Librería 3. Estante 5

Did anyone actually read this for statistics, in an objective, academic way? Or was it not just a very legitimate purchase of a really dirty book? (It was for me!) ( )

This work is a compilation of personal anecdotes (self - reports) about sexuality from women in the USA, but falls far short of anything like a sociological study. When published back in 1976, the book became a bestseller, because of its frank, first-hand accounts, and the feminist perspective through which the author interpreted them. However, the book's pretensions to sociological analysis were quickly dispelled by criticisms of the author's methods and simplistic non-quantitative approach.

Author Shere Hite lacked expertise in social science and statistics, two essential disciplines in any serious analysis of human behavior. As a result, while Ms. Hite’s book presented many interesting individual stories, they did not permit generalizations to US women as a whole. One major criticism focused on the unscientific methods that the author used in soliciting responses. Surveys were printed in various women’s magazines, and sent via direct mailings sponsored by N.O.W. (the National Organization of Women). From ~100,000 mailed surveys, 3000 responses were received, about 1800 of which were used in the book. The minuscule rate of return (less than 3%) and the way respondents were selected meant that responses were not representative of the US population of women. (Likewise, nothing prevented individuals from responding more than once.) A second problem was that three discrepant surveys were used over the course of the study, hampering any compilation of the data. A third was that no serious attempt was made to quantify the results, much less to analyze them according to such variables as ethnicity, age, and level of experience.

In the > 36 years since this work’s publication, it has been superseded by more extensive surveys that have used quantitative and analytical approaches. Any remaining interest that Ms. Hite’s book holds comes from the individual stories and anecdotes with which women may identify and from which men may learn. ( )

Un regard révolutionnaire des femmes, libéré des diktats de la société. Même si le sexe est aujourd'hui largement mis en image, les médias véhiculent des clichés dans lesquels les femmes ont bien du mal à se reconnaître. Grâce à une enquête menée auprès de milliers de femmes, Shere Hite établit un panorama sans précédent de la sexualité féminine. Quels sont les fantasmes des femmes ? Comment parviennent-elles à l'orgasme ? Devenu ouvrage de référence en la matière, Le rapport Hite s'est vendu à près de 35 millions d'exemplaires dans le monde. ( )

There are many books that are based on surveys. The researcher often publishes their findings based on their interpretation, spending more time describing their findings instead of just showing the reader. Hite took those surveys and published them, actually SHOWING readers what women are saying about their sexuality. Ergo, this is a book essentially written by women, for women. That isn't to say there weren't any male contributors, or to say that men should not read this book. There were men who played a roll in piecing this book together, and it would be beneficial for men to read it. I would advise decent men to keep a thicker skin while reading this, because it is a no-holds-barred publication. ( )