Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex in 100+ Books in 2025

Sep 11, 2013 Nola Tillman rated it really liked it

Shelves: nonfiction-science, nonfiction-humor

I don't know whether to recommend this book or not. It may change your sex life...you may find yourself knowing more than you wanted to. On the other hand, you'll almost definitely find yourself knowing more than you did before. Neither of those are necessarily in a "make you a tiger in bed" sort of way BUT the information is interesting. I suppose what it comes down to is how much nitty gritty did you want to know about something that most people tend to keep behind closed doors? Did you want t I don't know whether to recommend this book or not. It may change your sex life...you may find yourself knowing more than you wanted to. On the other hand, you'll almost definitely find yourself knowing more than you did before. Neither of those are necessarily in a "make you a tiger in bed" sort of way BUT the information is interesting. I suppose what it comes down to is how much nitty gritty did you want to know about something that most people tend to keep behind closed doors? Did you want to hear what scientists have done to search out the elusive cause of orgasms? Learn about how your pain and focus contract during sex? Know exactly what muscles you're using?

I know a number of my Goodreads friends are very straight-laced Christians, so let me assure you that if you are interested in the science behind the sex, this makes for a good read, though it will also occasionally make you cringe. The author wrote it with an eye towards making sure her teenage stepdaughter would not feel embarrassed--at least, as unembarrassed as you can feel when a parental figure writes about sex. In a lab. With your dad. But the descriptions are not smutty-lurid but scientific; in the case of some studies, the author bemoans, almost too clinical. It's interesting, too, to review how the perspective of science towards sex has changed over the years. Not always for the more openminded and detached.

On top of keeping the subject on the up and up, Roach applies her unique brand of humor to the writing. When she and her husband volunteer to participate in one study, for instance, she notes that the doctor offers her husband some pornography to help get things started. (Paraphrasing) 'As if the site of his forty+ year old wife in a hospital gown on a lab table wasn't enough,' she essentially said wryly. Other subjects hit less close to home, such as watching surgeries for erectile disfunction. (again, paraphrasing) 'To preserve modesty, the patient lay on the bed with everything covered except his penis, which drew more attention to his anatomy than he would have if it had been him laying completely naked on the bed.' Except, of course, Roach has a more amusing turn of phrase than my midnight reviews suggest.

And let's not talk about the pigs...or the monkeys....

Roach is a writer who goes the extra mile to do her research. Not content with books and interviews, she volunteers herself and her husband for studies to get an idea of what is going on. The woman had sex on a lab table with her husband while a scientist observed to get the nuts and bolts of the story, talk about dedication.

I'm a huge fan of Mary Roach, and am working my way through her scientific writings. That said, I can frankly say that while I enjoyed this book, Stiff still remains my favorite, while Packing for Mars comes in a close second. If you're looking for just one nonfiction science book to read this year, I would suggest one of those...but if you're looking for three, I'd probably suggest all three of them. ...more

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Dec 31, 2008 Dolly rated it really liked it

Shelves: science, other-usa, 2010, nonfiction, africa, turkey-turkish, england-english, russia, china-chinese, france-french

Mary Roach has done it again. She has taken another wild look at a scientific subject, in this case, sex. She writes with the tone of a person who is eager to learn and willing to be open to what is out there. She investigates this topic with a thoroughness that is impressive, and the fact that she was able to get her husband to willingly participate in an experiment is equally impressive. She unabashedly tackles subjects that are at wide ends of the spectrum…at times I was reassured, confused, ...more

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Mar 05, 2009 Lindsay rated it it was amazing

Shelves: generalnon-fiction, science, history

Very interesting read. Much better than her book "Stiff," about corruption in the body donation industry (although I liked this book as well). A little to heavy on recounting scientific studies for people uninterested in science(not me, I loved it!), but otherwise fast-paced enough to keep me interested, while still keeping the text informative. ...more

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Mar 22, 2011 Amy rated it liked it

This was a fascinating look at the studies that have been done to understand the science behind sex. The author has a humorous way of writing, and many passages made me laugh out loud or cringe at the horror. After getting through one of her books, maybe I'll have to go back and give Stiff another try. ...more

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May 12, 2008 Kate rated it really liked it

Shelves: science

I liked this book. Not as much as I liked "Stiff," her book that investigates what can happen to you when you donate your body to science. It was interesting to read about all of the different research going on into the world of sex. She makes reading research interesting. ...more

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