REVIEWS
Wolfe has gifted us with a heartfelt and powerfully candid deep dive into her journey
around the world, but more importantly through her remarkable life. It’s a bold and
unpredictable tribute to radical truth and adventure, weaving threads of memoir,
sexological research, and sexual revolution. This work's brazen honesty will inspire
you to also live in an extraordinary way
— Chris Donaghue, PhD, LCSW, CST, certified sex and couples therapist
In a fraught time in history for sex and relationships, a researcher with much academic
and lived learning guides us through a sex history—her own—that sheds light on the
many options and experiences, not to mention opportunities for pleasure, reflection,
and growth, that our sexuality can bring us. It's a document of different times,
and a way to think deeply about our own using the tools of anthropology, sociology,
and our precious experience.
— Carol Queen, PhD, Sexologist, Good Vibrations; Co-founder and Director, Center
for Sex & Culture, San Francisco
Dr. Wolfe’s auto-ethnography is an engaging and very real story. Having lived through
the women’s liberation movement in the '60s–'70s and the more recent #MeToo movement,
Dr. Wolfe describes the challenges and benefits of being a professional woman who
is also a sexually vibrant being. This work is open, inspiring, and a joy to read.
I would recommend this not only as an ethnography but also as a case study in gender
and sexuality.
— Emily E. Prior, MA, executive director, Center for Positive Sexuality
A delightful romp with sensitivity and insight with an anthropologist's answer to
Anaïs Nin, Dorothy Parker, and other female challengers to the social conventions
of their times.
— William Jankowiak, PhD, Professor of Anthropology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Part uncensored adventure story, part auto-ethnographic research, this genre-bending
tale takes you on an honest anthropological journey, complete with erotic stories,
historical sidebars, and personal theoretical reflections on concepts we often take
for granted, stuff like intimacy, virginity, consent, and monogamy—in short, all
the messy elements that make up what we call 'sexuality'. Leanna Wolfe fearlessly
shares all her direct participatory experiences—the good and the bad—in stunning
cross-cultural portraits of sexuality from around the world—from Thailand to Jamaica
to Mexico and more. Undoubtedly, all readers (even conservative folks with slightly
less than 177 lovers!) will appreciate Wolfe’s underlaying question that continues
to puzzle humanity: Why do people partner with one another? Answer: It’s complicated.
— Michael Mena, PhD, founder, "The Social Life of Language" (YouTube); Assistant
Professor, Brooklyn College, The City University of New York
This is a surprising and astonishingly honest book by a professional sex researcher.
Through the revealing lens of her own life story as a woman, Leanna Wolfe explores
the meaning of various beliefs about sexual behavior in wildly different cultures
and phases of life. This book exemplifies the classic anthropological method of participant
observation, interspersed with the results of carefully constructed surveys on the
differences between what informants say and what they do about sexuality, including
Wolfe herself. There is much treasure and wisdom here.
— Pat Shipman, PhD, Pennsylvania State University
Leanna Wolfe tells the story—fearlessly, absorbingly, and without apology—of a young
woman’s sexual awakening (her own) and maturation into an uninhibited carnal expert/educator.
She travels the world to glean her fascinating perspective, emerging with a well-researched
volume of great wisdom and candor.
— Ray Richmond, Author, syndicated entertainment writer/critic and university lecturer
177 Lovers and Counting is a totally unique book unlike anything else you have ever
seen or read! It is truly a page-turner filled with the intimate stories of the author's
own relationships combined with her fascinating observational research into other
cultures' relationship practices. I just can't decide which is more compelling and
riveting: the author's own personal experiences with sex, love, and relationships
or her travels around the world studying and documenting how diverse cultures approach
love, sex, courtship, and marriage. The author's fearlessness and honesty about her
love life and her sexual journey throughout her life are truly revolutionary and
refreshing. And her experience as a professional anthropologist and sexologist allows
her to provide us with an astute analysis of the sexual mores, relationship styles,
and trends of the past half-century. From exploring Swingers culture in America and
polyamory and drugs at Burning Man, to studying courtship and arranged marriages
in India and polygamy in East Africa, this book covers it all, and I can guarantee
that anyone reading it will learn way more than they ever expected! As Glen Olson,
author of Fifty Years of Polyamory in America, says, "It's a must-read for anyone
seeking to understand the complexities of love in the modern world. From the rituals
of remote tribes to the bedrooms of the modern world, the author takes us on a journey
across continents and through time, challenging preconceived notions of what is 'normal'
and 'natural." My only question after reading the book is, "Who will play Leanna
in the movie?" I feel certain that this book will be be made into a feature film,
since it has all the ingredients of a great movie: romance, sex, heartbreak, international
travel to several continents, breathtaking and surprising locations, intimate portraits
and respectful and open-minded experiences of cultures very different than those
generally portrayed in the media. Stay tuned!
— Kathy Labriola, counselor, nurse, author of Polyamorous Elders: Aging in Open Relationships
177 Lovers and Counting: My Life as a Sex Researcher is a riveting exploration of
love, relationships, and sexuality seen through the lens of an anthropologist and
trained sexologist. This book chronicles the author’s personal journey as she studies
cultures around the world and navigates through her own experiences with love and
relationships. Wolfe’s unique perspective as an anthropologist allows her to delve
deep into the societal constructs that shape our understanding of love and relationships.
She challenges traditional norms and expectations, offering a fresh perspective on
what it means to form relationships, encouraging readers to explore their own relationships
with an open mind. 177 Lovers and Counting is more than just a memoir; it’s a thought-provoking
examination of love, relationships, and sexuality. It’s a must-read for anyone seeking
to understand the complexities of love in the modern world. From the rituals of remote
tribes to the bedrooms of the modern world, the author takes readers on a journey
across continents and through time, challenging preconceived notions about what is
‘normal’ and ‘natural’. With a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of human
nature, she offers a fresh perspective on sexuality that is both enlightening and
thought-provoking. Whether you’re a seasoned scholar or a curious reader, 177 Lovers
and Counting promises to broaden your understanding of one of humanity’s most fundamental
and fascinating aspects. Prepare to have your beliefs questioned, your knowledge
expanded, and your horizons broadened in this journey into the heart of sexology.
— Glen W. Olson, author of Fifty Years of Polyamory in America
Leanna’s 177 Lovers and Counting is a one of a kind and a generous offering. She
honestly shares intimate details of her erotic adventures in many different countries
and from a cultural anthropologist's perspective. She offers extensive sex research
and has great knowledge to share.
— Annie Sprinkle, PhD, Artist and Sexologist
Fascinating combinations of sexual-relationship memoir, history of the sexual revolution
1950's to the present, and stimulating social-cultural anthropology analysis of both.
This is a well-written, lively book that engages the reader in the author's sexual
history and evolution through the course of the 1960's sexual revolution to the present,
as well as providing insightful and helpful concepts from her work as a social anthropology
professor and researcher who studies sex. It brings the reader to greater understanding
of the connections between gender, sexuality and cultures as a whole. Among other
things also includes extremely interesting passages on the author's findings about
polyamory in the US versus other cultures; infidelity versus ethical non-monogamy,
women who may never marry, and the female orgasm. Highly recommend!
—Deborah Borys, PhD, Psychologist
Journey through Leanna Wolfe's life from the Sexual Revolution in the Bay Area, to
her passion for anthropology leading her to explore other parts of the world on her
own personal quest for knowledge as a sex researcher. This memoir was fact-filled
and insightful. Yet it captured pain, pleasure, humor, eroticism, curiosity and understanding.
This is a must read!!
—Kimberly Gonzales, Podcaster
