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!)

Eye opening experience!

Changed my perspective on human history and relationships. Knowing our history and natural tendencies will help me in my relationship.

great book on human sexuality.

great book. I learned some very interesting things about human sexuality in the world awesome

Slow at first but really great.

My only other complaint is the monotone voices. Has a lot of good information inside.

Unique perspective worth considering

I’ve always believed in monogamy. My parents are still together after decades of marriage and they seem happy.

But the authors have some compelling arguments that the relationship narrative many of us have grown up with isn’t the full story.

I’m glad I read this. Many examples were relevant to stories and experiences from my own life.

Bad recording quality

The book is fantastic- but the recording includes constant high pitched overdrives that is really irritating to listen to.

This book offers a very fact based an informative

I found this book very enlightening and done with a good fact based approach. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the subject.

Changed the way I view the world

Easily one of the best books I've ever read. Staying in a long term relationship will be much easier having read this.

This book is both fascinating and informative

I was turned onto this book by by new boyfriend, who is polyamorous. I was very much on the fence about his sexuality, yet not arbitrarily shutting it down. This book gave me a whole new perspective on human sexuality and morality. Highly recommend to any one who may be questioning their sexual preferences or if you just like learning from well informed people.

fantastic book

Loved all the information in this book! great listen! I would highly recommend this book

Listened to with Husband

The best book we’ve ever listened to together and excellent choice for surprisingly… thinking dirty thoughts in the best way imaginable. Basically a scientific informercial for sex, if you want to subconsciously spice things up in the bedroom and strengthen your marriage through science, not feel so weird about the things you never talk about with your peers or significant other, and break down barriers you never consciously knew were there, listen to this book.
I will be recommending to all of my friends. I’ll maybe wait on the family lol.