BOOKS

Sexology 101

Best-selling writer Mary Roach on her hilarious new book about the history of sex research and the quirky scientists who study the hows and whys of the bedroom.

By Susanna Schrobsdorff | Newsweek Web Exclusive

Apr 9, 2008 | Updated: 4:03 p.m. ET Apr 9, 2008

« Return to Article

Discuss

Posted By: tricita @ 04/13/2008 7:25:35 PM

Comment: I don't think that there is any harm in keeping what you actually do in the bedroom as something between you and your partner. I agree with julab that the psychological aspect of sex is much more interesting. (particularly given jimbo's comment below!) Anyone who has done it knows how it works physically. Yet, we still struggle to understand the personal connections between people, monogamy/polygamy, attraction, etc. THAT would grab my attention.
- Posted By: jimbo3800 @ 04/19/2008 01:15:11
  
  Comment: For the record, my comments below were a direct result of Newsweek being kind enough to include Mary's picture with the article!
Posted By: thegoldenstars @ 04/11/2008 9:30:27 PM

Comment: WANT TO KNOW THE SECRET OF DALAI LAMA? PLEASE GO TO WWW.PEACEINTIBET.COM.
Posted By: mjkittredge @ 04/11/2008 1:49:53 AM

Comment: I think this article, and this womans book brings to light a troubling phenomenon in America, and perhaps a lot of the world. Talking about sexual anatomy, sexual actions, and sex itself makes a lot of people feel awkward. Somewhere along the line, many of us got it into our heads that it's not ok to discuss these things publicly. In effect, the reactions of prudish people continue the chain of shame and silence started by our puritannical forefathers.

It's time to break the chain and stop catering to oversensitive prudes. Lets all say it together now "PENIS...VAGINA...CLITORIS.....ORGASM....AROUSAL...EJACULATION....MASTURBATION...ORAL SEX...ANAL SEX...PORNOGRAPHY...." and so on and so forth. They aren't dirty words, and there should be no shame or guilt associated with them. Celebrating humanity and sexuality should be priorities instead of guilty pleasures.
- Posted By: jimbo3800 @ 04/19/2008 01:11:04
  
  Comment: I am hardly an 'oversensitive prude', but I find it so strange when people want to shout "PENIS... VAGINA...CLITORIS" from the mountaintops. It reminds me of the "Vagina Monologues". Same weird need to blast the world with your sensibilities and drown out all others.
  Is this rooted in some grand insecurity on your part?
Posted By: Mike33678 @ 04/10/2008 9:22:57 PM

Comment: Come on China like yeah boycott them but whats that gonna do make it worse their gonna get more drastic and we dont another useless war now do we?
Posted By: julab @ 04/10/2008 1:23:42 PM

Comment: This is cute and great- why not study the act. We as a society have studied everything else. But what most concerns me - is why can't we study how to interact in a more phsychological manner better than in a physical manner? WOuldnb't it be better to learn how to treat our fellow man better mprove the physical act 10-fold?
Posted By: julab @ 04/10/2008 1:19:41 PM

Comment: This is very humourous! Well why not study sex between humans in a clinical setting, the science industry has studied everything else. Although, it s not realy the act that we should be concerned about -- it is the outcome with relaton to personal interaction and the individual thought processes of people who perform the carnal act. Shouldn't we as a society be more concerned though, on the emotonal interaction of people as a whole and not so much on the natural physical acts?
Posted By: jimbo3800 @ 04/09/2008 7:48:53 PM

Comment: Mary, if you need another 'subject' to help out with your live research, just let me know!