David Reuben (author)

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Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask) Everythingsex.jpg
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask)

David R. Reuben (born November 29, 1933) is an American-born psychiatrist and author, best known for his best-selling books Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask) and The Save-Your-Life Diet. [1]

Contents

Early life and education

Reuben was born in 1933 in Chicago. He entered the University of Chicago at the age of 15 and later transferred to the University of Illinois College of Medicine, where he earned his M.D. in 1957. [2] [3] He received psychiatric training at Cook County Hospital. [2]

Career

Geraldine (Flip Wilson) interviews Dr. David Reuben on
The Flip Wilson Show (1971) Flip Wilson Geraldine 1971.JPG
Geraldine (Flip Wilson) interviews Dr. David Reuben on
The Flip Wilson Show (1971)

Reuben served as a psychiatrist in the United States Air Force from 1959 to 1961. Following his military service, Reuben established a private psychiatry practice in Southern California. [2] [3] He also worked at Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts Health Center. [3]

During the early 1970s, Reuben became a celebrity doctor and appeared on television with multiple appearances on The Tonight Show and Dick Cavett Show . [4] [5] [6] He shifted from medical practice to full‑time writing by the mid‑1970s.

Works

During his clinical practice, Reuben also worked with patients with sexual dysfunctions. [6] He observed that patients frequently asked similar questions, which inspired him to create a straightforward resource to address these common concerns. [6] This idea first took shape as an informational pamphlet, which he progressively developed into a full‑length manuscript. [6] After facing rejections from multiple publishers, his book, Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex but Were Afraid to Ask , was published in 1969. [6] The book gained popularity for its humorous and accessible question‑and‑answer format and was translated into more than 19 languages and sold more than 100 million copies. [7] [3] The book challenged societal taboos surrounding sexuality in a period characterized by limited public discourse and education about sex. Kirkus Reviews' critic judged the manual as "a useful and sensible book" whose "entertaining and slightly rakish approach" helps to demystify the subject. [8] Praised for its witty, candid approach, it topped The New York Times bestseller list for 55 consecutive weeks. It was "among the top 20 all‑time best sellers of the 20th century in the United States". [9] The book also inspired a film by Woody Allen, Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex (*But Were Afraid to Ask)  (1972). [10] Reuben issued a major revision in 1999 to address changing laws on contraception and abortion, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and shifting social attitudes toward LGBT identities. [11] Martin Miller, looking back on the updated 1999 edition for the Los Angeles Times , praised Reuben's "breezy, tongue‑in‑cheek Q‑and‑A form" while noting that fresh medical material on AIDS and abortion kept the book "still sex‑education's locomotive," [11]

Reuben authored two more best‑selling books on sex, Any Woman Can! (1971) and How to Get More out of Sex (1974). [12] [4]

The Save‑Your‑Life Diet: High‑Fiber Protection (1975) and The Save Your Life Diet High‑Fiber Cookbook (1976) translated his roughage manifesto into a kitchen playbook. Kirkus Reviews judged the book "perfectly okay" as a practical sequel. [13] In 1978 Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Nutrition was published. In 1982, Dr. David Reuben's Mental First‑Aid Manual was published. Reviewer T. H. Woon found the manual "thought‑provoking" and potentially helpful to both doctors and laypeople. [14]

Personal life

Reuben is married to Barbara, and they have five children. [15]

References

  1. "Nutrition Book Has Its Ups And Downs". The Daily Courier (Arizona) . June 30, 1985. Retrieved July 5, 2022. The book is written to sell, sell. It amazes me how an M.D. can know "every thing" about medicine ( he's a psychiatrist), "everything" about sex (Remember Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex But Were Afraid to Ask?)
  2. 1 2 3 Reuben, David (January 24, 1971). "Doctor David Reuben on Sex Education". The Blade . Toledo, Ohio . Retrieved July 5, 2022. via google books
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Jan 14, 1972, page 28 - Philadelphia Daily News at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  4. 1 2 Diamond, S. J. (February 1, 1993). "SEQUEL / 'PHENOMENON' AUTHORS : Singular Sensations : Richard Bach, Marabel Morgan and David R. Reuben each wrote one bestseller. Then, despite subsequent efforts, each slipped from the limelight". Los Angeles Times.
  5. "American Notebook (Published 1970)". The New York Times . March 1970.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "May 18, 1975, page 217 - Tampa Bay Times at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  7. Menand, Louis (May 31, 2021). "What Our Biggest Best-Sellers Tell Us About a Nation's Soul". The New Yorker via www.newyorker.com.
  8. "Book Reviews, Sites, Romance, Fantasy, Fiction". Kirkus Reviews.
  9. "Best seller | Popular Titles, Genres & Authors | Britannica". www.britannica.com.
  10. "What's New at the Movies (Published 1972)". The New York Times . August 20, 1972.
  11. 1 2 Miller, Martin (February 17, 1999). "30 Years Later, the Subject Is Still Sex". Los Angeles Times.
  12. "Preview unavailable - ProQuest". www.proquest.com. ProQuest   2608026322 . Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  13. "Book Reviews, Sites, Romance, Fantasy, Fiction". Kirkus Reviews.
  14. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on February 24, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  15. Lavin, Cheryl (March 8, 1999). "When 'sex book' ceased to be something dirty; Publishing: Everything you always wanted to know about 'Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Sex". Chicago Tribune . The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on June 23, 2021. Retrieved July 5, 2022.