Inner Circle, T.C. Boyle

Though a work of fiction...and strange fiction at that, it does address the concept of working on a contraversial subject (in this case human sexuality)scientifically in an environment of uptight puritanic social restrictions. The main character is a student of a sex researcher in the 1940's and 40's in Indiana. Like for those of us who work as evolutionary biologists, the characters often face a general public that rather cover up, ignore, or not believe the facts. Note of warning for the uptight or faint hearted, the book (like most of T.C. Boyle's other works) has some extremely graphic descriptions of sex...but then, considering the subject, it has to.