Kinsey felt he could only study [sex] by stripping away all but its physiological functions, first removing moral judgments, second, even harder, emotions and feelings. For both he was ideally equipped psychologically and for both he was savagely criticized.
Jonathan Gathorne-Hardy
Sex the Measure of All Things: A Life Of Alfred C. Kinsey by Gathorne-Hardy was quoted in a review (linked) of Kinsey, leading me to check it out, since I found the movie rather well done. I also was interested in learning more about the man himself, whose work via the Kinsey Institute and beyond is still ongoing. [As an aside, the book suggests the supporting cast is pretty true to life, though it doesn't say that Kinsey's university ever stopped funding him.]
The book is a mixed bag. As the review notes, it is quite "chatty," the footnotes often interesting asides that match the author's opinion of Kinsey himself -- interesting in many things, not sure about everything, but willing to theorize about them when necessary. The book also goes the extra mile in defending Kinsey from critics, especially the author of another biography. Also, the author is British, which at times provides an interesting commentary on American culture (originally published in his native country, we at times have asides on matters that seem obvious, to inform his readers of our customs).
And, it does provide a fairly good overall of his subject. The book he attacks is much longer and detailed on some matters Gathorne-Hardy now and again says "we need not dwell upon," including family gossip.* Still, as in the movie itself, I would have liked to learn more about his family. For instance, his wife after not too long is mostly a cameo performer, and his children are rarely heard from. Also, once we reach the sex years, the book (interesting vignettes now and again aside) gets a bit tedious, as if a good editing job was lacking.
Thus, the reader that wants to obtain a complete picture of the man as well as a completely enjoyable reading experience might be somewhat disappointed. The main title is revealing, since the sexual research is covered fairly thoroughly. Nonetheless, the first section of the book loyally spells out the subject's life, even though it was more about gall wasps than sex.
Overall, the best option might be to check it out, and skim over the slow parts. And, for those who want to know more about his family, to look elsewhere.
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* This is not to say that the book doesn't have gossip -- Kinsey's sex life supplied quite a bit, though the author provides a somewhat scattershot discussion. The author rejects those who said he skewered his data to promote a certain p.o.v., including homosexual friendly activity (Kinsey rejected the "born that way" stance), though he does note that Kinsey was both a scientist and a social reformer -- though the two sides of him sometimes mixed together none to easily.