Why Is the Penis Shaped Like That?: And Other Reflections on Being Human

Written by Jesse Bering

Narrated by Jesse Bering

Why do testicles hang the way they do? Is there an adaptive function to the female orgasm? What does it feel like to want to kill yourself? Does "free will" really exist? And why is the penis shaped like that anyway?

In Why Is the Penis Shaped Like That?, the research psychologist and award-winning columnist Jesse Bering features more than thirty of his most popular essays from Scientific American and Slate, as well as two new pieces, that take readers on a bold and captivating journey through some of the most taboo issues related to evolution and human behavior. Exploring the history of cannibalism, the neurology of people who are sexually attracted to animals, the evolution of human body fluids, the science of homosexuality, and serious questions about life and death, Bering astutely covers a generous expanse of our kaleidoscope of quirks and origins.

With his characteristic irreverence and trademark cheekiness, Bering leaves no topic unturned or curiosity unexamined, and he does it all with an audaciously original voice. Whether you're interested in the psychological history behind the many facets of sexual desire or the evolutionary patterns that have dictated our current mystique and phallic physique, Why Is the Penis Shaped Like That? is bound to create lively discussion and debate for years to come.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Audio
• Release date: Jul 3, 2012
• ISBN: 9781427227232

Jesse Bering

Jesse Bering, Ph.D. is a frequent contributor to Scientific American and Slate. His writing has also appeared in New York magazine, The Guardian, and The New Republic, among others, and has been featured by NPR, Playboy Radio, and more. The author of The Belief Instinct, Bering is the former Director of the Institute of Cognition and Culture at the Queen's University, Belfast, and began his career as a professor at the University of Arkansas. He lives in Ithaca, New York.

Reviews for Why Is the Penis Shaped Like That?

[antao-3 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

You don't hear enough about this. I once nearly broke my penis. I was happily banging away doggy style and slipped out on one thrust, causing me to clobber my cock into her right bumcheek on the next. I collapsed in a fucking heap in agony and panic. All she did was collapse in hysterics, she thought it was hilarious. Glad there are starting to be articles addressing this risk.We're so cosseted and prudish these days that nudity has been consigned to naturist camps and on line pornography, where it is tarnished by association. We should still be able to celebrate the human body in all its wonder without sniggering like school boys.I was brought up by my mum to respect women and feel sad that I can't go naked (on the beach or in my garden, for instance - I've no desire to be starkers everywhere) in the nice weather without immediately being branded as a pervert. I signed up to be a nudist this past summer. The first few days were the hardest.This book is important and one must be careful when having an erection. For example, a few years ago my female neighbour tripped over my penis when she approached my lawn chair. I have learned from this painful experience to never recline sideways, always on my back with a warning flag attached so low flying aircraft will avoid it. My old schoolmaster used to frequently rail at these sorts of things and coined a rather remarkable term for it: "Toilet Literature". He couldn’t be more wrong. This is not just a cock and balls story!NB: Perhaps we could be further enlightened by someone who has experience of slipping out and clobbering his cock on a left bumcheek. Just saying.

[daumari · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A collection of Jesse Bering's essays, mostly about our sexual bits both physical and mental though there's additional ones on cannibalism, religiosity, and suicide. It's both entertaining and informative, with personal and historical anecdotes sprinkled throughout the science.

[markberonte · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In Why Is the Penis Shaped Like That?, the research psychologist and award-winning columnist Jesse Bering features more than thirty of his most popular essays from Scientific American and Slate, as well as two new pieces, that take readers on a bold and captivating journey through some of the most taboo issues related to evolution and human behavior. Exploring the history of cannibalism, the neurology of people who are sexually attracted to animals, the evolution of human body fluids, the science of homosexuality, and serious questions about life and death, Bering astutely covers a generous expanse of our kaleidoscope of quirks and origins.

[satyridae · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Wildly uneven book of essays. Some of them were very good and some of them were amusing. A couple rubbed me the wrong way entirely because they were so personal and Bering assumed that his feelings were universal (f'rinstance, polyamory can't ever work for anyone because Bering gets so jealous he throws up). The essays about suicide were especially interesting. Bering's corny jokes were cute at first but wore on my by the end.