Shh, don’t tell anyone but on this weekend’s Bob Edwards Weekend, we talk about s-e-x. I was a little bit shy about interviewing Mary Roach about her book, Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex. I was a little nervous throughout the interview. And after. But I think that’s precisely one of the big reasons we needed to talk to her. This isn’t a dirty-minded interview. It’s an educated discussion about the history of sex research that is full of facts about the human body. Unfortunately here in the United States (I think more so than other countries like in Europe), we are too private about our sexual lives but it’s a critical element in relationships and marriages (I have a personal anecdote about my family, but I’ll spare you all those details). So in the end, I hope we don’t offend anyone with this interview, but in some ways I think it’s ok if we did (just a little). We all need to be a little more comfortable talking about sex — just like Salt N Pepa advised in the early 90s.
Saving the best for last….here is the link to the video of Mary Roach’s sex ultrasound:
http://slatev.com/player.html?id=1493304187
– Ariana Pekary
Unfortunately, I only heard this show on Audible 3 years after it aired, but since she is one of my favorite writers, I downloaded the interview to finally hear her voice. She is incredibly talented, smart and sensitive. The best person to dissect these types of taboos. Every one of her books is a pleasure to read, but they also stay with you for a long time.
Have listened to Bob Edwards new program since it began. My local PBS radio station (KY) deserves credit for carrying this interview. Everybody does it and everybody giggles about it. I hope everybody now reads about it so they can THINK about it.
Just for the record, the Bob commenting above is not the host of the program—I am. And I’m not 61—well at least not for a few more weeks.
"Bonk" is Mary Roach’s third book. She also wrote "Stiff" (about cadavers) and "Spook" (about the afterlife).
This was one of the most interesting programs I’ve ever heard. I’m a 61 year old male and thought I knew a thing or two about how bodies worked during sex. Was I surprised. Everyone should hear Mary Roach. Incidentally, my wife now has a hundred or so of my questions to address. Thanks Mary.
After hearing this…er…stimulating interview (and I’m still chuckling), I can only pity those who aren’t XM Satellite Radio subscribers. This one isn’t likely to show up on PRI’s Bob Edwards Weekend…
(BTW, here’s the corrected non-internal link to the video of Mary Roach’s sex ultrasound.)