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  • Ace

  • What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex
  • Written by: Angela Chen
  • Narrated by: Natalie Naudus
  • Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (49 ratings)

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Ace

Written by: Angela Chen
Narrated by: Natalie Naudus
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Publisher's Summary

An engaging exploration of what it means to be asexual in a world that's obsessed with sexual attraction, and what the ace perspective can teach all of us about desire and identity.

What exactly is sexual attraction, and what is it like to go through life not experiencing it? What does asexuality reveal about gender roles, about romance and consent, and the pressures of society? This accessible examination of asexuality shows that the issues that aces face - confusion around sexual activity, the intersection of sexuality and identity, navigating different needs in relationships - are the same conflicts that nearly all of us will experience. Through a blend of reporting, cultural criticism, and memoir, Ace addresses the misconceptions around the "A" of LGBTQIA and invites everyone to rethink pleasure and intimacy.

Journalist Angela Chen creates her path to understanding her own asexuality with the perspectives of a diverse group of asexual people. Vulnerable and honest, these stories include a woman who had blood tests done because she was convinced that "not wanting sex" was a sign of serious illness, and a man who grew up in a religious household and did everything "right", only to realize after marriage that his experience of sexuality had never been the same as that of others. Disabled aces, aces of color, gender-nonconforming aces, and aces who both do and don't want romantic relationships all share their experiences navigating a society in which a lack of sexual attraction is considered abnormal. Chen's careful cultural analysis explores how societal norms limit understanding of sex and relationships and celebrates the breadth of sexuality and queerness.

©2020 Angela Chen (P)2020 Random House Audio

What the critics say

“[Ace] is a [thoughtful] combination of reportage, cultural criticism and memoir, and the writing attempts the difficult balance between proof and emotion. [Most striking is] Chen’s honesty, the sentences of intimate reflection that appear in the margins of her argument throughout.” —The New York Times

Ace is a fantastic starting point for dismantling harmful sexual narratives and reimagining human connection as a broader, more equitable, enjoyable and free experience.” —Washington Post

“The book allows us to imagine how much more we could get from our relationships if we were able to free ourselves from restrictive ideas of what we’re supposed to feel and do.” —Rhaina Cohen, NPR

What listeners say about Ace

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Exactly the read I needed

Just experienced a heartbreaking friend breakup. This book helped me feel less broken. It put so many of my difficult sexual experiences into perspective, in the sense that it helped me give myself permission to accept all my difficult feelings and conflicting thoughts they caused. It also pushed me to take a serious sobering look on how I've treated others in relationship. Read it, reflect, emerge a different person.

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amazing for anyone exploring sexuality.

an amazing exploration into sex and society. A must read for anyone exploring themselves or their sex life, Ace or otherwise.

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