Who can resist Richard Gordon’s cheeky romp through The Alarming History of
Sex? (Sinclair-Stevenson, £20, ISBN 1 85619 493 0). This so-called
“history” really comprises a haphazard and Anglocentric anthology of the
author’s favourite stories and titbits on the subject. Elizabeth I’s virginity,
Jack the Ripper, Freud and the suffragettes all jostle for an equal say. Expect
laughter, not titillation, and a deceptively informative foray into humanity’s
favourite subject.
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Technology
A Waymo nearly hit me, but I'm still optimistic about driverless cars
Comment
Technology
Robots are about to overtake armed soldiers as the deciders of war
News
Humans
Iron Age Britons may have removed the brains of the dead
News
Life
Frozen squirrel scat preserves ancient DNA from hundreds of species
News
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles
1
Why we should all take quantum physics extremely personally
2
Unpicking endometriosis reveals how it affects more than the pelvis
3
Dinosaur-killing asteroid impact site stayed hot for millions of years
4
Understanding anorexia’s grip on the brain could unlock new therapies
5
Robots are about to overtake armed soldiers as the deciders of war
6
Wildlife thrives in solar farm built on restored peatland
7
The profound effect the heart-brain connection has on your health
8
The last-ditch plan to save coral reefs from utter destruction
9
Can Apple and Google stop children from sharing explicit images?
10
What is a ‘normal’ memory slowdown, and when should I worry?
