Author: Julia Shaw
Rating: 4.5 stars / 5 stars
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Favorite Quote: “It is only when we identify, understand, and acknowledge the role of bisexuality that we can really begin to understand the beautiful complexity of human sexuality across time.” Shaw, Julia. Bi: The Hidden Culture, History, and Science of Bisexuality. E-book ed., Abrams Press, 2022.
Review: Thank you to the publisher, Abrams Press, and the NetGalley platform for the free e-ARC I received in exchange for an honest review of this book.
This book - I’m a little late writing my review of this book, simply because I’ve needed time to process my thoughts and emotions. This book is good. I say that as someone interested in the history of sexuality and the science of sexuality, and whose own identity is tied up in how sexuality is defined (just as the author’s is).
So, let’s talk about what’s working best. The author does an incredible job weaving a personal narrative into a book that largely is based in science, history, and culture. For instance, in one chapter, the author discusses, in-depth, the history and science behind the Kinsey Scale and Klein Grid, provides statistics about contemporary sexuality self-identification, before shifting the narrative to the reader - “I urge you to allow yourself to continue to ask questions about your sexuality, and to embrace those who fall within the sexual middle ground.” Shaw, Julia. Bi: The Hidden Culture, History, and Science of Bisexuality. E-book ed., Abrams Press, 2022.
Similarly, Shaw also often turns the narrative on herself and her own identity, history, and experiences. The second chapter, aptly entitled “Our History” opens with the author’s own first pride after making the statement, “I bet most people remember their first Pride.” Shaw, Julia. Bi: The Hidden Culture, History, and Science of Bisexuality. E-book ed., Abrams Press, 2022. This chapter quickly (and smoothly and effectively) shifts to how queerness is depicted historically and what a “history of sexuality” is and might look like.
Chapters throughout the book do this just as effectively - weaving a narrative of science, history, and memoir into a book that explores what it means to be bisexual.
Overall, my only criticism of this book was that there were a few typos (which may be fixed by the final printing) and a few organizational issues.
About that Quote: This quote effectively and succinctly sums up the primary theme of the book - that exploring human sexuality outside a rigid binary is the best, and truly the only, way to fully explore the human experience as it encompasses sexuality in all its layers.
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