Why Do Men Have Nipples is subtitled, Hundreds of Questions You'd Only Ask a Doctor After Your Third Martini, and co-written by Mark Leyner, Hoboken resident, and Dr. Billy Goldberg. The pair met on the now defunct show Wonderland, a medical drama, for which Leyner wrote for and Goldberg was the medical consultant. They kept in touch and decided to collaborate on a book filled with medical questions that Goldberg had heard over the years, including the bizarre and the embarrassing questions.

The preface

The writers have a comedic response to everything starting with the dedication. They dedicate the book to special doctors like: Dr. Marcus Welby, Dr. Seuss, Dr. Cliff Huxtable, Dr. Evil, and many more. In addition to this dedication, there is a disclaimer which claims that "what you are about to read is mostly true as far as we know. But this book in no way should substitute for a visit to your doctor. Remember, doctors are trained professionals. Also, do not attempt to answer these questions yourself unless you are a mother. Mother always knows best."

The book

The book has nine chapters that are filled with questions you might have pondered alone or asked your friends, but were too afraid to ask your real doctor. The chapter titles include: You are what you eat, which includes helpful food facts like why you are hungry an hour after eating Chinese food. (Hint: it's the carbohydrates.) Body Oddities, which answers questions on the human body, answers the question, "Can you lose a contact lens in the back of your head?" Other chapters answer questions about sex, drugs and alcohol, bathroom humor, and concerns about aging. They even have an answer to how many poppy seeds it would take to fail a drug test, as was demonstrated on an episode of Seinfeld in which Elaine failed her test after eating a poppy seed bagel.

So, why do men have nipples?

The title question is answered in the "Body Oddities" chapter and is simply a matter of science. All babies start out in a similar way in the womb. "The embryo follows a female template until about six weeks, when the male sex chromosome kicks in for a male embryo. Men are thus left with nipples and also some breast tissue." If you read further you can find out why some men's breasts enlarge or that they can get breast cancer.

And...

Most of the questions posed are answered in a straightforward and witty manner. What seems even funnier sometimes are the questions that are actually asked. However, there are sections of the book that are devoted to the pair instant messaging each other that are often distracting and filled with sophomoric humor at best. But overall an entertaining read.

Why Do Men Have Nipples? is available at Barnes & Noble, 59 Washington St., in Hoboken.