This is what social science should be.

First, take a topic every one is interested in and that is genuinely important. Next, get the best possible data about it -- quantitative and qualitative. Think really hard about it, taking seriously both past academic and popular writing on the subject. Then find new ways of putting things together, and teach us new things about the world. Then write, rewrite, edit and reedit until your prose is tight, precise, means exactly what you want it to mean, and is a pleasure to read.

That's what the authors of this book did. I heartily recommend this book -- you'll learn stuff, and have great material for dinner conversation for week.

We have adopted this title as a textbook for our Social Aspect of Human Sexuality course. In addition to our sexuality course, I use data from The Social Organization of Sexuality: Sexual Practices in the United States for my courses in Social Statistics and Research Methods. I note the importance of employing random sampling by contrasting this data to data collected found in Shere Hite's The Hite Report: A Nationwide Study of Female Sexuality (#06963).

The Social Organization of Sexuality: Sexual Practices in the United States is clearly a scholarly book. The authors also published a volume for the general public entitled: Sex in America: A Definitive Survey. This title includes nearly the same information. However, it is much more readable, but doesn't included all the scholarly details.

At this point in time, it is not likely that readers can find a more comprehensive study on human sexuality.

This book is the culmination of an enormous undertaking. 9,000 addresses were selected from random geographical locations. The participants, aged 18 to 55 years, completed an hour and a half interview about their sexual practices. Anyone interested in human sexuality will want to learn about the results from this study. Although this book does not go into the depth or detail of "The Social Organization of Sexuality: Sexual Practices in the Unites States," this book is more user-friendly. This book is a must for therapists who deal not only with sexulaity issuess but also relationship issues. Previous research has demonstrated that all couples have arguments about work, money and sex. Thus, it is essential to learn what the actual sexual practices of couples are and this book is a tool with a wealth of information.