Is Sex Necessary? Why You Feel the Way You Do was the first book of prose published by James Thurber and E.B. White, a landmark collaboration that blends their unmatched humor and literary genius. Together, they examine the great mysteries of life—romance, love, and marriage—with a satirical twist. A timeless spoof of the era's scientific sexual theories, the book offers a sidesplitting critique of men, women, and the psychologists who sought to explain their behavior. Enhanced by more than fifty of Thurber's iconic illustrations, this enduring masterpiece remains as sharp and relevant as ever.
In a 1950 preface, White reflected on the book's origins: "Thurber and I were neither more, nor less, interested in the subject of love and marriage than anybody else of our age in that era. I recall that we were both profoundly interested in earning a living, and I think we somehow managed, simultaneously, to arrive at the conclusion that ... the heavy writers had got sex down and were breaking its arm. We were determined that sex should maintain its high spirits."
Writing alternate chapters and then comparing them for overlap, Thurber and White infused the text with invented pseudo-sexual jargon—terms like "Diversion Subterfuge," "Osculatory Justification," and "Schmalhausen Trouble." They even fabricated a cast of imaginary psychologists and sex researchers, including the illustrious Dr. Karl Zaner and Dr. Walter Titheridge, to enhance their satirical edge.
A work of unmatched drollery and creativity, Is Sex Necessary? transcends its time to delight readers with its clever commentary and unrelenting humor. It is a celebration of the absurdities of human relationships and the resilience of good cheer in the face of complexity.