David Rubenstein's review of Bonk (original) (raw)

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David Rubenstein's Reviews > Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex

Bonk by Mary Roach

Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex
by

155663

This is definitely an entertaining book. Mary Roach did a lot of personal investigations; she visited sex researchers to find out what they are up to, how they do research, what are their findings. She describes the early researchers, like Kinsey and Masters and Johnson. She even volunteers herself and her husband as subjects for some of their experiments. She visits scientists who put willing couples into an MRI to take images of the proceedings. She visits sex toy factories to find out how employees feel about their work.

Roach seems also to focus on the bizarre. For example, what people used to do before the days of Viagra. I won't go into the details, in case you are enjoying a snack right now. In fact, many parts of the book are gross enough to avoid reading on a full stomach.

Mary Roach not only focuses on the personalities, but on the science as well. As some other reviewers have noted, it is surprising how little is known about human sexuality. One reason is that it can be difficult to get funding in some topics. Also, perhaps little is known because it is a combination of physiology and psychology, mixed together and it is difficult to sort out these two areas.

I didn't read this book. I listened to the audiobook version, narrated by Sandra Burr. Her reading is FANTASTIC. Her voice tells much more than just the words printed on the page. If you haven't read the book yet, and want to, I highly recommend listening to the audiobook!

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Reading Progress

June 7, 2015 –Finished Reading

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