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bookswithscrump 's review for:
Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex
by Mary Roach
3 stars to Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex by Mary Roach- the least steamy book about sex I’ve read, yet a very educational one!
In Bonk, Roach does a deep dive into the world of sex science, research, and its history in an approachable and at times hilarious way (loved the footnotes).
Each chapter focused on different aspects of the science of sex, but the ones I liked most were the ones that delved more into the history of sex research and how it was incorporated into medicine and society at the time. Throughout the Middle Ages, and honestly most of history, research and treatments for various sexual ailments were wild, and some had me laughing out loud (and feeling very bad for many of the patients). I also appreciated that Mary herself volunteered a few times to participate in studies to get a true first hand experience and you could definitely see it in her writing. (I will never think of an MRI in the same way again).
I did find the book to feel slightly disorganized as far as chapter flow, and it was pretty dry at times, so I put it down a lot and struggled to get deep into it. I can be very hit or miss when it comes to non-fiction reads, and I guess I just wasn’t in the right headspace for this one.
If you’re looking for an approachable read on this topic, I would definitely recommend this one-Roach’s writing is great and it’s a subject matter that can be fascinating. Definitely not for the very prudish however, as it is frank and unabashed in its subject matter.
In Bonk, Roach does a deep dive into the world of sex science, research, and its history in an approachable and at times hilarious way (loved the footnotes).
Each chapter focused on different aspects of the science of sex, but the ones I liked most were the ones that delved more into the history of sex research and how it was incorporated into medicine and society at the time. Throughout the Middle Ages, and honestly most of history, research and treatments for various sexual ailments were wild, and some had me laughing out loud (and feeling very bad for many of the patients). I also appreciated that Mary herself volunteered a few times to participate in studies to get a true first hand experience and you could definitely see it in her writing. (I will never think of an MRI in the same way again).
I did find the book to feel slightly disorganized as far as chapter flow, and it was pretty dry at times, so I put it down a lot and struggled to get deep into it. I can be very hit or miss when it comes to non-fiction reads, and I guess I just wasn’t in the right headspace for this one.
If you’re looking for an approachable read on this topic, I would definitely recommend this one-Roach’s writing is great and it’s a subject matter that can be fascinating. Definitely not for the very prudish however, as it is frank and unabashed in its subject matter.