It's a wonderful read, sprinkled with facts you can quote to amaze your friends.' -Jack Boulware, San Francisco Chronicle Her most witting collaborators, the scads of sex researchers throughout history, provide plenty of source material. 'Roach ferrets out basic truths and endless absurd details amid mountains of dry science on her chosen subject, in this case, sex. 'Tucked between the jokes and anecdotes, you will find lessons on impotence, orgasm, unusual and unusually brave scientists, and the sexual behavior of other species, including a hilarious description of porcupine sex.Bonk is a light-hearted cabaret act of a book by a writer who genuinely seems to be enjoying herself-in more ways than one.' -Deborah Blum, New Scientist

'.the most fun popular science book of 2008' -Greg Sapp, Library Journal Emulating her subjects' daring spirit, Roach displays a firm belief that there is no question too goofy to ask-or, barring that, to Google.A lively, hilarious and informative look at science's dirty secrets.' -Kirkus, starred review latest is no less captivating or entertaining, as she flings wide the closed doors behind which the scientific study of coitus has traditionally been conducted.

'One of the funniest and most madcap of science writers. I would devour every page of 'Worm.' I would laugh out loud at Roach's stealthy encapsulation of ridiculous tube worm research, yet in the end, I would be able to dazzle and surprise friends with a newfound knowledge of tube worms. If Mary Roach ever writes a book called 'Worm: The Curious Science of Deep-Sea Tube Worms and Hydrothermal Vents,' I would still read it, because she's one of those rare writers who can tackle the most obscure unpleasantness and distill the data into a hilarious and informative package. ' -New York Times Book Review, Sunday, March 30, 2008. In 'Bonk,' she turns to sex, covering such territory as dried animal excreta used as vaginal 'drying agents' a rat's tail 'lost' in a penis and a man named William Harvey, patent-holder for a rolling toaster-size metal box outfitted with a motorized 'resiliently pliable artificial penis.' In short, she takes an entertaining topic and showcases its creepier side.Īnd then she makes the creepy funny. 'In her previous books, 'Stiff' and a follow-up, 'Spook,' Mary Roach set out to make creepy topics (cadavers, the afterlife) fun. Synopsis | Table of Contents | Reviews | Excerpts

Stiff and bonk author