While the entire world seems to be reading a Fifty Shades
novel, I opted for a different kind of sex book. Mary Roach’s Bonk – The
curious coupling of sex and science (2008) is all about sex.
Roach investigates the weird and wonderful world of sex research. She
explores the historical attempts at enhancing pleasure and curing various
dysfunctions, including those from ancient Greece, medieval times, the early 20th
Century, and the work of Kinsey and Masters & Johnson. She also shows us the advances made through modern
day research using MRIs, exploratory surgeries and even sex-toy R&D labs.
Whether wading though journal articles, or attending a Scandinavian
pig farm, or viewing surgical implants, the thoroughness of Roach’s research reveals
a degree of commitment that she throws herself into the subject. Literally - Roach
and her devoted partner Ed volunteered to participate in research by subjecting
themselves to ultrasound scanning while performing to assist researchers to
learn more about the internal sexual anatomy.
There is humour throughout, in both the bizarre circumstances and Roach’s
vivid descriptions. I will never look at a gooseneck lamp again without
thinking of a certain Taiwanese surgical procedure. She makes science fun and
you can’t help but laugh out loud at some of the nonsensical absurdities that
have been presented as medical research.
Roach inserts herself in the book with witty asides and footnotes.
This worked well in her book Stiff – The curious lives of human cadavers (2003), but occasionally works less well
here. Sometimes these are distracting or obvious smirks, that could have been
removed allowing the reader to draw their own conclusions.
This book should come with a warning. Roach is not shy about asking
the questions we are curious about but would be too embarrassed to ask. Her
descriptions of certain procedures and tests will leave you crossed-legged and
shuddering. There is creepiness and ickiness. So beware, once you know it you
can never un-know it.
My review of Roach’s equally fascinating, hilarious and
enlightening book Stiff – The curious lives of human cadavers is also on this blog.