Male Sex Work and Society. Edited by Victor Minichiello and John Scott. Harrington Park Press. 2014. $50. 507p. PB. 978-1-939594-01-3.

Extensively researched from cover to cover, Male Sex is a highly accessible tome. Seventeen chapters discuss every possible aspect of male sex work, including the history, the issues male sex workers face, and ways that male sex work is treated in various parts of the world. Male Sex not only focuses on workers who service male clients but also explores workers who work with female clients. The male role in this line of work is a fascinating topic the book wholly explores.

To the reader who may be coming to this book with zero prior knowledge, it does an excellent job introducing sex work before slowly delving deeper into the multitude of issues that sex workers face, including the grassroots initiatives workers are taking on in helping protect colleagues. Male Sex showcases these initiatives through screen shots of websites, such as HOOK Online.
Most interesting is the rise of social media and the role the internet plays in sex work. Thirty years ago, workers relied on print media to advertise their services; with the advent of social networking sites and phone apps, finding work has been made much easier. Male Sex dedicates an entire section to this topic alone.

Academic, public, and GLBT libraries would benefit greatly by including this book in their collection. Whether for sociology, GLBT, or public health sections, Male Sex can be suggested to patrons to give them a view into the world of male sex work. The book is highly recommended for readers 18 years and older.

Reviewer: Talia Earle