May 9, 2016
In this chatty and engaging account, science communicator Bondar takes readers on an encyclopedic tour of sex across the animal kingdom. Bondar’s intentions go beyond the prurient in aiming to “enlighten the reader to the fact that sex is a part of almost all decisions made by animals, and it contributes to virtually every facet of social organization and community formation.” She succeeds by taking a thoroughly evolutionary perspective, describing often shocking actions (various forms of sexual violence are remarkably common in nature) and offering explanations for those behaviors. Bondar organizes her short chapters—which often feature provocative titles such as “Cannibalistic Females and the Males That Love Them,” “Fifty Shades of BDSM in the Animal Kingdom,” and “Chastity Belts”—into three sections: “The Meet,” “The Sex,” and “The Aftermath.” Throughout, she examines the conflicting demands on males and females while discussing the prevalence of hermaphroditic creatures and those she terms transvestites, making it clear that simple binary sex determination in nature is largely meaningless. She also explores topics of particular interest to humans, including monogamous pair bonding (which is very rare) and homosexuality (which is very common). Stories about sex are fun to read, and Bondar makes them informative, too. Agent: Jo Sarsby, Jo Sarsby Personal Management Ltd.