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| Source: Amazon.com |
When I first read one of Mary Roach’s books (Stiff: The Curious Life of Human Cadavers), I subtitled the review: “Everything you ever wanted to know about death but were afraid to ask,” or something to that effect. This was on my old blog, of course. Well I suppose I could subtitle this review: “Everything you both ever and never wanted to know about the science and history of human sexuality and will still be afraid to ask even after you’ve read the book.” Yes, that seems to fit the situation as nicely as I can muster.
In fact, to maintain a certain amount of mystique in the book’s favor (and also to keep from seeming like a wacko or a sex addict or something like that), I’m going to give this review short shrift, so to speak. What I mean is that I’m going to keep this one remarkably brief when compared to my Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters review. I’ll point out a few of the vast trove of things that I learned within the book’s pages, and give a brief recommendation with some appropriate caveats, and call it good. Hope that is alright with you.
Where to begin? The book is chock full of... stuff. Let’s call it "stuff," shall we? More stuff than I thought I’d ever learn about... stuff. For instance, did you know that pigs are the only other animal on the planet that grope their partner’s breasts. Besides humans, that is. What does that have to do with human sexuality, other than the interesting similarity between humans and pigs? Nothing that I can figure out. But Roach’s book is nothing if not extensive.
The foot notes, which were read out in the audiobook that I listened to, were also full of interesting tidbits, some not having anything directly to do with... stuff. Here is a good one: The Pepsi Cola company once ran an ad in China that inadvertently stated: “Pepsi Cola brings your ancestors back from the dead,” instead of what they meant to say, which was “Pepsi Cola brings you to life.” Oops. Talk about a marketing faux pas. But hey, it might have worked there. Maybe there was a subliminal Freudian thing going on when the Pepsi guys decided to word it that way. Who can tell?
Oh, and speaking of animals, another odd fact I jotted down when taking notes for this review comes to mind. It appears that most females of various mammalian species, when in heat, begin to experience signs of orgasm when a male walks into the room. Female cows were the specific animal of inquiry that this fact pertained to, if you were wondering. If I remember right, Roach’s point was that humans are the only animal that has such complex relations when it comes to… stuff, but not the only one that experiences correlating parts of the experience.
Another interesting fact, this one having to do with the history of research about… stuff. An early proponent of sexual response research, Dr. John B. Watson, who was also famous for his study of learned fear response when he taught a toddler named Albert (famously known as Little Albert to the world now) to be deathly afraid of white rats (which in this day and age would be considered highly unethical research methodology) had an affair with a research partner, and after being dismissed from his university post, went into advertising. Coincidence? I think not. Sex and advertising goes together like… well, you figure it out.
Speaking from a historical point of view on… stuff, I found the discussion of French sixteenth century impotence trials to be quite fascinating. Did you know that during the 1500s, women could divorce their husbands in France if they could prove through a trial that the man was incapable of doing his husbandly duty? And that there were various approaches made by the accused men to make themselves appear more… “lively.” Yes that seems an appropriate euphemism here. Things got so ridiculous, that at one point, husbands and wives had to engage in relations right there in front of the tribunal, in order to see if things were… working. So you had this angry wife who hated the guy, and this upset husband trying to prove his metal, as it were. Both of them hating each other and surely not keen on a public display of… affection. Crazy.
And speaking of history, also pointed out in the book - an entire chapter if I recall - was that Napoleon Bonaparte's granddaughter actually had a surgery to have part of her female anatomy moved so that she could have more fun when doing... stuff. That chapter dealt with female orgasm and the way the female body works, and had many interesting facts and information on that most mysterious thing for us males of the species. Did I learn how to do anything better? No, I can't say I did. But it was informative, at least. There were things I could have gone my whole life without knowing too, but I'll leave those for the intrepid to discover on their own through the reading of Roach's book. Just don't say I didn't warn you.
Needless to say, these are just some of the more tame facts I gleaned from my reading of Bonk. The book is full of all kinds of… stuff. Things I never would have thought of in my wildest dreams. Not that I dream about… stuff. No more than any normal man does, that is. My, this is awkward.
Needless to say, these are just some of the more tame facts I gleaned from my reading of Bonk. The book is full of all kinds of… stuff. Things I never would have thought of in my wildest dreams. Not that I dream about… stuff. No more than any normal man does, that is. My, this is awkward.
As to a recommendation? I enjoyed learning about the subject of… stuff, in an academic way and not through the usual method of… well, you know. The book is not pornography, neither is it handled in a purely titillating manner or as some sort of “turn-on,” or what-have-you. The material is handled in an adult fashion, albeit in an often humorous way. Roach has no compunctions on describing things in a blunt sort of manner, and there is a little foul language - used in context but certainly not the Queen’s English - in there. The subject matter is quite adult, and is not recommended for those of impressionable age or for anyone who can’t look honestly at… stuff, and not be outright offended or overly embarrassed. Despite my discomfort at the possibility of writing gratuitously about the materials covered (and therefore my choice to not write explicitly and keep things low key), I can say that the experience was worth my time. But then, I read a lot.
Even better, Roach does have fun with her topic. The insights and double entendre are worth the ticket alone, so to speak. There is nothing intended for “getting off” in there. At least not for normal people, I'd think. The book takes the subject of sexuality in a very frank and open manner, and I found the… stuff fascinating. But as I alluded to, take my words with a grain of salt and remember that you are reading material of an adult fashion and… well it certainly isn’t a dry textbook, but it is definitely not nasty or dirty or anything like that. Just like… stuff. Stuff isn't nasty or dirty, but certainly not for the faint of heart either, in my opinion.
One last observation, and then I’ll end this one (thankfully). A concluding remark in one of the chapters of the book - I believe it was the one about Napoleon's granddaughter - states something to the effect that after much discussion with experts on the subject of female arousal and the corresponding genital-relation, a researcher pronounced: "women are complicated." A bit on the nose, that one. As a man, I’d have to whole-heartedly concur.
Learn more about Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex on Amazon.com
My parting comment:
One last observation, and then I’ll end this one (thankfully). A concluding remark in one of the chapters of the book - I believe it was the one about Napoleon's granddaughter - states something to the effect that after much discussion with experts on the subject of female arousal and the corresponding genital-relation, a researcher pronounced: "women are complicated." A bit on the nose, that one. As a man, I’d have to whole-heartedly concur.
Learn more about Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex on Amazon.com
My parting comment:
You writing about...stuff online makes me a little queasy. ;)
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