The Science of Orgasm
by Barry R. Komisaruk, Beverly Whipple, Carlos Beyer-Flores
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Book Summary Information
Author: Barry R. Komisaruk, Beverly Whipple, Carlos Beyer-FloresEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2006-10-31
ISBN: 080188490X
Number of pages: 376
Publisher: The Johns Hopkins University Press
Book Reviews of The Science of Orgasm
Book Review: 3.5 Stars for Text Book Style With Unbalanced Exhaustiveness of Subtopics
Summary: 4 Stars
I read the original 2006 hardcover edition. As the reviews on this site show, some readers are distracted by the sell-word "orgasm", not letting the word "science" sink in. You should be aware that this is rather NOT a book about instructions of how to orgasm better. Instead, you may be interested in Female Ejaculation and the G-Spot: Not Your Mother's Orgasm Book! (Positively Sexual) (or similar books on that female topic). However, the intended pun of the "neutrally" brown sex shop paper bag design of the jacket is indeed a bit misleading as it suggests a popular science writing style. At times the book gets more of a dry text book.
The book details chemical processes of orgasm, the nervous system connection (and disconnection in paralyzed people who may experience orgasm nevertheless) and extensively on medication's influence on orgasm. As well as more recreational drugs' influences. Hormones, steroids and the brain's influence get chapters as well. A very important information are the chapters on orgasm's influence on health and ageing: The more orgasms you have, the older you get, statistically speaking. Studies which can't really explain themselves satisfactorily yet, but are counteracting some religious notions of the more you orgasm (and/or ejaculate), the sooner your life force will be used up. (Mostly east Asian theologies, such as Taoism getting globalized and secularized.)
My personal criticism is about the neglected prostate orgasm in men. It IS mentioned a couple of times that various parts of the anal anatomy contributes to orgasm and its quality in both, females and males. It IS mentioned that males may be able to orgasm and/or ejaculate in a flaccid state. It is also mentioned that males can have multiple orgasms. But the latter two facts are NOT referring to prostate orgasms in this book. Instead the book writes about the DIFFERENT orgasm potentials in women and men (as in different from each other). Whereas in reality there are basically the same variations of orgasm possible in both. The most strange thing is that the authors know about what they don't mention: They inform that MTFs (male-to-female transsexuals) may experience orgasm via stimulation of the "artificial" vagina, because of indirect contact of that neovaginal wall to the anterior prostate gland. This BEGS for the question, why none of the authors is even touching upon the same contact leading to orgasm from the other, natural orifice. I mean, not everyone may like the idea of erotic choice required for that orgasm, but hey: This is a science book about orgasm, for crying out loud! (But then again, there are strap-ons for women, who also have fingers, the latter of which are anyway more easily applied for that purpose.) I am positive that the authors have become acquainted with the studies of prostate stimulation in connection with prostate health issues. I vaguely know that the lack of stimulation may cause the various problems of that organ known in older males. One of the main reasons I bought this book was to find out about that. In vain.
Someone else is criticizing the lack of wondering about the necessity of female orgasm, evolutionarily speaking. I am a bit flabbergasted, as this is a topic within the first ten pages already. However, I am a bit concerned about the book's uncorrected quote in the same breath that supposedly female orgasm is as unimportant as male nipples. This is nonsense to begin with, but also: The book fails to mention the existence of male lactation. In today's world, this may be negligible, but in pure nature it is important that the possibility exists for the father to take over feeding the baby if the mother dies in childbirth or is prevented from breastfeeding for other reasons. In other words, on several issues, this book doesn't share as much scientific information as could and should be expected.
The most rewarding chapter for me personally was the last one. Unfortunately it's also the shortest one - or actually that may have contributed to its better readability. It connects science with faith, consciousness and E=mē. Though I am interested in that, I didn't expect to read about this in this sort of book. Other readers may actually be put off. If you are NOT one of the latter, I recommend reading From Science to God: A Physicist's Journey into the Mystery of Consciousness which is more easy to read and much more fascinating, for sure different from the expectations suggested by its title.
A more popularly written version of the reviewed book is the similar Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex with little overlap.
Summary of The Science of Orgasm
This fascinating and comprehensive book is the first to explore the complex biological process leading to orgasm. Here, sexuality researcher and nurse Beverly Whipple, coauthor of the international best-selling book The G Spot and Other Discoveries about Human Sexuality, joins neuroscientist Barry R. Komisaruk and endocrinologist Carlos Beyer-Flores to view orgasm through the lenses of behavioral neuroscience along with cognitive and physiological sciences.
The authors explain how and why orgasms happen, why they fail to happen, and what brain and body events are put into play at the moment of orgasm. No topic is left unexplored, as the book describes the genital-brain connection, how the brain produces orgasms, how aging affects orgasm, and the effects of prescription medication, street drugs, hormones, disorders, and diseases.
Covering every type of sexual peak experience in women and men?from intense to phantom?this informative and entertaining work illuminates the hows, whats, and wherefores of orgasm.
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