I really enjoyed reading this book. Sex education while not a main interest of mine I have had a few lingering questions about it's development in the back of my mind. When I saw this book I knew it could answer some of them. Mary Calderone had a remarkable career and a strong legacy in trying to educate the masses on sexual health and wellbeing.


I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley.

I was not familiar with Mary Calderone until I read this book. The author includes a lot of information and background for her remarkable career. Anyone with an interest in women's health and sexual health will learn a lot. It can be a slow read but it is worth reading.

I'd never heard of Calderone until this book. I found this to be quite an informing read and a very accessible. I would recommend it to anyone curious about the history of sex ed in the US beyond the obvious.

Really, really interesting and timely but a little dense at the same time. I think density might be a deterrent to some who aren’t super interested in the American sex education and its transformation over history. However, I enjoyed learning about it as I truly think our educational system on sex and consent needs a complete overhaul but it was fascinating to learn about the changes that have occurred.

Thank you to NetGalley and New York University Press for the free eARC of The Transformation of American Sex Education in exchange for an honest review. Wow. What a fantastic book! Ellen More does justice to memorializing the life and pursuits of Mary Calderone, her work in the realm of comprehensive sexuality education, and her powerful legacy of espousing sexual pleasure and wellness for all people. This book also precisely outlines and history and controversy of providing access to sexuality education accurately and equitably. This is such a well-researched book that accurately conveys the historical arguments both for and against comprehensive sexuality education. I am a firm and radical proponent of lifelong sexual wellness, pleasure, and access to sexual knowledge and education, and this book supports that viewpoint with absolute conviction and backs it up with statistics that unequivocally show the benefits of giving people access to vital sexuality education. This book is extremely accessible in its language and clear explanation of concepts. Ellen More fantastically captures the senseless, needless fear that the American people feel toward sexuality and proposes ways in which we can combat shame and fear and change sexuality education for the better. For anyone interested in the history of sex education, or for those just wanting to know more about the development and rationale of differing sexuality education protocols, this is an excellent place to start.