Easy nonfiction read when I was feeling a little overwhelmed and down. Lot's of fun. Actually learned a good deal of random sex and fertility gods, goddesses, cults, and rituals. Refreshing LGBT accepting, though very obviously written from an overeager ally (you know the type). I found this book unfortunately pretty repetitive by about halfway through and the short nature of all the texts made me a little annoyed. Definitely a highbrow bathroom book.

I have over 250 highlights in this thing though. Pick it up for yourself. ( )

Pleasant enough but not very satisfying (rimshot). The topics are very scattershot. I liked her list of sources which include the Courtesans and Fishcakes author. It would have been improved by more smut or a focus on one era. *All* of ancient Greek and Roman history is a smidge too wide of a canvas to fill. ( )

I previously read León’s 4000 Years of Uppity Women and was disappointed with the layout and how brief the biographies actually were, so when The Joy of Sexus started with actual chapters, detailed descriptions, and a cohesive narrative, I was very excited. If Sexus was 200 pages instead of 320, I’d be writing a very different review.

Unfortunately, there just didn’t seem to be enough material to cover an entire book. 45 pages in, loved it. 150 pages and it started to feel repetitive. 280 pages and I was actively wishing for a reprieve. Maybe it needed to stretch into love and sex in the medieval time periods. Maybe it could have elaborated more on the stories it presented. Regardless, by the time section VII - For the Love of it - Pure Passions took an interlude into how awesome dolphins are, it was obvious the source material just wasn’t there. (The sections are very odd and arbitrary. Section VII covers empresses who became goddesses and section VIII - Demon Lovers & Gods Dark & Light, where you would expect that chapter, instead covers Amazons.)

Some of the facts were common knowledge, but much of the book was new to me and it did cover an interesting array of topics. It was presented in a fun, lively way that kept the book from feeling too textbook-y, but I did feel that much of the dialogue was too spiced up, such as this excerpt regarding Teiresias the Seer’s blinding at the hands of the gods:

Zeus hung his head. “I feel terrible,” he said.
Grimacing, Teiresias said, “You feel terrible? Try getting your eyes gouged out, and then get back to me.”
“I’m going to give you the gift of prophecy,” Zeus said. “It’s the least I can do. Oh, and instead of one lifetime, you can have seven.”
“What about my eyesight?” Teiresias asked.
“No can undo,” Zeus said, looking nervously over his shoulder for Hera.

First, the dialogue is presented like quotes, which rubbed me the wrong way in a nonfiction account, but worse, it’s poorly written and reads to me like a YA fantasy novel. It’s a stylistic choice that actually took me out of the book instead of making history relatable, as I suspect it was intended.

I did really enjoy learning about Hymen, god of maidenheads and marriage ceremonies, and the Erotes. I highlighted and made a lot of notes about the interesting facts and etymology of words. I wish the section on transsexuality had presented it better, as it seemed the book was confusing it with crossdressing or homosexuality. And the author did take a very odd detour on why sperm donation causes inbreeding in modern society, but most of the topics were handled very sensitively with a definite focus on women’s history and rights. In the end, it was a promising, engaging beginning that didn’t know where to cut off. It may be more successful as something to refer to, rather than read straight through. ( )

I reviewed the Joy of Sexus by Vicki Leon, in exchange for review from Netgalley. The book was published by Walker and Company. The book discussed the history of sex throughout the ages. I enjoyed reading about the different aphrodisiacs and anti-potency remedies. Some of the aphrodisiacs included mandrake roots, satyrion, red coral, and wormwood. People also used herbal potions and plants; amulets and rubs; and also inserted hair, excretions, and nail clippings to improve potency.
On the other hand, sometimes people wanted to lower their mate's sex drive by using hippo forehead; mouse dung; wine, in which a mullet has drowned in; or male urine in which a lizard was killed.

The book was an interesting read. I loved reading it. Definitely am thinking about buying a print edition. ( )

Note: I received this book via Netgalley.

An interestingly taboo topic. This book was very informative and attention-grabbing to read. This book makes history fun and enjoyable to read (and not just because of the topic), the narratives and descriptions were well done and the research was obviously extensive. Overall, it was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it and not just to history majors!

Also on http://lrjohnson13.blogspot.com/2012/11/arc-review-joy-of-sexus-lust-love-and.ht... ( )