Why Women Have Sex

By: Cindy M. Meston, David M. Buss

Narrated by: Renee Raudman

Length: 11 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's Summary

An unparalleled exploration of the mysteries underlying women's sexuality that rivals the culture-shifting Kinsey Report, from two of America's leading research psychologists.

Do women have sex simply to reproduce or display their affection? When University of Texas at Austin clinical psychologist Cindy M. Meston and evolutionary psychologist David M. Buss joined forces to investigate the underlying sexual motivations of women, what they found astonished them.

Through the voices of real women, Meston and Buss reveal the motivations that guide women's sexual decisions and explain the deep-seated psychology and biology that often unwittingly drive women's desires - sometimes in pursuit of health or pleasure, or sometimes for darker, disturbing reasons that a woman may not fully recognize. Drawing on more than a thousand intensive interviews conducted solely for the book, as well as their pioneering research on physiological response and evolutionary emotions, Why Women Have Sex uncovers an amazingly complex and nuanced portrait of female sexuality. They delve into the use of sex as a defensive tactic against a mate's infidelity (protection), as a ploy to boost self-confidence (status), as a barter for gifts or household chores (resource acquisition), or as a cure for a migraine headache (medication).

Why Women Have Sex stands as the richest and deepest psychological understanding of female sexuality yet achieved and promises to inform every woman's (and her partner's) awareness of her relationship to sex and her sexuality.

©2009 Cindy M. Meston and David M. Buss (P)2009 Tantor Media

nice

I disagree with the previous reviewer completely. I found this not only an interesting book (for men and women), but it was well-written and perfectly narrated. Would highly recommend it. I learned a lot of things that now seem so obvious.

14 of 14 people found this review helpful

shattered my illusions

aimed at a female audience, but not overtly so. as a guy i had no trouble following the narrative, to my dismay. the biggest thing i got from this book was that most women seem to view sex as something they can do as much as something they want to do. a gift, a weapon, a token for trade, a duty, a show of mercy, a way of acting out... the title is very well worded. this book is not about what turns women on, though it does touch on that. but to women, it seems being turned on isn't really a prerequisite to having sex. if you're a male like me, expect to have your rico suave bubble busted. but enlightenment is like that sometimes. for me personally, ignorance is not bliss. i am glad i listened to this book.

50 of 53 people found this review helpful

A book that lives up to its title

This book is exactly what the title says...it covers all the reasons women have sex. It does this by turning a scientific research study into a very entertaining book. You will finish the book with a more well rounded understanding if your a guy and if your a girl you may finally understand why you slept with some of the guys you did. It is not a how to sleep with women book (guys), but you can learn to understand women better and if you pay attention why women sleep with certain men for certain reasons (this book covers about all of them), you can pick what motivations you want to give woman and emulate that.
Overall a great book and a great narrative, I wish they reported all scientific research studies in this format!

15 of 16 people found this review helpful

Informative and thought-provoking

Read this book because several women -- friends, girlfriends, spouse, etc. -- in my life have had issues with sex, and for some, are only now (in their 40's and 50's) really coming to terms with their sexuality. Wish I'd had this book fifteen years ago -- it is a well-researched and effectively reported discourse on the myriad emotions and physical needs that motivate sex... and the avoidance of sex. As the authors cover the subject, they include comments from the women they interviewed, offering a unique insight.

This book, along with Ian Koerner's "She Comes First" and Gail Sheehy's "Sex and the Seasoned Woman" form a great basis for both understanding sexual issues and positively, lovingly resolving those issues.

13 of 15 people found this review helpful

Surprising and informative

First, let me say how exellent the narrator is. She made a research-oriented book come to life and remain interesting all the way through.
The book had some unexpected, sometimes amusing, important, and always interesting findings that could be of benefit to everyone, women and men alike. It was very easy to listen to, and I would highly recommend it.

7 of 8 people found this review helpful

Interesting enough

This is a fairly interesting book, and I have learned much about feminine psychology, but I find this book a little repetitive, one wonders if the book cannot be make shorter.

10 of 12 people found this review helpful

How many reasons?

Enlightening and rich in details, the books only down-fall is that it seems to be written more for a female rather than a male audience. This is fine since us guys can extrapolate so much for the betterment of our relationships and answer the “What Do Women Want” riddle once and for all!

9 of 11 people found this review helpful

Written from an American perspective

I listened to this while exploring Sri Lanka.I live in Asia.I did learn a great deal of things about the differences between various women.I also feel like men are really jerks,so it is women that end up bearing the brunt of indiscretions of men.Perhaps we men need sex a bit more than women do biologically.We never hear of women raping men for instance.At 45 and formerly divorced I really wanted to understand how women see things.Maybe we just mature differently.Young women between 20-40 have a short window into having children safely,so they do a great deal to lure the right kind of man.The problem is men don't really seem to reach stability until after 40,which runs against women's instincts for security.Just as we reach our peak earning years they reach their declining child bearing years.It wasn't a spectacular listen,but I learned a few things that could perhaps make me more sensitive to the needs of the opposite sex and perhaps the drives that push my own sex.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Fun

I’m a guy and I don’t know how many times I caught myself nodding my head and thinking “Isn’t that the truth!” while listening to this book. Want to have a little sexual insight into your woman? Listen to this book and have some fun while you do.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Worth the time.

Like most men, ignorant as to why women really have sex, want sex, do the things that they do... Very good book, covers a wide variety of topics involving women. I'm convinced that this book would even blow the minds of most women. It does cause you to look at yourself and your partner, but it brings an open view on women's ssexuality. The title is not just why women have sex, but understanding sexual motivations which important to keep in mind.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful