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Sane Sex Life and Sane Sex Living: Some Things That All Sane People Ought to Know about Sex Nature and Sex Functioning; Its Place in the Economy of Li
Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.
168 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1919
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 8, 2009
I actually have the copy of this that was printed in 1937. Part of the copyright page was torn off, but I can see that previous editions were printed in 1922 and 1919. Don't know if there were any before 1919. Picked this up as a lark at a flea market when I looked at the table of contents. Essentially, this is a sex ed book intended for newlyweds, but it is SO FAR ahead of its time. Keep in mind, the first edition was published at the tail end of the Victorian period. Information about sex was not readily available. "Nice" girls didn't know ANYTHING, and guys were usually misinformed. People simply did not talk about sex, or if they did, it was often put forth (particularly to young women) as being dirty or sinful, but necessary for childbearing. This book just absolutely lays it all out there. Plain English. Sex within marriage can be a wonderful thing, the reader is informed. Not dirty. Not sinful. Not vile. The shock value of this book isn't in the material itself (in most cases), but in the time period in which it was published. I'd love to have seen a young couple's reaction to this book!
My personal favorite parts? His description of a female's pubic area: "In occasional cases this hair is straight and silky, and sometimes grows to great length, instances being known, in some women, where it has extended to the knees. A well-grown and abundant supply of fine pubic hair is a possession highly prized by women, of which they are justly proud, though few of them would acknowledge the fact, even to themselves. None the less, it is a fact." Aslo this description of the sex act: "It is supposed by some that this frictional movement of the parts develops an electrical current, which increases in tension as the act is continued; and that it is the mission of the pubic hair, which is a non-conductor, to confine these currents to the parts in contact."
Yeah.
My personal favorite parts? His description of a female's pubic area: "In occasional cases this hair is straight and silky, and sometimes grows to great length, instances being known, in some women, where it has extended to the knees. A well-grown and abundant supply of fine pubic hair is a possession highly prized by women, of which they are justly proud, though few of them would acknowledge the fact, even to themselves. None the less, it is a fact." Aslo this description of the sex act: "It is supposed by some that this frictional movement of the parts develops an electrical current, which increases in tension as the act is continued; and that it is the mission of the pubic hair, which is a non-conductor, to confine these currents to the parts in contact."
Yeah.
January 10, 2021
I first heard about this book in 1969 but wasn't allowed to read it. It has such a catchy, odd title that I have never forgotten it. Fast forward to 2020 and I find a copy for $3.00 so I bought it just for fun. It was published in 1919 and it was a fun read to see how perceptions and ideas have evolved since publication.
November 22, 2024
Years ago, my younger son decided he wanted to buy a bunch of old books, because old books felt worth collecting. He never read 'em. Just bought 'em. This book was one of them, and as I cleared out our bookshelves in a recent purge, it was far and away the most interesting of the lot.
As a guide for healthy human sexuality, it's startlingly progressive. Meaning, it's almost progressive NOW, which is remarkable for a book first published in 1919. It counsels mutuality in intimacy, gets waaaay detailed in the mechanics of human sexuality, and is mostly still dead on about how things work and why. Reading an explicit guide to intercourse written in formal, near-Edwardian language? Kinda bizarre. Reading a 1919 book that counsels healthy autoeroticism for women, and centers female sexuality as the heart of a healthy relationship? Dude.
Perhaps odder still is the publishing house responsible for producing the book: The Eugenics Publishing Company. So...EUGENICS???? Ooof.
Because Eugenics was, as a movement, the cutting edge of early 20th century progressivism. There's no overt race-science in this book, but...having read other works of that movement...there often isn't. It's better living through science, progressive and enlightened and forward-thinking, right up until it goes waaaay dark.
Such a peculiar, complex, historically-relevant book. Guess I'm glad my son bought it.
As a guide for healthy human sexuality, it's startlingly progressive. Meaning, it's almost progressive NOW, which is remarkable for a book first published in 1919. It counsels mutuality in intimacy, gets waaaay detailed in the mechanics of human sexuality, and is mostly still dead on about how things work and why. Reading an explicit guide to intercourse written in formal, near-Edwardian language? Kinda bizarre. Reading a 1919 book that counsels healthy autoeroticism for women, and centers female sexuality as the heart of a healthy relationship? Dude.
Perhaps odder still is the publishing house responsible for producing the book: The Eugenics Publishing Company. So...EUGENICS???? Ooof.
Because Eugenics was, as a movement, the cutting edge of early 20th century progressivism. There's no overt race-science in this book, but...having read other works of that movement...there often isn't. It's better living through science, progressive and enlightened and forward-thinking, right up until it goes waaaay dark.
Such a peculiar, complex, historically-relevant book. Guess I'm glad my son bought it.
June 19, 2009
For a book written in 1919 (or before) it's really really good. Between all of the defenses of why he wrote the book and all of the stuff that's more obvious today, there are several bits of information that could help a lot of people in their relationships. And, you can get the book for free from Project Gutenberg (www.gutenberg.org)
August 14, 2018
The author affirms 1) there is a Creator, 2) man is a special creation, 3) married heterosexual sex is good for both a. Reproduction and b. pleasures, and 4) Victorian taboos have polluted marriage in 9 out of 10 cases. This little gem gives insight into one of the stepping stones between Justinian and the '60s revolution.
Currently Reading
May 23, 2011This book is hilarious. My copy is from 1919 or something like that. Its actually kind of poetic in a weird way.
January 18, 2014
An irresistible Goodwill find, copyright 1919 by the Eugenics Publishing Company, Inc.
September 16, 2016
Found in parent's house when cleaning.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews