Customer Reviews

The Sex Life of Food: When Body and Soul Meet to Eat

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Author Bunny (yes, really) Crumpacker takes a novel idea and expands it into one of the strangest and most interesting books that have come down the highway in many a moon. In the provocatively titled The Sex Life of Food: When Body and Soul Meet to Eat, an odd correlation is spun between the gratification present in the act of eating and the act of sex. I'm completely serious, that's what this is largely about. Not only are these two topics constantly intertwined in this bizarre book, but by the time you finish reading its 270 pages, a sort of subliminal trick will have been played on you whereby you'll start thinking of the two as relative to one another and wondering how you avoided heretofore seeing this connection! But there's more to this lovingly quirky and exhaustively researched book than that. There are also endless discussions (all wrapping back to the food/sex theme) about food throughout history, the dining preferences of the famous and infamous (including Hitler, a committed vegetarian sickened by the sight of raw meat, and Lizzie Borden force-fed mutton in the three days before her parents' gruesome murders). Bunny also draws us into the realization of how important comfort food is to people. She mentions that during the 1977 Manhattan blackout, guests at a famous hotel ate through stocks of sweets that would otherwise have lasted weeks. She also points out how when we're meeting socially, be it with friends or for business, food, or at least coffee or alcohol--in short the consumption of SOMETHING--is nearly always present. After reading about food in all its erotic, exotic, sensual, sensuous, neurotic, sinful, innocent and masterful glory, I felt like I'd just discovered that someone I'd known my entire life had a secret existence I knew nothing about. This book is really more about human psychology and culture than it is about foodstuffs, and what it tells about us all is more than a little shocking. A fun book with a great cover. Check it out sometime!

If anyone doubts the connection between food and sex they should go watch the old 1963 movie 'Tom Jones.' Or, of course, they could read this book. It's not a highbrow intellectual text on the psychological connection between the two. It is, instead, a series of stories, facts, quotations, and other tidbits. Inbetween it is witty, light, and on occassion downright funny (especially the chapter on the heating habits of selected politicians). One thing the book is not, is that it is definitely not a cookbook. There are no recipies guaranteed to turn the other person on (or off).

Strangely enough, as I read through the book, it seemed almost like all of this was known. A deja vu of the mind so to speak. But I had never consciencely though through what she was saying. I found the book totally enjoyable, informative as well as entertaining. It would be a good choice for an airplane ride, or maybe just one of the dreary, rainy spring weekends.

Perhaps I was hoping for something in the vein of Diane Ackerman's Natural History of the Senses or Michael Pollan's Botany of Desire; works that, while not scholarly, have a bit of depth and are at the same time engaging and entertaining.
The Sex Life of Food is not in that category. To me, it read like a collection of superficial factoids punctuated with rather obvious observations and conclusions.

"The Sex Life of Food" could be more aptly named: "The Sensual Life of Food," or "Culinary Seduction." Within the pages we find fascinating details about foods we love and why foods are considered masculine or feminine.

Bunny Crumpacker begins by pointing out the inconsistencies of our food choices and then delves into a brief history of food. Soon you find yourself in a wild romp through a meticulously researched book.

At times Bunny Crumpacker seems to hop from one topic to another while at other times she finds herself caught up in a topic that needs further investigation. The topics range from wedding cakes to fairy tales and from politics to the Aztecs. What do presidents love to eat? When did people start using cutlery? To conclude the book, there are a few recipes. Basil Cheese with Walnuts and Artichoke Hummus looked interesting.

The writing is at some times erratic, jumping from point to point. This makes the book more exciting and the writing style is at times highly sensual. If you are looking for some fresh food writing and you love history then this book may please you.

~The Rebecca Review

The author cannot resist leaving out her political biases. Basically, Republican presidents eat baby food while Democrats eat grown up food with gusto. I can't believe I actually supported the livelihood of such a limited mind.