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Sperm Wars: Infidelity, Sexual Conflict, and Other Bedroom Battles [Paperback]

Robin Baker (Author)
4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Published to acclaim and controversy a decade ago, Sperm Wars is a revolutionary thesis about sex that turned centuries-old biological assumptions on their head.

Evolution has programmed men to conquer and monopolize women while women, without ever knowing they are doing it, seek the best genetic input on offer from potential sexual partners.

In this book, best-selling author Robin Baker reveals these new facts of life: ten percent of children are not fathered by their "fathers;" less than one percent of a man’s sperm is capable of fertilizing anything (the rest is there to fight off all other men’s sperm); "smart" vaginal mucus encourages some sperm but blocks others; and a woman is far more likely to conceive through a casual fling than through sex with her regular partner.

It’s no wonder that Sperm Wars is a classic of popular science writing that will surprise, entertain, and even shock.

About the Author

Robin Baker is a bestselling author in the field of sexual biology whose books include SPERM WARS (Basic, 1996), BABY WARS (Ecco, 1999), and SEX IN THE FUTURE (Arcade, 2000). From 1980-96 he was Reader in Zoology in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Manchester, and he has over a hundred scientific papers and magazine articles to his name. His work and ideas on the evolution of human behavior have been featured in many television and radio programs around the world.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 400 pages
  • Publisher: Basic Books (January 3, 2006)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1560258489
  • ISBN-13: 978-1560258483
  • Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5 x 1.1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #25,432 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
    #59 in  Books > Health, Mind & Body > Psychology & Counseling > Sexuality > Human
    #80 in  Books > Professional & Technical > Medical > Basic Sciences > Physiology

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More About the Author

Robin Baker
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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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The faces in the creased brown photograph stared impassively at the woman, their gazes spanning the hundred years between them. Read the first page
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sperm warfare, climax during foreplay, seminal pool, younger sperm, mucus channels, next intercourse, orgasm during foreplay, routine intercourse, many more sperm, cervical crypts, routine sex, sperm retention, nocturnal orgasms, young sperm, killer sperm, climax during intercourse, foreplay orgasm, masturbatory orgasm, sperm wars, sperm waiting, fertile phase, female bisexuality, vulval lips, large testes, larger testes
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The Gift of Sex by Clifford Penner
 

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Customer Reviews

20 Reviews
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 (11)
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Average Customer Review
4.2 out of 5 stars (20 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Humans as just another animal, June 26, 2006
By S. Russell (Norman, OK USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Sperm Wars: Infidelity, Sexual Conflict, and Other Bedroom Battles (Paperback)
Among animals, humans seem unusually obsessed with sex and thus a bit separated from the rest of the animal biology, which seems to feature a preponderance of 10-second sex acts. Robin Baker uses a lifetime of university study to try to explain human behavior objectively through case studies and discussions at at rate of one per chapter. It is a mixture of illumination, rationalization and sadly some repetition as the explanations seem to cycle through in the ~33 chapters. Most of the time, he hits his points, but sometimes he seems to miss obvious ones; for instance in the "rough sex" chapter, the woman's reproductive advantage in marrying a mate is discussed but the male perspective in such mate exploration is not. Mate selection by physical endowment is essentially entirely neglected, yet in human societies it is the norm that most people have multiple partners over a lifetime. In fact, in this book sperm wars really alludes to instances in which multiple matings occur in a short enough time span that sperm of different mates are selected in the woman's reproductive tract--a topic of a number of chapters. Practically every sexual combination is presented and explained, even when it is a bit stretched, as for instance the explanation as to why homo- or bisexuality, lesbian or gay behavior may contribute to reproductive success. In his role, the author is largely amoral--an observing biologist trying to explain a role for behavior in reproductive success rather than judging its societal context--though sometimes outcome of the occasional case study seem to bear moral shadings. For those who want to learn about the biology underlying human sexual behavior, this book has some interesting ideas. As a biologist, I found the absence of direct citation of experimental evidence was distracting, as I would prefer seeing whether conjectures withstand scientific analysis, but that is not what this book is about. The current book looks and feels a lot like a second edition of his best-selling book "Sperm Wars" of a decade before, but I do not know that to be the case; I am looking forward to seeing what readers of both volumes say on that point.
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8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars A little disappointing, but worthwhile, July 9, 2007
By A. Helms (NJ, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Sperm Wars: Infidelity, Sexual Conflict, and Other Bedroom Battles (Paperback)
I had high hopes for this book after hearing so many of my friends rave about it. However, I was a little let down. First of all, there are no foot-notes or citations for any of the claims/statistics that Baker writes about. I understand that the book reads easier without them, but it takes a lot of the credibility away from the message. Also, the constant referral to previous/future "scenes" (37 small stories) throughout the book really made it difficult to follow.

I read in a couple other reviews for this book that a lot of the "science" Baker writes about has been proved wrong. One of the reviewers actually posted a link to a scientific article which conducted some experiments contradictory to Baker's research, so if you feel inclined it's on this website somewhere.

Anyway, the book did have a couple (valid) discoveries that were new to me, so all was not lost. Just wish Baker had done a better job of backing up his research!
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17 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Updated Book Even Better than the First!, January 10, 2006
This review is from: Sperm Wars: Infidelity, Sexual Conflict, and Other Bedroom Battles (Paperback)
This updated version of Baker's landmark book has provided readers with updated statistics, new research that further proves that attraction and passion has less to do with flowers and more to do with chemical reactions actually taking place within the body.

Baker's research and analysis will give men pause, and realize how important it is to integrate the best of the 'bad boy' into the terrific, redeeming qualities of a great, confident man!

I wish these books were out 10 years ago!

- GiddyupGuy.com
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

2.0 out of 5 stars Sex is fun, this book . . . less so.
This book is just really weirdly written. Each chapter begins with a little soft-core porn scenario - like something you'd find in a romance novel, only slightly less sexy. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Chelsea K. Wise

5.0 out of 5 stars This book speaks in volumes.
This book is quite a find. Even though that this book claims that the stories of all the characters and events that took place are fictional, I can't help but feel that some, (if... Read more
Published 6 months ago by V. Abernathy

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent book
Author has done some thorough research on the science of sperm war. His writing is engaging and easy to read. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Grace Defloreis

2.0 out of 5 stars meh
I was hoping for something along the lines of "The Moral Animal." This book cites no sources, too much fluff, and seems like just hypothesis. Read more
Published 11 months ago by olz

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT
Very informative book. I learned so much that I would've never guessed. The fictional stories in the book are well written and hot too!
Published 13 months ago by DIGlassworks

5.0 out of 5 stars Infidelity academically defined
The book is mind boggling. The book compels you to question what you believe determines human sexuality. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Jude Nguyen

5.0 out of 5 stars Very informative
This book is well researched and alternates between enticing stories and scientific explanations. A must read!
Published 17 months ago by Annick De Zutter

5.0 out of 5 stars Great perspective
I was suggested this book and happy that it was. Robin Baker explains sex and sexual behaviors in a more instinctual way. Read more
Published 19 months ago by R. Schramm

4.0 out of 5 stars Astounding Biological Revelations in an Easy-to-Read Package
This book is amazingly interesting. It reveals biological facts around sexuality that are astounding (and, for me, somewhat disconcerting). Read more
Published 20 months ago by Caslon

4.0 out of 5 stars Whoa!
Very interesting book. Highly thoughtful and well written. I dont agree with everything in here, but it was fun to read, and i will never think of sex quite the same again. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Travel Hound

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