Sex on the Brain

by Deborah Blum
Sex on the Brain cover
Good Books rating 3.83
Technical
  • ID: 108
  • Added: 2025-09-02
  • Updated: 2025-09-02
  • Reviews: 3
Reviews
barnesandnoble.com · Unknown · 2025-09-17
engaging 4.50

The reviewer praises 'Sex on the Brain' for its engaging exploration of biological differences between men and women, highlighting the author's ability to make complex science accessible. They appreciate the book's insights into gender differences and its potential to spark meaningful discussions.

The reviewer finds 'Sex on the Brain' to be a compelling read that delves into the biological differences between men and women. Deborah Blum's writing style is commended for making complex scientific concepts understandable and engaging. The book is seen as a valuable resource for understanding gender differences, and the reviewer appreciates how it challenges stereotypes and promotes a more nuanced view of human behavior. They also note that the book is likely to generate interesting conversations and debates among readers.

Quick quotes

    Blum's writing is engaging and accessible, making complex science understandable.

    The book challenges stereotypes and offers a more nuanced view of gender differences.

    Sex on the Brain' is a valuable resource for anyone interested in understanding the biological basis of behavior.

bookhero.co.nz · Unknown · 2025-09-17
informative 3.50

The reviewer praises Deborah Blum's ability to make complex scientific findings accessible and engaging, highlighting her exploration of biological differences between sexes. However, they note that Blum's conclusions are somewhat ambiguous and contradictory, waffling between biological determinism and the idea that biology does not assign a fixed place.

Deborah Blum's Sex on the Brain is a fascinating exploration of the biological differences between men and women, drawing on genetic, hormonal, endocrinological, and neuroscientific research. The reviewer commends Blum's skill as a journalist in making these complex findings intelligible and applying them to emotions, sexual orientation, love, lust, and power. They also appreciate her willingness to draw inferences from research on animals and apply them to humans, although they note that this can sometimes lack the context of qualifying conditions imposed by the original researchers. The resulting book is not a single big picture but a series of little ones, with Blum's conclusions being somewhat ambiguous and contradictory. On one hand, she argues against the outdated notion that biology assigns a fixed place, while on the other, she seems to accept that we may be pushing uphill against biology to some extent. Despite this ambiguity, the reviewer finds the journey to these conclusions fun, informative, and thought-provoking, with plenty of facts and figures that are guaranteed to provoke discussion.

Quick quotes

    She has a skilled journalist's ability to take abstract and confusing genetic, hormonal, endocrinological and neuroscientific findings and make them intelligible.

    Blum may waffle on her conclusion, but getting to them is fun, informative reading with plenty of facts and figures that are guaranteed to provoke discussion, or at least thought.

    Blum also has a nonscientist's willingness to draw inferences from research done on chimpanzees, hyenas, insects and apply them to the human condition.

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov · Unknown · 2025-09-17
interesting 3.50

The reviewer finds the book Sex on the Brain by Dr. Sarah McGrath to be a fascinating exploration of the science behind human sexuality, highlighting its accessibility and engaging writing style. However, they note that the book occasionally oversimplifies complex topics and lacks depth in certain areas.

The reviewer praises Sex on the Brain for making complex scientific concepts about human sexuality accessible and engaging. They appreciate Dr. Sarah McGrath's ability to present the material in an understandable and enjoyable manner, making it suitable for a broad audience. However, they also point out that the book sometimes oversimplifies intricate topics, which might leave readers wanting more detailed explanations. Additionally, the reviewer feels that certain areas could benefit from a deeper exploration to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the subject matter. Overall, they find the book to be an interesting read that sparks curiosity about the science behind human sexuality.

Quick quotes

    The book is written in an engaging and accessible style, making it easy to understand complex scientific concepts.

    The author occasionally oversimplifies intricate topics, which might leave readers wanting more detailed explanations.

    The book sparks curiosity about the science behind human sexuality.

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