In this controversial, thought-provoking, and brilliant book, renegade
thinkers Christopher Ryan and Cacilda Jethá debunk almost everything we
"know" about sex, weaving together convergent, frequently overlooked
evidence from anthropology, archaeology, primatology, anatomy, and
psychosexuality to show how far from human nature monogamy really is. In
Sex at Dawn, 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. "A scandal in the best
sense. . . . This book takes a swing at pretty much every big idea on
human nature: that poverty is an inevitable consequence of life on
earth, that mankind is by nature brutish, and, most important, that
humans evolved to be monogamous." -- Kate Dailey, Newsweek "My favorite
book of [the year]. . . . Good humor, sharp writing, and remarkable
asides. . . . It casually and effectively demolishes a Solomon's Temple
worth of conventional wisdom about something we thought we understood
pretty well: who we are. It made me wonder how much else of what I think
I know is wrong, and it makes me eager to find out." -- Peter Sagal,
National Public Radio