Bonk by Mary Roach

Stuck in the doctor’s office for 4 hours last week, I finally cracked the cover of Bonk.  I’ve had this book checked out for 3 weeks, and have been meaning to read it for a year or so, but there’s something about non-fiction that makes my eyes glaze over and reach for the nearest fluff book on the shelf.  But, with no other choice than staring at the sterile white walls, I began to read.

What attracted me to Bonk initially was an NPR interview with the author when she first published Stiff: the Curious Life of Human Cadavers.  I was intrigued, and am still on hold for Stiff from the library…it’s always checked out when I want it!  So, in a quest to expand my non-fiction repertoire, I happened upon Bonk…it has a cute cover.

An entire book about the science of sex?  I had no idea what to expect.  At least with romances you know what you’re in for, the cover tells you everything!

Within the first chapter of Bonk I was hooked!  Mary Roach successfully takes an incredibly intimate and almost taboo topic and fearlessly explores how science has gained knowledge of the physiology of sex.  With amazing (and amusing) research, great dialogue, and wonderful footnotes (DO NOT SKIP THE FOOTNOTES!!) Bonk is a great discussion starter, and a great book to read aloud with your spouse.  You have to read it aloud, otherwise said spouse will be asking you every 5 minutes why you’re chortling away…coming from personal experience, anyway.

Bonk is an wonderful, open look at human behavior, and how society reacts & responds to that behavior.  Enjoy Bonk with an open mind and a sense of the ridiculous – because, really, how seriously can we take ourselves?

Surprisingly fun & informative, best when enjoyed with friends/spouse