Perv

"Bering uses the tools of science to crack open more than a few taboos, and [Perv] shows why he's deserving of the accolades."—David DiSalvo, Forbes

"A kinky Malcolm Gladwell . . . [Perv resonates] in ways that can illuminate anyone's life."—John H. Richardson, Playboy

"Perv is a deeply fascinating and surprisingly insightful peek into the weird world of human sexuality. With his shocking examples and unique evolutionary approach, Jesse Bering provides perhaps the best testament out there to Mark Twain's immortal quip that man is the only animal that blushes—or needs to."—Laurie Santos, Associate Professor of Psychology and Director of the Comparative Cognition Laboratory, Yale University


"Bering's a supple, witty writer, and praiseworthy terms like wry and irreverent suggest themselves readily. The book is a humane flirtation with the often-strange intimacies that drive people's lives."—Michael Washburn, The Boston Globe

"Against a colorful backdrop of science, history, and psychology, Bering calls on human society to stop judging people's sexual preferences based on a personal belief about what's normal or natural, instead asking what is harmful. [He] throws a bucket of ice-cold water on topics that often become overheated by the fires of morality, religion, and politics."—The Scientist

"As a sex writer, Jesse Bering is fearless—and peerless."—Dan Savage

"Like a slightly kinky friend, Perv is sometimes weird, often revelatory, and always enthralling. You'd expect a book about sexual perversions to be at least interesting, but in Jesse Bering's hands it's also smart, humorous, and eminently humane."—Florence Williams, author of Breasts: A Natural and Unnatural History

"Come to gawk, stay to learn. Jesse Bering has written a fascinating, funny, and scientifically literate book about all the aspects of sex you didn't want to think about. Perv will change the way you see yourself and everyone around you."—Art Markman, Ph.D., author of Smart Thinking and Habits of Leadership

"If truth be told—and Jesse Bering urges us to be honest—we're all perverts. And if you're not, then most around you are. Bering pulls no punches in this engrossing romp through the history, cultural relativism, politics, and science of sexuality. He brings shadowy taboos out to the front stage for a juicy, humorous, and nonjudgmental outing. Perv is a page-turner that is hard to put down."—Bruce Hood, Chair of Developmental Psychology in Society, University of Bristol, and author of The Self Illusion

"In this unusual and wonderful book, Jesse Bering makes a persuasive case that we are all perverts. Bering is funny, brave, and deeply compassionate toward those whose desires cause suffering to themselves and others. This brilliant book will appeal to anyone who wants to learn more about the most unruly and intimate aspects of our lives."—Paul Bloom, Brooks and Suzanne Ragen Professor of Psychology, Yale University, and author of Just Babies: The Origins of Good and Evil

"Jesse Bering's Perv is a copiously researched, scientifically solid, fascinating and fun ride through a museum of sexual oddities that makes a strong argument for why we need to ease up on our sneers at the ‘erotic outliers' and admit the reality: To perv is human."—Amy Alkon , author of I See Rude People

"A master craftsman at refashioning reproductive biology into provocative composition, Bering nimbly probes ‘the darkest corners of our sexual nature" with no illicit aftertaste.'"—Kirkus Reviews

"[A] lively exploration of sexual perversion . . . Bering has a very entertaining writing style, but don't let that distract you from the serious stuff he's talking about: this isn't just a list of so-called perversions but, instead, an exploration of the way the human mind and body work and the way we are all just a little bit unusual."—Booklist

"As informative as it is entertaining . . . Bering's latest is a delightful, intelligent, and thought-provoking addition to the growing body of our sexual knowledge of self."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)