Description
Book SynopsisSexidemic is the first real cultural history of sexuality in the United States since the end of World War II. For a people who supposedly love sex, the author argues, Americans have had no shortage of problems with it. Since the end of World War II, in fact, we've had a contentious relationship with sexuality, the subject a source of considerable tension and controversy on both an individual and societal level. Rather than being a simple pleasure of life, something to be enjoyed, sex has served as a challenging and disruptive force in many Americans' everyday lives for the last two-thirds of a century. Our love affair with sex has thus been a rocky one, filled with bumps in the road that have caused major instability across our cultural landscape. Our individualistic, competitive, consumerist, and anxious national character is both reflected in and reinforced by this sexidemic, something few have recognized or perhaps want to admit. By charting the cultural trajectory of sex in America
Trade ReviewSamuel (founder, Culture Planning LLC, a resource offering cultural insights to Fortune 500 companies) writes what is described as the “first real cultural history of the sexuality in the United States since the end of World War II.” As promised, the history begins in the 1940s, quickly moving forward to include such important icons in American sex history as Dr. Alfred Kinsey, Hugh Hefner, and William H. Masters and Virginia E. Johnson. From there, Samuel chronologically documents American sexual behavior into the first decade of 21st century. Along the way topics discussed include sex education, sex in popular media, changing sexual behaviors, pornography, the AIDS crisis, sex therapy, homosexuality, and sex in politics, capturing the shifting sexual attitudes of America....VERDICT Samuel’s sex history is for the most part from popular media sources....It is recommended to readers who are new to the subject and looking for a summary of significant events surrounding American sexuality since World War II. * Library Journal *
In the “first real cultural history of sexuality in the United States since the end of World War II,” Samuel (The American Dream: A Cultural History) provides a thoughtful overview and analysis of the complicated attitude and approach Americans have taken towards sex over the past six decades. From The Joy of Sex to Fifty Shades of Grey, Playboy to the Internet, swingers to abstinence clubs, he covers the pendulum of acceptance and repression, and includes discussion of how experts like Kinsey, Masters and Johnson, and Dr. Ruth have influenced the field. While Samuel leans towards a dry, just-the-facts approach as gleaned from magazines, newspapers, and pop culture, he keeps the ball rolling through the years, providing numerous leaping off points for further study. The result is a provocative look at how America’s Puritan heritage continues to inform cultural attitudes, leading to an uncomfortable, even unhealthy relationship with sex. Samuel claims that “the problems associated with sex have outweighed the pleasures it has offered,” and he may be right, given a half century’s evidence. * Publishers Weekly *
In this intriguing exploration of Americans' love/hate relationship with sex, Lawrence Samuel considers why, after decades of obsession and revolution, we remain sexually anxious and distressed. A lively read on a subject that interests everyone. -- Elaine Tyler May, author of America and the Pill: A History of Promise, Peril and Liberation
Sexidemic offers a whirlwind tour of the complex and often-fraught relationship between Americans and sex during the past half-century. The story, which takes us from the Kinsey Report to Queer as Folk, is revealing and raises a number of provocative and important questions. -- Simon Hall
Table of ContentsIntroduction 1: Pillow Talk 2: Easy Rider 3: Carnal Knowledge 4: Fatal Attraction 5: Indecent Exposure 6: Ice Age Conclusion Bibliography Index
