Review: Dick Dialogues by R. Mohan

Writing a book from a unique perspective is far from a revolutionary approach to literature, but in Dick Dialogues: A Jovial Conversation About Sex, the narrator is particularly unusual – and memorable. With an interest in spreading information and awareness about sexual health and behavior to those who need it most, R. Mohan has created a hilarious and heartwarming guide to sex, told from the perspective of…a penis.

Genitalia is rarely chosen as a narrator, let alone a protagonist, but just as The Vagina Monologues began a conversation between women and about sex in a healthy and hilarious way, this book is similarly trying to say something important, from a very unique source. With sexual assault and abuse in the spotlight around the world, this book is a timely and lighthearted way of demystifying sex and bringing it back into the public eye in a more positive form.

Breaking the book up into seven sections about the contradictory nature of the male member, there is an underlying current of humor from the start, but the author’s exploration is not a complete joke. There are wise philosophical points that Mohan is trying to convey, but the delivery is completely unexpected. This sort of “in your face” writing may be more appealing, and therefore useful, to teenagers or young adults, but the lessons are valuable for any age, or gender.

From discussing the eternal issue of whether size matters to breaking down the basics of sexual behavior and acceptable treatment between genders and partners, this is a book that is seemingly by, for and about men, but it could be far more than that. There are important cultural, societal and historical points Mohan is making that can help readers understand gender and sexual roles, and their often foolish/faulty origins. He attempts to debunk some of the myths about sexuality that have become widely pervasive in our society, yet he does so without becoming preachy or promoting any one belief when it comes to one’s own body.

By writing in such a humorous way, it is far easier to express potentially controversial subjects related to sex, from birth control and orgasms to early fumblings of intimacy and the decision to lose your virginity. This is the type of handbook that could help to avoid the cloistered and potentially dangerous state of affairs presently being seen in more repressed corners of the world. At the end of the day, the author is trying to say that sex is natural, fun and – in some ways – unavoidable, so being educated is better than ignorant.

While the use of puns and tongue-in-cheek language can be a bit over-the-top, the cleverness of the premise and narration more than makes up for those occasional eye-rolls. The writing overall is clean and straightforward, making this an easy and quick read. Mohan has delivered a concise and unique book – a surprisingly useful and thoughtful guide for anyone who needs to brush up on the physical, emotional, and philosophical aspects of sex, which really amounts to most everyone.