Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex

Ms Roach has written a hiliarious account of science in search of better sex. A lot of her discoveries fall into the category of "It seemed like a good idea at the time." The author of previous off the wall subjects like "Spook" (post-death exploration) and "Stiff" (dead bodies), she has the knack of finding obscure information that no one has ever heard of. While the book is verbally graphic, it is not porn. She injects herself into her story and her humor resembles the writer, P.J. O'Rourke.

Right up front, Mary Roach tells us this book is a "...tribute to the men and women who dared. Who, to this day, endure ignorance, closed minds, righteousness, and prudery" [sic]. This is a book for those who are interested in Sex, that is, the big picture of what sex is, does, and is all about. This book is about, as Roach so cleverly offers in her subtitle, where science and sex intersect, the success and shortcomings, about vital, important and thoroughly scientific work done necessarily in shadow and secrecy.

The book is generally classified as science writing, but it does not read that way. It's more a memoir of personal curiosity, and a lay-author's attempt to answer are some basic questions about a subject we're all interested in but propriety keeps us from asking. There was adventure aplenty for her (and her husband, a real trouper) in writing it, and we get to come along, too. She ventures as far afield as Cairo, where she runs into dedicated sex research taking place amid--of course--religious restriction. And she goes to Taiwan to be hosted by a highly enthusiastic penis-enlargement doctor.

There are three Really Big Questions Roach goes at:

First, are sex scientists pervs? That's her lead-off, and it's a really good question. Basic common sense seems to indicate that those who make something their life's work usually are deeply interested in it, in all aspects of it, and they live it as well as work it. It flows most logically that those who study sex, and study it as intensely as Kinsey and Masters/Johnson did probably had a real thing for sex. Well, duh. But Roach offers: what's so horrible about that? Why is it that enthusiasm and deep enjoyment/interest in sex makes you any less a thoroughly dedicated scientist?

A-ha, Ms. Roach! By extension, are people who write about sex science pervs? Well...Roach offers very little direct personal insight as to her own proclivities, but the book itself speaks more than enough about her curiosity, lust for adventure, and willingness to try something new, if anything just for having done it, bad or good.

Okay, back to sex researchers, and Roach's description of their sad struggle for funding for their studies. They cannot be straightforward in explaining their desires to explore sexual response or orgasm or arousal patterns, so have to resort to euphemism and semantic gymnastics in proposals. So, when it comes to research dollars, it's clear the grant holders still believe that sex researchers are pervs.

And two: what exactly is an orgasm? Sure, it can be observed and defined in any number of physical ways, but it seems that a great many hypersmart scientist-folk still disagree on exactly what is going on here, uh, there, down there. Roach discusses this kind of in depth, offering that there are at least 20 competing medical/scientific definitions. But to my mind doesn't settle on an answer, or really fully develop enough information to let the reader decide.

And third, who are the best lovers? Unfortunately for most hung-up readers, Roach's arrived-at answer is homosexual couples, both female and male (in that order). The heteros get points for attendance, but are a distant third.

Roach's overview of the historical understanding sexual physiology and the act itself is quite interesting. We should all be glad that we are living in the present age, and are not subject to the dangerous idiocy of scientific/medical understanding of sexual anatomy and function as little as 70 years ago.

Roach's humor is outstanding, offering parenthetical and footnoted quips and observations which are truly funny, while not disparaging of her subjects. I mean, she makes references to Mr. Peabody's Wayback Machine. She offers lots of oddball tidbits, found facts, such as Millard Fillmore's last words, the world record for ejaculation distance, and what it might be like to date a corn dog.

There is no X-rated action here, at least directly portrayed. The content is adult, to be sure, but not prurient or titillating. There also is no direct how-to here, but you can pull little things out, like that foreplay really does make a difference to both foreplayer and foreplayee.

As for contents, she reviews the work of Kinsey and Masters/Johnson, but in interesting bits and pieces. She's done a lot of research, and requests a number of the key pieces of Kinsey's clandestine research, only to be told no; the reader can't help but infer that such material might just show that one of the greatest sex researchers of all time was indeed a perv. You get the penis camera, phallometrics, vaginal upsuck, the International Index of Erectile Function and RigiScan-Plus Rigidity Assessment System (with Self-Calibrating Penile Loops), smegma, the medicalization of impotence, pelvic clenching, the ins-and-outs of Danish pig insemination, panda porn, Ben Vereen, implants and transplants, the Fruit Machine, coital imaging, the Dickinson vulvas, sex toy manufacturing, the arousometer, foreplay and response, glands and hormones, womb fury (the perfect punk band name!), the rectal probe electroejaculator's role in dampening leg spasticity, and the fact that "...the stereotypical...Barbie...is the one least likely to respond to a manly hammering." You get all this in 303 easy-reading pages, with an extensive bibliography, and with no index or "vibrating eggs," as promised by the author.

Bottom line: If sex disgusts, horrifies or otherwise makes you uncomfortable, this very direct and mature adventure will not be an enjoyable read. But if you've got an intellectual curiosity honest enough to admit that you're interested in well, you-know-what, and if you'd like actually to learn a little bit as you indulge your randy curiosity about S-E-X, then you'll enjoy this book, as I did.

Well, the Queen is a scientist by training and therefore a student of finer points of the exchange of genetic matter. In addition, the Queen has been studying chromosomal exchange for many, many years now and has successfully created an F1 generation of her own. In the 1970s genetic exchange was a much more casual matter and the various and sundry methods of exchange were a matter of her intense interest. However, the Queen LEARNED A LOT from Ms Roach's excellent, ribald and informative book. Pigs. Who knew? In addition to being a worthy and descriptive text, the study of the scientific endeavors of Masters and Johnson and the ilk is fascinating in and of itself. You have to admire the intense curiosity of these folks and the ingenuity of their various "methods". I also found satisfying (if you will) the final chapter where the key to transformative genetic exchange encounters was revealed. I will not spoil it for you but suffice it to say that I found it to ring true. I recommend this book with some reservations as the prurient will not find Ms Roach's sense of humor palatable.

A curious coupling of science and sex indeed, the book ranges from the hilarious, to mundane and at times boring, and to downright disturbing. Looking past the social taboo of sex and research, Mary Roach offers an interesting perspective on the scientists, and the results of their research based from the last 100 years of work in the area. However, while graphic details abound, there seems to be no point to the overall story - version two is in order.

Looking at sex from a different angle. Easy to read.

Well, I sure know a whole lot more about... the husbandry practices of pig farmers in Scandanavia. lol
Honestly, I love Mary Roach's approach to science. This book was fascinating and explains a whole heck of a lot of mysteries involving the sexes and, uh, sex.