-Writing for a general audience, the contributing psychologists, sociologists, medical doctors and public health officials work from the idea that human sexual function is affected by many factors, including those that are biological, sociocultural and psychological. However, caution the editors, readers must also understand they may be approaching this material with strong beliefs about sex and sexuality based on cultural prohibitions. —Reference & Research Book News

-Written by authors with established expertise in their areas, this sophisticated three-volume overview and summary of research data on a wide variety of sexual topics attempts to review what is known about human sexuality and how we know it. Volume 1 covers such topics as sex behavior in the US, sexual orientation, and commercial sex. Volume 2 looks at love, sexual-arousal disorders, and sex therapy. Volume 3 deals with such topics as rape and pedophilia and the treatment of those who commit these acts. McAnulty and Burnette assured a broad audience in insisting that the contributors adhere to (and present) the facts and write in a manner accessible to interested laypersons. Throughout, philosophical differences in understanding sexual behavior--e.g., the evolutionary and the sociocultural approaches--are highlighted. Redundancy in material covered is unavoidable but not distracting; the chapter references are copious and valuable. Essential. All readers; all levels. —Choice