The Science of Orgasm
by Barry R. Komisaruk, Beverly Whipple, Carlos Beyer-Flores
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Book Reviews of The Science of Orgasm
Book Review: The Science of Sex Hasn't Yet... Peaked
Summary: 4 Stars
So many people and organizations over-emphasize sex for their own agendas, while for others sex is a source of unhappiness and guilt. But the fact is that for most people a balanced sex life is an essential part of healthy living. Yet despite the deluge of information about sex, it is amazing how much ignorance still exists. Most people working in psychology will have seen people who were convinced that they had an illness because he or she had failed to have an orgasm or had sometimes been less interested in sex.
This is the kind of book that will probably get thumbed through a lot at the local lending library, but it is not in any way a "how to" book. It is instead a scholarly work on what is known about orgasm. It is a book of facts and figures, a few diagrams and a lot of scientific references.
I have some minor gripes: the proofing could have been better: bromocriptine is one of a number of words that is misspelled. There is only a short discussion about why female orgasm exists at all. The male orgasm seems to have a straightforward evolutionary function, making males want to have sex more often, which in turn makes them more likely to have offspring. But how to account for female orgasm, when nearly three-quarters of women don't always reach orgasm during sexual intercourse? If the female orgasm had developed because of the same evolutionary pressures, females should have adapted to be as consistently orgasmic as males. (There is an excellent discussion of this issue in the recent book by Elisabeth Lloyd from Indiana University, which is referenced in this book). At some points in this book there is not enough of a distinction made between orgasm and arousal. For instance some women report that arousal rather than orgasm is what drives them to enjoy sex. There is also an over-emphasis on biochemical theories of orgasm, and an under-emphasis on the psychological, subtle and spiritual aspects. Even the topic of consciousness and orgasm gets only a brief chapter.
If you are interested in a more comprehensive view of orgasm, you may want to supplement this book with the works of David Deida, Jenny Wade, Mabel Iam and Mantak Chia.
But all that being said, this is the best single book on the physiology, biochemistry and pathology of orgasm. It also highlights that there is still a great deal that is known.
The book also gives quite a good summary of some of the approaches that may help people who feel that they have a problem with achieving orgasm. It is essential reading for anyone working with relationship problems. And if the only thing that comes from this book is a greater understanding that orgasm is not the only consideration in intimate relationships, that would be worthwhile in itself.
This book is almost unique, and apart from the points that I have raised, I recommend it to anyone who needs a reliable account of the physical aspects of orgasm, and suggestions for helping with problems.
Book Review: Well... *that* sorta took all the fun out of it!
Summary: 2 Stars
OK... I was wandering through the library aisles (really!), and this book sorta jumped out at me... The Science of Orgasm by Barry R. Komisaruk, Carlos Beyer-Flores, and Beverly Whipple. I thought it might be fun to learn a little more about what happens at that "YES!" moment. But this book really takes all the fun out of it. You pretty much have to have a medical degree to understand a majority of it, and there's little spractical material for the layman (pun not intended... much).
Contents: Definitions of Orgasm; Different Nerves, Different Orgasmic Feelings; Bodily Changes at Orgasm; Are Orgasms Good for Your Health?; When Things Go Wrong; Diseases That Affect Orgasm; How Aging Affects Orgasm; Pleasure and Satisfaction with and without Orgasm; The Nervous System Connection; The Neurochemistry of Orgasm; Effects of Medication; Counteracting Medication Side Effects; Recreational Stimulant Drugs and Orgasm; Depressant Drugs and Orgasm; Herbal Therapies; Hormones and Orgasm; Mechanism of Action of Sex Steroids; Nonreproductive Hormones in Orgasm; Atypical Orgasms; The Genital-Brain Connection; Orgasms after Brain Surgery or Brain Damage; Imaging the Brain during Sexual Arousal and Orgasm; The Cast of Characters - How Brain Components Contribute to Orgasm; Consciousness and Orgasm; Glossary; References; Index
Anyway... this is an extremely clinical look at the physiological and psychological components that make up the, you guessed it, human orgasm. If you ever wanted to know exactly what role 5-alpha-DHT or dehydroepiandrosterone play in your body, this book will tell you... in detail. Probably every study on human sexuality in the past 50 years that's ever been published is referenced in here... multiple times. After a couple pages of explanation on evidence that a genital sensory pathway goes directly to the brain, bypassing the spinal cord, I was ready to switch over to something much lighter... like Reinventing Project Management. This was one of those library books that got renewed a number of times, as I just couldn't bear to read more than 10 to 15 pages at a time. Maybe I need a book on why I feel I have to finish a book if I start it. :)
Seriously, I can see how someone in the medical field would find this very useful. Also, if you're dealing with major issues like a spinal cord injury or severe reactions to medication, you'd probably be motivated to dig through the information to find answers and solutions. But for the average male or female with relatively normal functioning parts, this is written at a level that requires far more work than it's worth.
And now I think I'll go find something a bit more readable...
Book Review: Fascinating read on a universally relevant, though often unaddressed, topic.
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is a well written review of the existing scientific literature concerning the orgasm. It provides a thorough and respectable - yet readable - introduction to the neurobiological and neuropsychological underpinnings of the orgasm. The book also discusses a variety of disorders which inhibit or enhance the orgasmic experience.
While it won't furnish the reader with miracle recipes for solving orgasmic disorders or achieving a tantric multiple orgasm, this book will provide helpful insights into the mystery of sexual pleasure. For those enduring sexual dysfunction as a result of antidepressant therapy, this book will explain how and why depression and its treatment can impair sexual function.
This book will also satisfy the simply curious mind with sections on sexual function and paralysis, gender reassignment, drug abuse, aging, males vs. females, and much more.
Book Review: Real science
Summary: 4 Stars
A well-researched book based on data that comes from peer-reviewed journals. (I have a psychologist friend who wants to borrow the book when I've finished reading it.) This is not a "Cosmo" guide to sexual satisfaction. It does talk about what nerves enervate what muscles and organs, for those women who have partial success at stimulation of some body parts and no success at others. I am using this in conjunction with my physical therapist to help relax muscles and nerves tightened by emotional stress to that I can become more responsive. So far it's working! If you are having sexual responsiveness issues, this book might be part of a discussion with your physician and a physical therapist who is well educated (D.Sci) and familiar and experienced in working with with women's health issues. There is stuff for guys, but I didn't pay much attention to that.Book Review: Better as a reference.
Summary: 2 Stars
This book was not designed to be read all the way through. Several pieces of information were repeated from chapter to chapter. In addition, the book was not targeted well. In some places, the authors discuss very basic details of brain anatomy, while in others, they reference facts that only a specialist could know. Overall, the repetitiveness made reading the book boring, and the way they treated the background information would make the book even more boring for the specialist reader and confusing for the lay reader. Some chapters are quite focused and interesting, but overall, I didn't feel the book was an enjoyable read.