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frombethanysbookshelf's review against another edition
4.0
Sex and Philosophy - two things that I've never read in the same book before but now I'm wondering why! A witty, open-minded exploration into our global fascination and embarassments surrounding sex and eroticism. This book was utterly fabulous and yes, there were some uncomfortable moments but then Young would sit and make you think about why on earth you're uncomfortable about something so naturally fun. This book will most definitely f*ck with your mind.
scribepub's review
A spicy examination of the frequently ambivalent, ambiguous and even incongruous ‘tangle’ of eros, libido and romance that we call sex.
Linda Jaivin, The Saturday Paper
Drawing on personal experience, literature, myth, art and philosophy, Young examines how the fragile tension crucial to sexual arousal is akin to a narrative, the way sex highlights the impossibility of knowing another’s pleasure, and how nakedness offers not so much a revelation of someone’s ‘true self’ as an invitation to learn more about that person.
Fiona Capp, Sydney Morning Herald
Young has a deftness with language that lays out complex ideas with such beautifully written digestibility that you feel osmotically clever when you read them.
The Irish Times
A beautiful piece of work. It’s funny. It’s human. It really does make you think about something that’s either put on a pedestal or relegated to the toilet. A triumph.
Krissy Kneen, author of Triptych
Covering everything from ‘what makes sex funny?’ to nakedness through the writing of Zadie Smith and Deborah Levy, it’s a book we could all do with reading.
Stylist
Linda Jaivin, The Saturday Paper
Drawing on personal experience, literature, myth, art and philosophy, Young examines how the fragile tension crucial to sexual arousal is akin to a narrative, the way sex highlights the impossibility of knowing another’s pleasure, and how nakedness offers not so much a revelation of someone’s ‘true self’ as an invitation to learn more about that person.
Fiona Capp, Sydney Morning Herald
Young has a deftness with language that lays out complex ideas with such beautifully written digestibility that you feel osmotically clever when you read them.
The Irish Times
A beautiful piece of work. It’s funny. It’s human. It really does make you think about something that’s either put on a pedestal or relegated to the toilet. A triumph.
Krissy Kneen, author of Triptych
Covering everything from ‘what makes sex funny?’ to nakedness through the writing of Zadie Smith and Deborah Levy, it’s a book we could all do with reading.
Stylist
megusa98's review
3.0
Interesting read.
I did skip some parts of this book, purely because I'm not the biggest fan on constant referral to other people's work instead of the author's own thoughts.
Massive list of sources in the bibliography to each essay section though, which may be helpful for others who write on this topic.
I did skip some parts of this book, purely because I'm not the biggest fan on constant referral to other people's work instead of the author's own thoughts.
Massive list of sources in the bibliography to each essay section though, which may be helpful for others who write on this topic.
witmol's review
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
Plenty of interesting points raised but nothing that I could really take away. I felt the philosophy was synthesis rather than analysis and a lot of the mentions weren't given enough context for a non-philosopher to understand. Got very lost at Rousseau.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Rape and Sexual violence
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