WHY MEN FAKE IT

Are most men predominantly defined by penis size and sexual prowess? A seasoned sex doctor clears the air.

Morgentaler (Urology/Harvard Medical School; Testosterone for Life: Recharge Your Vitality, Sex Drive, Muscle Mass, and Overall Health, 2008) believes male sexuality is a subject few people ponder and still more seem unconcerned about. Mired in misconceptions, the subjects of sex and masculinity can be heady reading material, but the author simplifies these outwardly complicated truths into a four-part study exploring orgasms, gender development (the author describes his surgery on a hermaphrodite), erectile abilities and challenges, and a quite humorous closer on the prominence of penis size. His engaging study of the intricacies and nuances of the male sex is greatly personified with pages of case studies and personal profiles. After arguing that testosterone levels do indeed impact a man’s energy levels but are not the sole catalyst for determining how good a husband and father a man will be, he addresses crucial issues such as performance anxiety and male image perception. He also doesn’t shy away from the knotty topics of transgenderism and asexuality. In a knowledgeable, sophisticated voice, Morgentaler notes that his clinical research has not only enlightened and improved countless men’s lives, but it’s enriched his own understanding of the male species. While empirical evidence shows that some men do indeed fake orgasms, there’s also proof that in their quest to be “great partners,” they’ve only acted in their “own interest in order to keep [the] relationship going.”

A fascinating and gender friendly discourse on the ups and downs of the male libido.