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Customer Reviews
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4.5 Stars for a Humorous Quest on the Life of Sex Scientists
I read the British paperback edition of 2008. Mary Roach, who has tackled Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers and Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife in a popularly funny and fascinating way, now takes a close look at what scientists have indulged in, when it comes to sexuality. There may be some enlightenment on sexuality itself, however, this book is more about what various scientists from around the world have concerned themselves with and how they have approached their sexual agendas. Which covers about anything from electroshocks against wet dreams to electroejaculation. From human upsuck stimulation of sows to the nagging question wether dead people may have an orgasm. Some questions remain unanswered, others are never asked, but this book doesn't intend to be a complete guide to human (and beyond) sexuality. It is more of a personal quest of the author, seeking a look at what sex scientists keep themselves busy with. As such, it is funny by subject matter alone, for example, when it comes to the past millennium-long European thought process that the uterus would be an independent creature within a woman. Also some still contemporary myths get debunked, such as the dogma of various branches of religion that ejaculation and/or orgasm causes ageing. The opposite is the case in reality. Mary Roach decided to include humorous remarks in addition. A lot of them. Personally, I thank her for that. This makes a welcome departure from the many dry textbooks I am reading. And laughing is also prolonging life expectency. I don't find her humor all that adolescent as some other reviewers, especially not if compared to the usual Hollywood juvenile sex comedy. But then again, different people, different humor.
Which also seems to apply to the use of footnotes. Usually, I detest them. Mary Roach is the first author of whom I find them fun to read. In her books they are unnecessary for the main text, but bring a moment of joy to the reader who shares my sense of humor. Here's a tip for those who feel distracted even by these footnotes: You may chose to ignore them. No harm done.
You may also be interested in The Science of Orgasm (little overlap only) and specific quests like Female Ejaculation and the G-Spot: Not Your Mother's Orgasm Book! (Positively Sexual).
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A great read!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Mary Roach's writing is entertaining and informative. This book provides an introduction to the study of sex, and I now find myself wanting to learn more. I don't think this is a book for people who have already completed a lot of research or study on sex, but for those who want an introduction to the topic, this book is fabulous. Highly recommended.
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Curious coupling indeed
A curious coupling of science and sex indeed, the book ranges from the hilarious, to mundane and at times boring, and to downright disturbing. Looking past the social taboo of sex and research, Mary Roach offers an interesting perspective on the scientists, and the results of their research based from the last 100 years of work in the area. However, while graphic details abound, there seems to be no point to the overall story - version two is in order.
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Interesting, but a little scattershot (3.5 *s)
The author in this book basically researches sex researchers and their work: sexual anatomy, function, and response. She does this with certain misgivings, as sex research, even in modern times, has largely had to fly under the radar. Researchers often have to battle insinuations that they "enjoy" their work just a bit too much.
She travels widely to investigate any number of relevant topics. The subjects are both human and animal; and the use of a variety of technologies from MRIs, ultrasound, and personal devices receives attention. A major focus of the author is on the understanding and overcoming of sexual dysfunction, ranging well beyond recent obsessions with ED.
She does all of this with understated humor, even volunteering herself and her husband for some not-so-discreet ultrasound imaging. The book is definitely not without merit and is interesting, but it is scattershot - a little bit of this, a little bit of that. It tends to bounce along the surface alternating among the scenario, equipment, the science, the researcher, the participant, etc. More focus and organization are needed, but is still a pretty good contribution to a field that seemingly cannot be discussed forthrightly in the pseudo moralistic US.
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Tough topic handled fairly well
Mary Roach treats her topics with a healthy blend of disrespect and appreciation for the experts she harvests and repackages and adds her own somewhat glib take on their perspectives. This may be the only way to tackle this culturally heavily laden subject and make it readable.
