Publishers Weekly
02/21/2022
Popular Science editor Feltman debuts with a playful, myth-busting survey of human sexuality and the history of reproductive science. Tackling the subject from a queer, feminist perspective, she explains the mechanics of conception, traces the evolution of birth control methods, and documents the many techniques, such as “poach goat testes in milk and consum them with sesame seeds and porpoise fat,” that have been used to treat erectile dysfunction since the eighth century BCE. Elsewhere, Feltman delves into the science of AIDS transmissibility, debunks historical legends (Cleopatra did not have a vibrator made of bees; Catherine the Great did not have sex with a horse), and discusses recent research into the sexual behaviors of transgender and nonbinary people. Turning to fetishism and the “concept of deviance,” Feltman discusses how the Bible story of Sodom and Gomorrah came to be interpreted as a prohibition against homosexuality and notes that Richard von Krafft-Ebing added more technical jargon and Latin passages to later editions of Psychopathia Sexualis (first published in 1886) in order to keep people from “devouring his academic treatise like porn.” Enlivened by Feltman’s keen sense of humor and affirmational tone, this is an entertaining and informative catalog of “sexual expression and queer existence and horny exuberance through history.” (May)
From the Publisher
Rachel Feltman’s writing is wry, clever, and precise. These pages feature creatures, humans included, with all manner of sexual proclivities, mysteries, and biases who have been everywhere and done it in every way one can imagine. Feltman’s perspective is priceless. Along with her insight, she is funny, especially when she’s writing about sex, which she does a lot in Been There, Done That.” —Bill Nye, science educator
“I don't want to spoil all the fun, but Been There, Done That is more than a boisterous, naked romp through the rainforest of human sexuality. Feltman has also added generous dollops of fascinating science that will expand the way you think about you-know-what.” —Dan Fagin, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Toms River: A Story of Science and Salvation
“Feltman has unequivocally demonstrated that it’s possible to make jokes about sex that are both deeply researched AND deeply compassionate and inclusive. Been There, Done That is an eye-opening journey through human (and even non-human animal) sexuality, and everyone should read it.” —Arielle Duhaime-Ross, Vice News correspondent and podcast host
“Been There, Done That is a lovably bonkers book that asks: Did medieval chastity belts even exist? Are bison actually gay icons? What is with James Joyce’s thing for his wife’s farts? Feltman’s writing is curious, clever, and kind as she explores the weird science of human and animal friskiness. An empathetic and relentlessly entertaining read.” —Ella Dawson, sex and culture critic
“It shines, instead, as an irreverent invitation to be enchanted by one's body, rather than ashamed; to be present in desire, rather than dislocated from it; to cast off the veil of insecurity and embrace one's whole self.”—Shelf Awareness
“Enlivened by Feltman’s keen sense of humor and affirmational tone, this is an entertaining and informative catalog of ‘sexual expression and queer existence and horny exuberance through history.’”—Publishers Weekly
“Raucous... confident... there are numerous moments of laugh-out-loud amazement and eyebrow-raising surprise... A deep dive for sex nerds and informative fun for everyone else."—Kirkus Reviews
“[A] wide-ranging and entertaining book… Feltman is sassy and opinionated…despite much of her subject matter being deeply serious, she writes about it with humour.”—Daily Mail
Library Journal - Audio
09/01/2022
Like many taboo subjects, discussions of human sexuality are often clouded by hearsay, urban legends, and secrecy. In this informative and delightful history of sex and sex-adjacent topics, science writer Feltman brings sex out of the bedroom and into clear view. She organizes her book by topic rather than time period, allowing the listener the opportunity to take a historical deep dive into a variety of topics related to sex and sexuality, from masturbation to birth control to pornography. She strikes a careful balance between fact and humor and is careful to not accept popular urban legends as historical truth. Feltman's engaging and spirited narration fits the overall tone of her book—bawdy, funny, and surprisingly informational—and it's obvious that she sees the humor in the subject matter. There are times where it sounds like she's leaning in to share a dirty secret, and times when it sounds like a particularly entertaining lecture. Listeners will emerge with a new understanding of human sexuality—and some surprising anecdotes to share with others. VERDICT This well-researched, uproariously funny audiobook is ideal for listeners who enjoyed Strange Bedfellows by Ina Park or Bonk by Mary Roach, both of which cover similar territory.—Nanette Donohue
Kirkus Reviews
2022-02-24
A snarky romp through the “elastic, adaptable, catch-as-catch-can, DIY-friendly, totally open-source method of reproduction and social connection that keeps the world as we know it spinning.”
Popular Science executive editor Feltman could talk your ear off about koala chlamydia, and while she understands that her topic won’t appeal to everyone, this raucous book is sure to have something to fascinate most readers—even those who think they’re experts on all things sex-related. Rather than an in-depth examination of one or two specific elements, she offers “a smattering, a taste, a mere assortment of amuse-bouches of sexual expression and queer existence and horny exuberance through history.” Beginning with the introduction, “Everything Weird Is Normal—Everything Normal Is Weird,” the author demonstrates that she is equally confident discussing bacterial reproduction techniques, the history of heterosexual mating rituals, and contemporary human identities and politics, and there are numerous moments of laugh-out-loud amazement and eyebrow-raising surprise. The chapter on human reproduction is especially well detailed, taking the standard “sperm-meets-egg” story and complicating it almost to the point of absurdity, and Feltman’s exploration of animal biology and reproductive habits is similarly eye-opening. Many of the author’s choices are affirming and diverse—e.g., referring to “people with uteruses” and consistently including nonbinary people. Some of the humor is grating or overworked, including certain sections that will confuse older, less-internet-savvy readers, or will quickly become outdated, as in passages of meme-ready language. Feltman’s jokey tone works well for shorter pieces but becomes exhausting over a full-length book. Consequently, many readers will choose to read a chapter or two at a time. On the whole, though, the book is entertaining and educational. Before presenting a helpful section of further reading, the author notes, “this book is meant to merely be a humorous primer, a lighthearted introduction, a romp through the basics.” It’s an apt description.
A deep dive for sex nerds and informative fun for everyone else.
