gould, Maynard Smith before. This book is only slightly less enjoyable. I will tuck it between 'Red Queen (Matt Ridley)' and 'Promiscuity (Tim Birkhead)' with 'The Mating Mind (Geoffrey Miller)' somewhere nearby in my library.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting and thoughful - good book, January 31, 2006

By 

Dennis R. Mitton "tolstoy" (Eastern Washington, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Natural History of Sex: The Ecology and Evolution of Mating Behavior (Paperback)

This is a great book to have lying around for a quick read. Topics include such cocktail party favorites as sperm competition and internal fertilization, the effectiveness of abortion in animals, progeny without sex, and tons more great stuff. Forsyth writes well and has an obvious passion for his topic. For us biologist types this is the stuff that spiced up our seventh grade conversations - for others to whom these stories are new the book will likely challenge a whole lot of preconceived ideas about animals as well as humans.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars interesting evolution facts and mating habits, April 4, 2000

By 

susan molnar (Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Natural History of Sex (The Curious Naturalist Series) (Paperback)

This short but informative paperback is packed with interesting facts. It also gives great insight to many mating behaviors to help beginners learn about what shapes our evolutionary sexual behaviors. The book is not widely available but could also be used as a great learning tool in classrooms.