Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex by Mary Roach

This review refers to an Advance Reading Copy and may not reflect the final published edition.

Bonk: the Curious Coupling of Science and Sex is author Mary Roach's latest meandering exploration of the weird world of scientific research. Within its pages, Roach pokes, prods and penetrates the often bizarre and hilariously funny aspects of sex research. In a new twist, she gets first-hand observations not previously possible in Stiff or Spook - those of the research subject.

Mary Roach writes in her familiar style: quick, witty, and never meeting a tangent she didn't like. Considering the subject, the jokes are rampant. While amusing, the asides and footnotes occasionally have a stultifying effect on the narrative. I sometimes found myself losing interest in the subject. Fortunately, Roach changes tack frequently enough that another, more interesting subject is always on the horizon.

Speaking of subjects, they are plentiful: male and female arousal, erections, orgasms, vibrators, and that sexual equivalent of body-building, the Kegel exercise. But, the most interesting subject is Roach herself, who takes a turn being observed by researchers and brings her (very understanding) husband along for the ride.

Roach wanders from subject to subject in a rather free-floating way, so consider yourself advised that there is no "point" to this work. As in other works, her approach is journalistic: she reports some new things learned about sex research, then throws in an editorial wink-and-a-smile. However, one does regret she didn't follow up with the same final page as in Stiff: "How to Donate Your Body to Science."

NOTE: A very great "Thank You!" to W.W. Norton and LibraryThing for the opportunity to review this book.

Originally posted @ LibraryThing on March 16th, 2008.