for The Secret Language of Sleep: A Couple's Guide to the Thirty-Nine Positions

"Hugely entertaining and deadpan smart, Evany Thomas's The Secret Language of Sleep (McSweeney's) details 39 positions for dormant lovers, from Melting Spoons (that's Classic Spooning for codependents) to Starfish and Conch ('the preferred position for couples who fight well together') and Sixth Posture of the Perfumed Forest (one hand on stomach, opposite elbow across eyes). Amelia Bauer's line drawings, evocative of prim 1950s sex guides, give this tiny volume its tart appeal."
—O Magazine, December 2006

"From the start, A Couple's Guide has its tongue firmly in cheek--note that it's the 39 positions, no more, no less....From Tetherball to Springloaded, Classic Sppoons to Softserve Swirl, the book blithely introduces the positions and analyzes the type of couple who utilizes each. For a couple who naturally sleeps or chooses to sleep in the Seatbelt position: 'After steeping in sensations of support and safety, couples awake liek baby birds ready for their first flight, the small thrill of 'what next' coursing through them.' This is for couples who need to learn to take themselves less seriously, or for those who already do."
—Penthouse Forum, November 2006

Evany Thomas reads selections from The Secret Language of Sleep for Writer's Block, KQED's podcast series.
—KQED, Northern California Public Broadcasting, August 24, 2006

Evany Thomas was interviewed about The Secret Language of Sleep on Seattle's KUOW radio. "A third of your day is spent unconscious as you sleep, recharge, and get ready for the coming day. If you sleep with someone, this leads to various sleep positions that you're probably not particularly aware of. Fortunately, author Evany Thomas has been looking into it for all of us. Her new book, The Secret Language of Sleep, names the 39 most popular positions and what they say about those dozing in them. Learn the "Fireman's Carry", the "Bird in Hand", and the "Paper Dolls" as Thomas talks with KUOW's John Moe, who remains wide awake throughout."
—KUOW, Puget Sound Public Radio, July 27, 2006

"Injected with just the right dose of McSweeney-ian humor, this book is downright precious for those of you (un)fortunate enough to be in a relationship, or even those of you who are living single." And: "If you're just looking for a new position or some quirky insight into the one you and your partner contentedly form, Thomas' book will delight at first glance. But upon closer inspection, The Secret Language of Sleep is oddly and deeply romantic."
—SF Weekly, May 31, 2006

"Ultimately, this is the message Thomas wants readers to take from her book: Flexibility and open-mindedness are essential when it comes to sleep poses. Falling into a sleep position rut could prove detrimental not just in a relationship, but in all aspects of one's life."
—The National Post, May 24, 2006

"Harnessing a camera to the ceiling of the bedroom she shares with her boyfriend, Thomas conducted research by inviting friends in relationships to demonstrate favorite positions and explain what each might mean. The couples' answers revealed telling misperceptions about their lovers' nighttime behavior. 'When your partner is sleeping facing the wall, you might interpret it as spurning you,' Thomas offers. 'But that's not necessarily true. If both members of a couple equally enjoy a pose that others consider awkward or violent, it can actually be a sign of compatibility.'"
—I.D. Magazine, May, 2006

The Secret Language of Sleep was featured on Good Morning America! View the full story here.
—ABC's Good Morning America, Sunday, April 23, 2006

Described as "funny and absurd," The Secret Language of Sleep wins spot number six ("Coziest Couple") in "The Eight Most Remarkable Things in Culture This Month" Awards section.
—Esquire, May 2006

"Sure the sex in your relationship is pretty awesome (except sometimes after too many vodkas -- so furious and then nothing -- but that's no one's fault), and your mom seems to like your mate, but according to writer Evany Thomas, the real indication of the future of your love life is dictated by the way you and your hunny snuggle. ... Thanks to Thomas's cool dissection of shared sleep strategies and Amelia Bauers' clinical illustrations, you can finally ask with authority, "What happened? Why ... don't you Springloader me anymore?"
—V Magazine, Spring 2006

"If slept embraces, if rested the head to you on the chest of your partner, if the passages the arm on the belly, you know that not been acting for case: in every position that the brace assumes during the night they can read much truth. And this is worth for the eterosessuali braces, like for those gay. It supports the sociologist Evany Thomas, than to the main positions of the addormentate braces he has dedicated an acute small volume, The Secret Language of Sleep (the secret Language of the sleep), attended in bookcase in the USA to half you open them."
—Il Messaggero (via Babelfish), March 2006

"For mates completely stuck in their Pinching Koala and Tree ways (lots of knee squeezing) or who are avowed Ticket Punchers (plenty of hot toe-on-toe action), Thomas purports to explain what each snuggle means using a mixture of research ranging from hard science to soft tarot, with a sprinkling of survival guides, yoga and ventriloquism thrown in for good measure."
—New York Post, February 2006

(Click the thumbnail below for a full-size photo. A few more photos are also available!)