The Pursuit of Pleasure

In a free-wheeling, uneven but frequently provocative exploration of what motivates us most powerfully, Tiger ( Men in Groups ) seeks ``to establish the moral, scientific and political authority of pleasure.'' Claiming that pleasure is ``an evolutionary entitlement,'' he examines the physiological, intellectual and psychosocial roots of our drives toward sex, eating, satisfying work and states of consciousness commonly induced by drugs. His stands on controversial issues do not fall into any predictable pattern--while urging a more liberal attitude toward sexuality among teenagers, he is firmly opposed to legalizing drugs. Cheerfully exhorting us to enjoy ourselves more fully than our puritan heritage sanctions, Tiger is a forceful, if sometimes glib, social historian. While his research doesn't break new ground, his observations on, for example, modern eating habits and the differences between male and female sexuality offer fresh, intriguing perspectives. (Jan.)