Sex at Dawn

How We Mate, Why We Stray, and What It Means for Modern Relationships

By: Christopher Ryan, Cacilda Jetha

Narrated by: Allyson Johnson, Jonathan Davis, Christopher Ryan (Preface)

Length: 10 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

Earphones Award Winner (AudioFile Magazine)

Since Darwin's day, we've been told that sexual monogamy comes naturally to our species. Mainstream science - as well as religious and cultural institutions - has maintained that men and women evolved in families in which a man's possessions and protection were exchanged for a woman's fertility and fidelity. But this narrative is collapsing. Fewer and fewer couples are getting married, and divorce rates keep climbing as adultery and flagging libido drag down even seemingly solid marriages.

How can reality be reconciled with the accepted narrative? It can't be, according to renegade thinkers Christopher Ryan and Cacilda Jetha. While debunking almost everything we "know" about sex, they offer a bold alternative explanation in this provocative and brilliant book.

Ryan and Jetha's central contention is that human beings evolved in egalitarian groups that shared food, child care, and, often, sexual partners. Weaving together convergent, frequently overlooked evidence from anthropology, archaeology, primatology, anatomy, and psychosexuality, the authors show how far from human nature monogamy really is. Human beings everywhere and in every era have confronted the same familiar, intimate situations in surprisingly different ways. The authors expose the ancient roots of human sexuality while pointing toward a more optimistic future illuminated by our innate capacities for love, cooperation, and generosity.

BONUS AUDIO: Includes a Preface written and read by author Christopher Ryan.

©2010 Christopher Ryan, Cacilda Jetha (P)2010 Audible, Inc

Critic reviews

"A surprisingly non-titillating book about sex among prehistoric people makes for a terrific audio adaptation...With their straightforward approach, the narrators show professionalism and authority in this anthropological discussion of sex." ( AudioFile)

“ Sex at Dawn is the single most important book about human sexuality since Alfred Kinsey unleashed Sexual Behavior in the Human Male on the American public in 1948.” (Dan Savage)

"My favorite book of 2010...it's the only book I read this year that proved that I was badly mistaken about something." (Peter Sagal, host of NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!)

Awesome perspective.

Very engaging and stimulating content. Question everything. A good practice and well laid out. I highly recommend it to anyone considering sex or judging anyone else's sexual life.

Great read with reservations

A great read that will make you challenge many assumptions about how or society views marriage. Though I question whether they were picking and choosing which scientific evidence they used based on wanting to support their narrative. It seems to me they were dismissing evidence of what they call "The Standard Narrative" too quickly. Though overall I do agree with much of the book and it's definitely will make you think.

Amazing

When you read it, you will stop feeling guilty about your actions and feelings. Enjoy it

Amazing

Captivating and well written with hints of humour the whole way through! Well worth a read.

Must read

If every one had read this book the world would be a better place. Very insightful and well researched. I would be buying the hard copy too just to have it as a reference. Narration is pleasant and easy to listen to so I gulped it down in one sitting. Well worth the money.

Excellent book

A very easy to understand work demonstrating the logic of evolutionary psychology with regards to sex and human behavior. I've read several and this is among the best of all of them.

Amazing Book

There should be a mandatory course on this subject at every college, because how important this information is for your health, sexuality and relationships. Read it and make sure your kids read it as well. Thank you! I have learned so much!!!!!

Very interesting and provocative!

For anyone who has experienced infidelity, or those possessing the propensity to cheat, this is a fantastic exploration of the possibilities of causes for adultery. It's about time that we start to question our societal rules that do not seem to be working for everyone. Although void of any solid societal solutions, it is the beginning of a conversation that should take place in all relationships and transfer to our society. At the very least. It helps those involved in sexual straying either mentally or physically to gain some valuable insights. It is definitely not the cut and dry topic that religion, society, and laws put forth!

Book club selection

I bought this because it was my book club's selection. While I expected it to,be about sex in early man, I didn't expect all the other evolutionary science that went with it. Great book, and I expect a great discussion.

fantastic!

What an incredible insight into our past and our present, clearing up so much misinformation of ours and other species' relationships! Behold the future we should look to to offer our species a healthy freedom and our society options for more truthful and fluid social-sexual dynamics.