Description
Book SynopsisExamining semen historically, medically, and culturally, Sperm Counts is a penetrating exploration of its meaning and power
Trade ReviewSperm Counts is a serious book, and the first on its subject. But it also includes anecdotes from Moores life, lending it a more conversational tone than most academic works. The book's margins are even squiggled with sketches of sperm flip the pages and they swim around. (This is a subject matter, after all, that requires a certain degree of levity.) Moore happily lists spermatic nicknames (baby gravy, gentlemen's relish, pimp juice) before skewering, in a later chapter, the burgeoning home sperm-test industry (sample ad slogan: I don't know how that semen got in my underwear!). * Salon.com *
At her best, Moore has a frank, breezy manner that may be partly due to her practical experience outside academe. . . . Sperm Counts is a lively, funny read. -- Camille Paglia * The Chronicle Review *
Cartoon line-drawings of sperm wriggle over each page of text in this dissection of the ways societal views of sperm shape culture. A feminist account backed by sociological and scientific research, Moores academic tome is accessible to the masses. * Bust *
Sperm Counts is careful to include the history of semen research, as well as examining its role today. . . . [Moore] approach[es] the topic of semen with precision and diligence. * Bitch *
So fascinating and fresh. . . . Should be required reading for scholars in sexuality/queer studies, womens and gender studies, social studies of science and cultural studies. . . . Essential. * Choice *
While nearly every point she makes about the hidden significance of sperm is a home run, ultimately, this is an academic sociological study written in an appropriately starchy style. . . . [that] results in a fascinating read packed with conclusions. * City Paper *
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Preface: Sperm Autobiography1 In the Beginning, There Was Sperm 2 Lashing Their Tails: Science Discovers Sperm 3 My Sperm in Shining Armor: Children's Books 4 Overcome: The Money Shot in Pornography and Prostitution 5 The Family Jewels: Sperm Banks and the Crisis of Fatherhood 6 The Little Bit Left Behind: Semen as Evidence 7 The Future of Sperm Methods Appendix: Becoming a Sperm Researcher Notes Index About the Author
