Bobika

The subtitle of a contraceptive journey made me think this would be a completely different book. I thought it be about women’s reproduction or things going wrong with trying to have babies. Nope not in this book. This is about the authors time, and use of male contraceptive, particularly the heat method. This was very informative and interesting, and the author is originally from France, so some of the history is new to an American reader. Apparently, this is a web comic or was available other places before it was in print, and in the book’s the author talks about the hetero normative experience, which is, interesting. The author approaches it’s not just in a straightforward, clinical way, but with a personality and in a reference fun that makes you want to know what is going to happen next. Male contraception is almost never heard of besides vasectomies in the US, this was a very intriguing and interesting read. And this reader learned many, many new things.… (plus d'informations)

Balls Up by Bobika is an entertaining and educational look at male contraception, testicular contraception in particular.

While the presentation uses humor to help make the topic more appealing, it also uses frames that are almost purely for education. Similar to a powerpoint slide, or for those as old as I am, a transparency for an overhead projector. Yet they don't disrupt the overall flow and, more important, they help to drive home the many aspects of contraception in general.

I probably got less entertainment, in the sense of just reading along and laughing, than I expected. But it turns out that I actually enjoyed it more than I expected. I learned a lot (yes, the research and Bobika's story take place largely in France, but the information is still applicable), and came away wishing this information had been more widely available when I was younger. Not to mention that governments and large pharmaceutical companies still regulate our sex lives and, in particular, women's bodies.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.… (plus d'informations)