Sex, Drugs, and Rock 'n' Roll: The Science of Hedonism and the Hedonism of Science

Cormier's alluring title seductively draws in the reader, but it's a shallow, disappointing trip. Rambling from one topic to another, Cormier regales readers with tales of orgasms, "monkey balls and millionaires," monogamy, LSD, laughing gas, musical monkeys, and the "sonic spiral staircase" of the ear, among many others. She tells the oft-told tale of the ways that various brilliant young scientists' use of drugs opened their doors to discovery and perception; the familiar story of Masters and Johnson and their search for the secret to orgasms; and the manner in which different varieties of drugs influence different musical genres%E2%80%94"jazz musicians were notoriously enamored with opiates." All of this leads to a less than startling conclusion: that sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll all "comprise important facets of the human condition," and that in the course of human evolution these three activities have become defining traits of the human species. Agent: George Lucas, Inkwell Management. B&w photos. (Mar.)