Members with This Book
Most Helpful Reviews
see all reviews
Liked It “My first of his books; I look forward to more. Interesting tale of Kinsey and his work, but fascinating exploration of what it means to be caught up in the life and work of someone as all-encompassing as Kinsey was.” see full review » see other reviews » |
Didn’t Like It “Boyle is one of my favorites, but this book was not. It just wasn't as much fun, which considering the subject matter was probably on purpose.” see full review » see other reviews » |
Newest Reviews
see all reviews-
“Kinsey was new to me at the time I read the book -- I had just seen a movie about him, with Liam Neeson as Kinsey. The character intrigued me, because I had no idea anyone bothered to poll people about their sexual inclinations; I should have thought there must have been some democratic process at the basis of the Sexual Liberation; what was I thinking?! First you ask people if they actually do it, then you liberate the whole thing, it's pure logics. After I read the book, I was even more intrigued: I had foolishly assumed that since one is already in constant intellectual contact with sex, then why not practice it too, for the heck of it. Wrong again. It became all very confusing, so I decided to drop the issue altogether. Well, I mean Kinsey. I still felt for the poor disciple though. I do not recall his name. But then again, he too was probably lost in sexual statistics. ”
Levana wrote this review Tuesday, September 22 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“My first of his books; I look forward to more. Interesting tale of Kinsey and his work, but fascinating exploration of what it means to be caught up in the life and work of someone as all-encompassing as Kinsey was. ”
Deb G wrote this review Thursday, July 16 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“A fascinating and provocative novel about Alfred Kinsey, that fearless trailblazer of American sex research. Boyle tells his story through the eyes of neophyte researcher John Milk who becomes immersed in the unique intricacies of life with Kinsey and his inner circle. Powerful and moving.”
Ken F wrote this review Thursday, January 22 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Engaging story, written in the first person, of a young researcher's struggle to find love, under the thumb of a domineering researcher, during the birth of the Sexual Revolution. ”
mcdunc wrote this review Tuesday, November 11 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“Great book. As usual, Boyle delivers fascinating and relevant insight--in this case, American prudishness about sex, the evidence of which is still clearly abundant--through characters as addictive as reading itself. The complexities and ambiguities sex implants in us is fascinating as exemplified by Boyle's characters.”
Jupe82 wrote this review Friday, May 16 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“Boyle is a master craftsman, but this is the exception that proves the rule. You can admire what he was doing--looking at the irony that these people who devoted their lives to studying sex missed the very essence of it, even as they were experiencing the aspects that went beyond orgasms and "body parts rubbing together," as one character put it. But the book didn't engage me for one minute. There was no transport to it, no sense of pulling you into another world, of getting to know characters so well that you'd swear they threw shadows. Instead, this was formulaic--a bloodless how-to on how to write a Boyle book. Skip this and get "World's End."”
Peter R wrote this review Sunday, March 2 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I suppose Dr Kinsey’s contribution to what we know now about sexual practices was truly invaluable. Though it still disturbed me to read about how exactly such a body of data & information had been amassed. And as rational & scientific as Kinsey’s Inner Circle made everything concerning sex appear, Boyle was able to show that we can’t totally separate the sexual act from all the emotions the "human animal" invests in it.”
Peachy d wrote this review Wednesday, December 12 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
