UNDERSTANDING HUMAN SEXUALITY

by Janet Shibley Hyde, John Delamater

Since its conception, Understanding Human Sexuality has achieved distinction and success by following the science of human sexuality. The first of the modern sexuality textbooks, Understanding Human Sexuality introduced this topic to students through the science that has uncovered what we know about the field. Groundbreaking when it first appeared, this research-based tradition continues to result in a contemporary, balanced introduction to human sexuality in an integrated learning system that engages students in learning the content of the course, about others, and about themselves.

Genres: Psychology, Textbooks, Nonfiction, Biology, Sexuality, Counselling, Reference

Paperback

First published June 1, 2013

Reviews

[Rylee]

I did not read 1500 pages of this textbook this semester just to not count it towards my goodreads goal

[Julia Stadnik · Rating 4 out of 5]

(15th ed.) pretty good and comprehensive sex ed, very US centric though, and not the best source on LGBT issues in my opinion

yes i logged this bc i had to read this for a class

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Comprehensive as an introduction, but doesn't delve too deeply into any one topic

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

honestly for a textbook it gave me a good giggle sometimes

[Grace · Rating 2 out of 5]

Summary-
Very poor job communicating topics. Political ranting that doesn’t effectively emphasize its importance, or connect with the topic. Author highlights topics/vocab as important, then doesn’t explain why it’s relevant or even give a thoughtful definition. Odd jabs at men throughout the book that aren’t necessary or very relevant, or even a bit harmful imo. Not worth the read if you’re interested in learning about the biology and psychology of human sexuality, but OK if you want a quick overview.


It doesn’t feel like anything was ever discussed in detail, except for rants about stereotypes, race, feminism, etc throughout the textbook. All of these are very important factors when talking about sexuality, but I personally had a hard time finding her reasoning for the rants. She did a poor job connecting social ideas with the science of human sexuality.
The author would also make statements and not discuss further, for example she states one pelvic floor muscle is particularly important, and that it can be stretched during childbirth, or weak. However, it can be strengthened through pelvic floor exercises, which is recommended by therapists (a near exact paraphrase). She never states WHY this muscle is important or what its function was, or how it is relevant to the reading. This happens too often in the book, making it imo a pointless read.

There were also odd jabs at men in particular (after she rants about inclusion!) which sucks because, speaking as a woman, this should be educational and not feel exclusive for women readers.
For example, her first sentence in chapter 4, Sexual Anatomy, is the quote by Dave Berry: “It is a well-documented fact that guys will not ask for directions. This is a biological thing. This is why it takes several million sperm cells... to locate a female egg, despite the fact that the egg is, relative to them, the size of Wisconsin.”
Sure, it’s a bit funny, maybe for a TedTalk, but the author had not previously talked about the psychology or biology of men, and never discusses this quote. After the quote, it jumps into female anatomy. It feels like an unnecessary jab at men, and sets the tone for the chapter as a bit demeaning.
In a previous chapter, she made a statement that implies men are not victims of r**e, so this joke really didn’t fit right. I’m assuming she doesn’t actually think men cannot be victims, but really poor communication from the author.

Maybe I’m missing something, but it really was not a great book if you want to understand human sexuality

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was probably the most comprehensive sex education that I've ever had in my life. This book covered a wide range of topics, some of which weren't even included in my own sex ed in elementary/middle school. The readings were long and it felt like it took forever to get through, but most of the information was pretty interesting. What I really enjoyed about this textbook was the amount of diversity. The textbook highlights sexuality pertaining to LGBTQ+ individuals, disabled individuals, and ethnocultural communities within Canada, as well as human beings throughout the life cycle, acknowledging that both young and old can be sexual beings. The authors portrayed information in an objective and factual manner, which was inclusive of diverse individuals. It highlighted injustices prevalent within our society, and explained to the reader why it was so important to address such areas. Overall, I think that the textbook was a helpful addition to my course, and I hope that sex education in the future can only continue to be improved and built upon.

[Angel Suarez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very thorough, expansive and informative. I know I will be using it again for years to come. But way too pricey. Also it takes an exhaustive long time to read one chapter.

[Tessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wist veel al. Wel goede nuances en aanmoedigem voor kritisch zijn op onderzoeksconclusies. Geen kinderachtige plaatjes maar gewoon de hele shabang, dus dat is mooi. Oh en mijn god, zo Amerikaans haha

[Sophia K · Rating 3 out of 5]

didn’t read 1500 pages for this class to not count it towards good reads

[sarah wilms · Rating 4 out of 5]

funny for a textbook!

[Heldspaces · Rating 2 out of 5]

did well in course but the textbook itself was so hard to navigate

[Nonniereads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gives a good basic overview about human sexuality. The text reads easy, and supposable difficult concepts are explained clearly. The authors aren't shy to joke here and there, making it at some times an even fun read.
Nevertheless, the book focusses heavily on American society, and is very heteronormative and cisgendered. But to defend the authors a bit on this part; they acknowledged this in the first chapter immediately.
If you can accept this while reading, you will find that the book is open-minded and very science-driven.
If you will not be able to accept this, then the book will be a tough cookie to consume.

Overall, I am not disappointed by the book, and read it enthusiastically for my course.
Btw, according to my sexology professor, this book is the best and most inclusive book about human sexuality.

[Alyssa · Rating 2 out of 5]

(TW: SA)
It was actually kind of interesting, some parts were great and I wish I could give a higher score, but SO much incorrect information as well. The queerness chapter had so much wrong, and that wasn’t all. It’s so obvious this book was written by cishet people. Also, the way they discuss SA is mostly completely awful as an approach.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though some of the illustrations border on the humorous, this is a very well put together textbook that is both interesting and easy to read. The authors manage to convey the information in a clear and consise method without taking themsleves too seriously. Excellent textbook.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book cover to cover for a university Human Sexuality class. Full of information, a lot of it interesting, some of it not relevant or inaccurate. Overall a useful book that covers many important topics surrounding human sexuality.

[Rose Boyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a difficult book for me. Part of it were amazingly educational, some parts were too graphic. If you want to know about what's new in sexual behavior and research in 2015, this is the book for you.

[Adrianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

From my "Human Sexuality" course in college. Very informative and detailed explanations of the physical, emotional and intellectual aspect of human sexuality.

[Mindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The version I have was published in 2003, but when I added the original publish date (for the 1st edition), it changed it to 1979. Anyway, it was a moderately interesting and informative book.

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really interesting text book and insightful into how the world at large (as opposed to just the Christian world) views sexuality and what's normal or not.

[Pamela]

There were parts of my anatomy that I did not even know existed!
Very informative, interesting and non-biased. Some of the issues seemed a little outdated, but it was a great read.

[Morgan Pries · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, yes, this is a 600-page textbook. Was I reading it leisurely for fun? No, but nonetheless it had a profound effect on me. There is so much valuable information wrapped up in this text - I ordered a printed out version just so I could have it readily accessible for years to come. Human sexuality is still treated as such a taboo subject in today's society that we risk being uninformed on key topics. I feel I can better operate as a woman, friend, and member of the community after this read. Maybe I was supposed to study psychology after all...