Queer Science: The Use and Abuse of Research Into Homosexuality

by Simon LeVay

Book Overview

What makes people gay, lesbian, bisexual, or heterosexual? And who cares? Written by one of the leading scientists in the research of sexual orientation, Queer Science looks at how scientific discoveries about homosexuality influence society's attitude toward gays and lesbians, beginning with the theories of the German sexologist and gay-rights pioneer Magnus Hirschfeld and culminating with the latest discoveries in brain science, genetics, endocrinology,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0262621193
• ISBN13: 9780262621199
• Release Date: June 1997
• Publisher: MIT Press
• Length: 374 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.0" x 9.0"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

A very sensible and objective survey

This book analyzes scientific, historical, and political issues associated with homosexuality in a very careful and thoughtful style which does an unusually good job of keeping the author's opinions separate from his factual claims and avoiding any claims that he can't justify. The main drawbacks of the book are that it isn't very exciting and didn't tell me much that seemed new.

Queer Science, a good read

Simon LeVay's thoroughly goes through what it IS that `causes' homosexuality. Overall this novel is comprehensiveand and widely inclusive. He takes all different standpoints, including his own on the various standpoints of scientific 'theory' regarding homosexuality. The book itself is a good read, easy to understand and very straight forward. If you want a book that is mostly un-biased but discsses many facets of homosexualitythen look no further!

The best book yet on the origins of sexual orientation

I have read all of the books on the topic, and although there are some fine ones ("Science of Desire" comes to mind), this is the most comprehensive. LeVay is a terrific writer too, clear, balanced, but appropriately opinionated.