Sex and the Aging Male: Understanding and Coping with Change [Paperback]

Robert W. Birch (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2001

Sex and the Aging Male is written for men 45 years of age and older. Dr. Birch, himself an aging male, takes a realistic look at the inevitable sexual consequences of aging, and offers advice on how to keep a sensual and sexual relationship going before running off for that free sample of Viagra! This book is not about having a firm erection... it is about being a wonderfully sensuous lover for a lifetime. This sexologist author reminds men that physicians can certainly add years to their lives, but men must also add life to their years. Staying sexually active during later years of life depends on understand and effectively coping with the changes that will occur. This book prepares men for the inevitable, but offers suggestions for keeping the passion alive.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Robert W. Birch, Ph.D., is a retired relationship and sex therapist, having practiced as a psychologist for 35 years. In his retirement he writes sexuality self-help books and articles, maintains two educational web sites, and answers sex and relationship e-mailed questions. He is active in his local Mental Health Association and as a volunteer for the county Hospice.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

We men describe ourselves in many ways - by the work we have done, the money we have made, the children we have fathered, and, for many, our ability to perform sexually. The ability to share a full, rich and mutually satisfying erotic experience with a special partner has been the essence of our identity as a sexual male. There was a time, however, when it was generally assumed that a man's sexuality would end as he entered the fifth decade of his life, if not sooner. Beyond that arbitrary limit, a man who continued to think about sex would run the risk of being labeled a "dirty old man" by those younger than he. It was assumed that women, by nature, were inevitably less sexual than their male partners and, moreover, once they entered menopause would quickly lose any sexual desire they might have had. As bodies bulged and sagged, and hair grayed and thinned, both the aging male and aging female were apparently assumed to be thinking of matters far less erotic.

Many books have been written on the topic of the various pills, props, and pumps available for the man with an unreliable penis, and there are books that spell out in great detail the multiple physical resons why this valued, but rebellious, aging male appendage misbehaves as it does. There are also volumes of statistics resulting from seemingly endless sex surveys, studies and inventories. However, I am neither a physician nor a sex researcher and I will not, therefore, repeat what might be found in these prestigious scientific and academic resources. Rather, it is my intent to present a more human, practical, and even playful look at sex and the aging male.

Product Details

• Paperback: 125 pages
• Publisher: Pec Pub; Expanded edition (August 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570744823
• ISBN-13: 978-1570744822
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #992,204 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Bob was a psychologist specializing in marital and sex therapy for over 35 years. Oral Caress was one of his first books and most of his self-help books, such as Male Sexual Endurance, were written while he was still in practice. When he retired in 1998 he began writing in earnest, branching off into the writing of erotic romance novels, short stories and poetry, both naughty and nice.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Common sense goes a long way ---, April 10, 2007

By 

kellytwo "kellytwo" (cleveland hts, ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sex and the Aging Male: Understanding and Coping with Change (Paperback)

The title of this book might lead some to believe it is meant only for men to read. Not so! While it might perhaps be of more immediate concern to men, women should also read it, if they are in a relationship or want to be in one. It would be especially helpful to those who've not been in a physical relationship for a while, and wonder what to expect should such a situation occur.

This book will go a long way toward easing concerns from older people of either sex. After all, if human life expectancy has nearly doubled in the last fifty or so years, then why should the sexual expectancy stay the same as it once was? It certainly won't stay that way once the boomers hit 70 and up!

In a very readable style, Dr. Birch explains matters with clarity in a casual, loving and even--sometimes (when appropriate)--witty manner, all the while being comforting to those who aren't quite certain of what their future holds. His frank language leaves no room for quibbles, as it shouldn't. Ambiguity serves no purpose in this kind of discussion. In fact, ambiguity or euphemisms might well hinder the well-meant search for honesty--in both questions and answers, for either male or female readers.

Actually, now that I've finished the book, the only niggle I have is with the title. It could as easily have been `Sex and the Aging Human Body'. With great even-handedness, the author discusses the sexual psychology of both sexes, clearly delineating the various hindrances to be found along life's highways. Any one, of any age, actually, could benefit from reading this book. After all, most people will someday reach the age of being happy to have such common sense advice available to them.

Informative chapters at the back of the book provide information about Sex Therapy and how to find such a therapist should you need one, as well as the Professional Associations which guide this specialty. There is a self questionnaire with reasonable solutions where feasible, and a selected bibliography. Dr. Birch also lists his own books on various topics.