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 enlarge | Author: Mary Roach
Publisher: W. W. Norton
Category: Book
List Price: $24.95
Buy New: $14.87
You Save: $10.08 (40%)
New (46) Used (11) Collectible (1) from $14.79
Rating:  69 reviews
Sales Rank: 2134
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Pages: 288
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 8.4 x 5.5 x 1.2
ISBN: 0393064646
Dewey Decimal Number: 612.6
EAN: 9780393064643
ASIN: 0393064646
Publication Date: April 7, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 31-35 of 69
 Bonk bonked June 25, 2008
Patrick J. Atkinson (Bismarck, ND United States)
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
Having loved Mary Roach's earlier books, I bought three copies of this - one for me and two for gifts. I forced my way through the first half of the book before I threw in the towel and gave away my copy as well. Just the theme of Bonk promises fascinating analysis, an interesting review of the history of sexuality, and wonderful stories from differences and similiarities through the ages and around the globe. Unfortunately, you'll find none of this in this book. Instead it reads like a poorly written college term paper that focuses way too long on academia and archaic, and boring, studies. Sorry, Mary, but this book just doesn't cut it as an interesting read.
 Informative and Entertaining June 22, 2008
Jens B. Fiederer (Rochester, NY)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I'm afraid I might have been a bit irritating to be around while I was reading this book - there was so much I wanted to share, and this book really isn't for EVERYONE.
Some people, for example, didn't really want to see the poster from the Danish government intended to help train farmers in making sure their pigs have climaxes during artificial insemination (which improves fertility)....
Bonk is No Romp June 20, 2008
Geoffrey Kleinman (Portland, OR USA)
5 out of 9 found this review helpful
I really wanted to like Bonk. Mary Roach seems joyous in her celebration of the science of sex. It's clear she's spent (and thoroughly enjoyed) her time researching the subject, unfortunately the book never really comes together. Mary Roach's 'signature wit' comes of more as juvenile as she seems lost in her perspective on her subject. Is Bonk a personal essay about her journey through the world of sex research? A portrait of the history of sex and the science surrounding it? Roach never settles in with a clear perspective on her subject and ends up getting lost in the telling.
I'm not a huge fan of footnotes, I respect when they are used well but despise when they are used as long tangents for a broken narrative. In Bonk Roach uses long footnotes on almost every other page and uses them to add 'witty commentary' to some of her points. Most of the footnotes should have been integrated into the main text as they often feel orphaned from it.
The most telling chapter of this book is when Roach goes to Cairo to get insight into sex research in Egypt. Her trip, the results and the chapter are a complete let down and yet Roach tries to salvage it at the end with a chest thumping cry of how important people dedicating their lives to sexual discourse are. It's at this point you can see that Roach is 'rounding third' in her book and realizes she doesn't have the goods to bring it all home.
It's a real shame. This book could and should have been better. Mary Roach is a fine writer, an obvious research nut and the subject is one that is anything but unengaging. Unfortunately it's yet another book where the editor let the author run free. Some real hard nosed editing, some real focus, a re-arrangement of the footnotes and a clarity of perspective and you've got a fine book. But what's in this pages isn't worth picking this book up in hardcover. It's really a casual mass-market paperback read (or even a used one at that).
Another winner by Roach June 16, 2008
Jessi (Philadelphia, PA)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Basically, if it's by Mary Roach, you should read it. Her books are at once hilarious and informative. A fan since "Stiff," I pre-ordered "Bonk" and couldn't have been more pleased. I highly recommend this book.
Curiously captivating! June 13, 2008
Deb (Palo Alto, CA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Quite the exciting combination of science, sex, and scintillation, Bonk is sure to please. The table of contents and footnotes alone arouse more laughs than most books do in their entirety. With skill, wit, and clarity, Mary Roach uncovers some fascinating sexual physiological research and exposes the truth about what really happens (or doesn't) between fore- and post-play. Bedtime reading at its finest!
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