Book Price Comparisons
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 The morning after... I enjoyed reading Mary Roach's earlier book, "Stiff", which was an entertaining and informative romp through the history of scientists' uses of cadavers. Granted, it was informative in the way that trivia questions are - fun to discuss over cocktails, but not really helpful to know. Still, it is interesting to pause and think about aspects of life - or death - that usually are beyond our concern. So, I was intrigued by "Bonk"; I expected Mary Roach would easily rise to the challenge. She never quite got it up. Sure, it was informative. But after reading about one too many sex experiments involving primates, the thrill was gone. Since the subject became dull rather quickly, Roach filled the text with too many jokes - and some of them fell flat. (Some of them were downright nasty, such as the footnote in chapter 9 about a young boy being killed in an MRI machine. What could possibly be funny about that?) After a while, the forced humor and repetition of sex talk reminded me of 5th grade locker room conversation. She also tried to make the story interesting by giving the reader portraits of the scientists involved in the research. The caricatures were either too silly or too scary; for the latter, she had to repeatedly make an effort to defend them as real scientists, not voyeurs. Adding these characters to the locker room talk and lame humor hardly made for an entertaining read. You can only try to be funny about body parts for so long, before the reader just starts wishing Roach would hurry up and finish. The stories that could have been interesting, such as when she relates her own involvement in some of the more tame experiments, are about as titillating as a cold shower. Worse than that, the book doesn't seem to go anywhere. The reader is up to the eyeballs in scientists and genitals, but there seems to be no point to the story, except to say that there have been some scientists that have been interested in genitals. Well, isn't that a thrilling thesis? In the end, I was reminded of something that Raymond Chandler wrote, comparing alcohol to love: "The first kiss is magic, the second is intimate, the third is routine. After that you take the girl's clothes off." In "Bonk", the preface - entitled 'foreplay', of course - draws you in. You'll read a chapter or two, but then you'll wish you'd said, "Not tonight, dear; I have a headache." It's just routine - and if the author isn't going to try to make it interesting and new, then the reader might as well just roll over and get some sleep. At least you'll still respect yourself in the morning.  Very funny and understandable About: A rundown of the scientific study of sex. Pros: Funny and well written, Roach has a knack for putting scientific jargon and concepts into very understandable terms. Interesting and you're guaranteed to learn something. Also includes recipe for simulated human semen (Mix 7 ml room-temperature water and 7.26 g cornstarch, stir for 5 minutes and you'll get one fake ejaculate). Bonus fact: One study found 351 slang terms for penis but only 3 for clitoris. Cons: I was surprised that John Wayne Bobbit was not mentioned when the concept of cutting off penises was brought up. I also expected Dr Kellogg, the inventor of Corn Flakes who was very against masturbation to get at least a nod. One nitpicky thing: In the chapter on boar sex, boar 433 gets referred to once as boar 443 (pg. 89). Grade: B+  The funniest science book ever written Here's to Ed! Author Mary Roach's husband Ed must be the world's most agreeable husband, seeing as he agreed to have sex with his wife in a 20-inch-diameter MRI tube. While she takes notes. And an observing doctor makes chit-chat. I actually laughed out loud while reading this book. Often. At the rec center where I work out, I kept getting the giggles while pedaling on the stationary bike. I took off the book jacket with the giant word "Bonk" on the cover (and the tiny, um, "bonking" ladybugs) so it wouldn't be obvious what I was reading. I learned a great deal. For example, did you know that Victorian gynecologists treated women without looking at them? Or that using most homemade sex machines of that era was "like dating a corn dog"? Or some people thought that witches collected penises and put them in boxes, where they moved around on their own and ate oats and corn? Mostly I learned that I need to get Mary Roach's other books. She's a gem. Here's the chapter list: 1. The Sausage, the Porcupine, and the Agreeable Mrs. G: Highlights from the pioneers of human sexual response 2. Dating the Penis-Camera: Can a woman find happiness with a machine? 3. The Princess and Her Pea: The woman who moved her clitoris, and other ruminations on intercourse orgasms 4. The Upsuck Chronicles: Does orgasm boost fertility, and what do pigs know about it? 5. What's Going On in There?: The diverting world of coital imaging 6. The Taiwanese Fix and the Penile Pricking Ring: Creative approaches to impotence 7. The Testicle Pushers: If two are good, would three be better? 8. Re-Member Me: Transplants, implants and other penises of last resort 9. The Lady's Boner: Is the clitoris a tiny penis? 10. The Prescription-Strength Vibrator: Masturbating for health 11. The Immaculate Orgasm: Who needs genitals? 12. Mind Over Vagina: Women are complicated 13. What Would Allah Say?: The strange, brave career of Ahmed Shafik 14. Monkey Do: The secret sway of hormones 15. "Persons Studied in Pairs:" The lab that uncovered great sex It's sex-ay (science) time! Kegels and paraclitoridiennes and Thrillhammers, oh my! Popular science writer Mary Roach is no stranger to the business of taboo-busting; her previous works, STIFF: THE CURIOUS LIVES OF HUMAN CADAVERS and SPOOK: SCIENCE TACKLES THE AFTERLIFE are books one might hesitate to discuss in polite company. (The biology of "human soup" isn't exactly acceptable dinner conversation, now, is it?) Lucky for us, Mary Roach* is a curious and intrepid soul who's more than willing tread where many of us would rather not - and then pen a witty, sarcastically humorous account of her journey. BONK: THE CURIOUS COUPLING OF SCIENCE AND SEX is Ms. Roach's latest foray into the dark nooks and crannies of the scientific community's attic. Starting with the 1800s, the author details the history of scientific inquiries into human and animal sexuality. In its infancy, sexual research was awkward and, at times, nonsensical; as understanding of human biology increased, the field of sexual science evolved. Nowhere is this more evident than in science's treatment of women and gender; whereas scientists once argued whether women could even have orgasms, they now quibble over the most efficient means of getting the ladyfolk there. Just as the development of sexual knowledge reflects the progression of science and the embrace of the scientific method, so too does it correspond to women's liberation and gender equality. Thus, a history of sex studies is a history of science and social movements. All is not meta with Ms. Roach, however. In fact, her delight seems to be in the details. While her discussion does focus on some overarching topics and themes - including the history of research into and knowledge of sexuality; female and male anatomy and psychology, including the similarities and differences between the genders; the physiology of sex, and how one goes about documenting it; and technology's impact on sexuality - BONK is full of meandering tangents and interesting side notes. Though the asterisks are many, don't skip a one. While a few are a bit extraneous even for me, some of the juiciest tidbits are in the side notes.** BONK is a popular science book that's suitable for both lay people and professionals alike. The science in BONK is presented in such a way that it's accessible and engaging, yet it isn't watered down, either. Ms. Roach has an engaging writing style and a biting sense of humor, making this a "science of sex" book quite unlike any other. At times sardonic, macabre and morbid, she just has a way of skewering sacred cows - she'll show you precisely how the hot dog is made before cajoling you into taking a bite.**** Like many gourmet dishes, Ms. Roach's brand of humor may not please every palate - but this doesn't make it any less of a delicacy. While I enjoyed the book immensely, I do have to offer a caveat. If you're sensitive to images of animal suffering (more specifically, vivisection and factory farming), read BONK with caution. As with any "history of science" book, BONK contains scenes of gratuitous violence against animals. For example, one early study the author describes involved the decapitation of a female dog - while mating (!) - in order to study the mobility of the male's semen. It's pretty gruesome stuff, and while Ms. Roach is for the most part appropriately horrified, some of the more modern abuses are left unquestioned. * Even the woman's name tickles my fancy. "Mary Roach." Roach clip, anyone? ** For example, I bet you didn't know that perforated postal stamps are a low-tech way to determine whether a man is medically (as opposed to psychologically) impotent. Just wrap a roll around the package in question, and ship it off for overnight delivery. If the stamps are torn upon morning pickup, said package is in working (physical) order.*** *** The USPS both knows of and endorses the practice, FYI. **** Much in the same manner she cajoled her husband into bonking in an MRI machine in the name of science. Or so one might assume.***** ***** Pants off to you, Ed! | |||||||||||||