A review by kingofspain93
Sex at Dawn: The Prehistoric Origins of Modern Sexuality by Cacilda Jetha, Christopher Ryan

Did not finish book. Stopped at 50%.

I was sooooo down for this book conceptually, and possibly it is a useful takedown of common myths (evolutionary arguments for sexual monogamy, the inevitability of patriarchy, etc.) for many. I’m really glad it was a best seller! but there was very little in this book that I think needed a book-length treatment, and the writing style didn’t justify it. it was incoherent and anecdotal, and it makes the arguments less convincing than they ought to be when stand-up comedians and non-authorities are quoted alongside scientists and philosophers. if this had been clear and succinct, it could easily have been more effective and half the length without alienating the audience. the topic is critical, the vibe is sloppy.

I do like that the authors argued that our modern conceptualization of sex and gender roles is largely tied to the (very recent) development of agriculture and the massive shifts in capital that brought about. I would be curious to hear addressed post-agricultural societies (like pre-colonization Ireland) that were still extremely egalitarian and sexually open. I was also glad that they explicitly and emphatically named all major world religions as originators of sexual repression and gendered oppression. I wanted this to be so much stronger than it was, though.