THE INNER CIRCLE by TC Boyle

THE INNER CIRCLE is a novel about Alfred Charles Kinsey, zoologist at Indiana University, and the founder of the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction (Kinsey Institute). The story is told in the first person by John Milk, a fictional character who becomes Kinsey's first researcher, and Milk relates how Kinsey's obsession with the investigation of human sexuality impacted his professional career and his marriage to Iris. The novel begins the day of Kinsey's funeral (he died at the age of 62 in August of 1956), and then in a series of flash-backs the reader gets an 'inside glimpse' at Kinsey's groundbreaking approach to the statistical exploration of human sexuality.

Although an enjoyable read, the novel is a bit dry, and almost seems as if it might have been written in the 40's or 50's. I preferred Boyle's THE ROAD TO WELLVILLE and DROP CITY, but reading this book was time well spent. THE TORTILLA CURTAIN will be my next novel by TC Boyle.

Prok- Kinsey's nickname used by The Inner Circle (Professor K)
Clara (Mac) Kinsey
John Milk
Iris Milk
Purvis Corcoran
Violet Corcoran

"High Raters"- People who engaged in a large variety and volume of sexual activity. These people were of special interest to the researchers.
"Sex Shy"- People who were sexually repressed.