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Sperm are from Men, Eggs are from Women
 
 
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Sperm are from Men, Eggs are from Women [Hardcover]

Joe Quirk (Author)
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)


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Kindle Edition $8.99  
Hardcover, Bargain Price $7.98  
Hardcover, May 23, 2006 --  
Paperback $11.16  

Book Description

May 23, 2006
Finally, the answer to why, when it comes to romance, women are coy and men are just clueless--explained from the micro standpoint. Who would have guessed that all of our sexual and social behavior, and even our physical appearance, could be attributed to what our tiny unseen reproductive cells are doing? But that's Quirk's thesis in this highly entertaining book from an Average Guy that's a fun read full of a-ha! moments for scientists and civilians alike. Learn facts about cheating you'll never see on "Jerry Springer," like how unfaithful females actually change the biology of their mates. Discover why most sperm couldn't care less if they never saw an egg, what makes men yell "woo!" in a feminine falsetto--very similar to the mating cry of the Siamang gibbon--and, most important, the surprising answer on what to wear to attract that alpha mate.


Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Wild Kingdom meets Dr. Ruth in Quirk's bawdy guide to species reproduction and the differences between men and women. Each topical chapter compares romantic relationships to sociological, biological, anthropological or zoological findings, all related in Quirk's off-the-cuff prose. The easy reading can be attributed to the fact that Quirk isn't a scientist, but a fiction writer with an interest in science and a knack for finding humor in explaining why people act the way they do. Chapter titles like "Why You're So Horny" and "Why You Like Spielberg more than T.S. Eliot" set the tone for Quirk's revelations on the purpose of body hair ("It's to stink ... Now we know why the French are so sexy"); promiscuity in the animal kingdom ("the faithful sex looks drab, and the slutty sex looks fab"); and art ("I look at Michelangelo's ceiling, and I see a gay man's erotic fantasies"). Men, Quirk writes, are "sperm spreaders" bent on spraying their worthless sperm as frequently and widely as possible, while women are "womb carriers" competing against one another to land the best sperm to fertilize a precious egg. Granted, Quirk's book is far from breaking new scientific ground, but his humorous touch (not to mention the chapter on penguin prostitution) make for a readable and off-beat treatise.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"Sacramento Book Review," September 2008
""It's Not You, It's Biology" is an excellent book for anyone who's been in a relationship, currently in one, or considering starting to visit the dating scene." --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 272 pages
  • Publisher: Running Press (May 23, 2006)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0762426802
  • ISBN-13: 978-0762426805
  • Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #625,786 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Yes, I am both Joe Quirks.

People say the Joe Quirk who writes the science humor can't be the same Joe Quirk who writes the action/adventure fiction. How many Joe Quirks do you think there are? Both guys are me.

Fiction readers. Science readers. Please. I declare a truce between you. Stop accusing the other readers of confusing the two Joe Quirks. They are both me.

This is what happens when authors don't stick to their category. The professionals advised me: "You might want to change your name so you don't confuse and upset your readers." If I did that, I'd have to change my name every book. My marine mammal book is cute and kid-friendly. Yet my first novel drops the F-bomb so many times, I calculate that if I took out every curse word, the book would be 2/3 as long. I don't want to offend the readers of my curse book if they accidentally pick up my cute book. But I can't change my name every book.

It's time I came out of the closet. I am not only Joe Quirk, I am also the other Joe Quirk.

 

Customer Reviews

32 Reviews
5 star:
 (27)
4 star:
 (3)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:
 (2)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.7 out of 5 stars (32 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Pure Genius, May 27, 2007
By 
the wizard of uz (Studio City, CA United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Sperm are from Men, Eggs are from Women (Hardcover)
The best book on sexual evolutionary biology. Why both men and women seem to be on different planets. Hm... is there a catchier title?
Perhaps, but not a better book.

Unfortunately, despite his extensive bibliography, Joe Quirk (What the blazes kind of name is that for a scientific researcher? ) does not have a Phd. Neither is he buddies with Oprah, so I doubt this will top the besteller list.

Never mind. I've suffered through many academese imbued evolutionary snoozefests texts. This one will keep you wide awake, I promise.

What Quirk has is brilliance, and (gasp!) an ability to write. He must have had some alpha ancestors during the pleistocene era that could spin some awesome tales by the campfire.

Among The Table of Contents we find such gems as:

Chapter 9: The Jerk Gene
Chapter 12: Why Women are Coy, Men Clueless
Chapter 26: Free Love Causes War

And, for a smaple paragraph:

" Men are attracted to nubility and health. Women are attracted to nobility and wealth. Both want intelligence, kindness, and opulence.
Both want a good sense of humor. They'll need it. "


As will the reader.
An easy 5 stars.
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Funny and educating!, April 2, 2006
By 
C. Budesilich (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Sperm are from Men, Eggs are from Women (Hardcover)
This book is one of the best examples of grounding real biological insight into the often humorous and more often confusing interations between the sexes. I found myself not being able to put it down, and people on my plane thought I was a little crazy for laughing so much.

A definate read!
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16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Finally an answer to the lame Mars Venus book, June 11, 2006
By 
M. Finnern (San Mateo, CA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Sperm are from Men, Eggs are from Women (Hardcover)
Finally an answer to the lame stereotypes / conclusions based on anecdotal evidence of Men are from Mars ...
Give me the scientific facts and package it in a funny easy to read fashion. That's exactly what Joe did with this book.
On every other page it is like: Oh wow, that makes sense, or I never thought of it from a gene perspective. Very interesting.
Check it out, Mark.
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Inside This Book (learn more)
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
sapiens females, sapiens males, wife strategy, fitness indicator, baboon males, surviving babies, female chimps, reproductive interests, female emotions, long childhoods
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Mother Nature, San Francisco, Bitching Gene, Jerry Springer, Los Angeles, Baker Beach, Slut Scale
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