Wild Sex: The Science Behind Mating in the Animal Kingdom

In nature, the sex lives of animals are out in the open for all to see and not behind the bedroom doors with the lights turned off. A regular on Discovery Channel's Outrageous Acts of Science and Stephen Hawking's TV miniseries Brave New World, biologist Bondar (The Nature of Sex: The Ins and Outs of Mating in the Animal Kingdom) breaks down mating rituals in short, comprehensive chapters ("What's Your Sign?"; "The Big O"; "Queer as Fauna") that are a treat to read. Each section focuses on a number of species that entertain such proclivities, and Bondar never holds back on the details. Who doesn't want to hear that many hermaphrodites can self-fertilize or that primates are persistent masturbators? Bondar attempts to tie mating habits to evolutionary traits or genetic characteristics, which helps to put these actions into greater perspective. The book is especially effective when the author demonstrates the long-term impact of these behaviors, though at times the narrative gets caught up in the shock value of the factoids.