The Inner Circle: Book Review

The Inner Circle T. Coraghessan Boyle Date: 09 September, 2004 — $17.65 — Book product page Rating:

A novel heavily based on fact, The Inner Circle is about the work of pioneer sex researcher Alfred Kinsey. Professor Kinsey was the author of The Kinsey Reports, published in two parts in 1949 and 1953. The reports were compilations of a scientific study, the purpose of which was to quantify male and female sexual behavior. Though Kinsey's objective, value-neutral conclusions shocked people at the time, both reports were best-sellers. Indeed, Kinsey's personal opinion was that that the human need for sex is little different from animal instinct, a view with which I concur.

The novel is told from the point of view of a fictional member of Kinsey's inner circle of research assistants, John Milk. Most of the book deals with Milk's conflict between his own libertine impulses and opinions, which were encouraged by the libertine Kinsey, and the love for his wife, Iris, who was frustrated with the amount of time Milk spent away from home with his work. Milk remains torn throughout the book, wanting to please himself, please his wife, and please Kinsey -- and he rarely gets to do all three at once.

I would have given the book five stars, but the ending, abruptly shifts tone and seems as if it was hurriedly written to meet a deadline. However, this does not seriously mar what is a fascinating, fast-moving book.