A Cartoon Guide to Sex

by Larry Gonick

From the first eye contact to the therapist's couch, from the throes of ecstasy to the nitty-gritty of safer sex, from the world's sexiest animal to the dating jungle, The Cartoon Guide to Sex covers... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0062734318
• ISBN13: 9780062734310
• Release Date: May 1999
• Publisher: William Morrow & Company
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 7.3" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Gonick is AMAZING!

Larry Gonick continues to out-do himself with every new book he comes out with. This book is both intricate and funny, with amazing attention to details. Each page teaches and amuses, very typical of his work. You will learn more about sexuality in just the first few pages than you would in another entire book, and with just the right amount of everything put in just the right way. This should be required reading in every high school and for anyone who ever thought about sex - get it?

The Fun Textbook on Human Sexuality

Larry Gonick is famous for his cartoon approaches to education, especially his books on history and science topics. In this book he teams up with sex educator Christine DeVault. The combination produces a good introductory text on sexuality that is lots of fun to read. Narrated by a cartoon Mother Nature and a cartoon fairy called The Etiquette Elf, the book covers reproductive biology, sexual anatomy, developmental biology, gender roles, gender identity, interpersonal communication about sex, romantic love, the sexual act, birth control, health issues, STDs, non-consensual sex, and sexual function problems. All of this is done in delightful cartoons that are clear yet not overly explicit. Although the book is cartoon in format, the information provided is professional at an introductory level. The end of the book contains two pages of further readings, a list of journals devoted to sexuality, and eight resource organizations. An index allows you to find just what you need when you need it. This is a valuable addition to the library of anyone who is sexually active or has plans to become so. Readers who expect Gonick's humor to dominate this book may be disappointed, but people who are looking for a good introductory sex manual will be overjoyed.

A unique teaching book, the only one of its kind

Finally! A book on sex good enough good to solve the problem ofexplaining the birds and bees!When we raised our five boys, the pickings were poor -- mostly deadly-academic (too close to the sex education segment in Monte Python's 'Meaning of Life'). Where was the humor? But even if the presentation had been good enough for a young audience, what was presented then was woefully scant. Where were discussions of the role of sex in loving? Of why commitment was significant? Of gay sex, and sexual variations? How were our children supposed to form informed sexual values?If sex is stripped of its human values, it can become a competition. If it's stripped of caring, it loses its lasting value. Without good discussions of what sex really consists of, it can't make contact with teens.I applaud 'The Cartoon Guide to Sex'. It's humorous, complete, progressive and enlightened. It's also clever and fun to read. If it tests your limits -- as it clearly did for some other reviewers - perhaps that's a sign that you aren't quite ready to accept sex as it is.But for me it solves a problem. Our five boys have produced four more. I'll be pleased to give these grandchildren this book when they're old enough to understand it.

Best cartoons about sex money can buy.

First time I encountered this book was in a doctor's waiting room. Picked it up idly and then couldn't put it down. Alas, the nurse called my name and I had to buy a copy later to find out what happened. The CGTS is an absolutely hilarious book of cartoons that just happens to have a lot of fresh, illuminating--even shocking things to say about sex. If you don't know about sexual dimorphism, or which is the sexiest mammal on the planet, or how "honor" can be surgically restored, get this book. At the very least, your cocktail party conversation will never be the same!

Delicious, and good for you, too..

If there's anything more confusing than physics, it's sex, love, relationships.... Larry Gonick is a master at taking hard concepts in math and physics and presenting them with surprising depth and clarity. Plus, he makes you laugh. Now, he's accomplished the same amazing feat with an even more difficult subject: human (and, yes, animal) sexuality. This guide to sex is so charming you won't mind leaving it around on the coffee table. In fact, it's probably a good idea. There are things in here you want your teenager--and your partner--to know. I especially enjoyed the light handed way he deals with hard subjects like sexually transmitted diseases, differences between men and women (surprise!), the importance (and art) of communication between partners. The bit with the chicken suit alone is worth the price of the book.