Superfreaks: Kink, Pleasure, and the Pursuit of Happiness

by Arielle Greenberg

A deliciously subversive and endlessly informative celebration of “kinky f*ckery,” as told by a lifelong student of kink and fetishism

Neither a how-to guide to getting it on nor a collection of sensational erotica, Superfreaks is instead an empathetic journey into the widely misunderstood world of kink. Lifelong practitioner and student of “kinky f*ckery” Arielle Greenberg draws on her study and teaching of BDSM and fetishism to

introduce kink’s history and trailblazing kinksters like Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, Mollena Williams-Haas, and Tom of Finlandexplain the science behind sexual fetishesdelve into the psychology behind power exchangeparse the politics of sexual deviance
Superfreaks is an accessible, interactive. and raunchy experience that invites the reader to engage their kinky curiosity. Written with folks of all genders and sexual orientations in mind, the book features resources like

quizzes readers can take with their partners to help assess sexual compatibilitysidebars with lists of kinky representation in literature, film, music, and morean A-to-Z glossary of kinky gear, from collars and floggers to zentai suits and beyond
Superfreaks challenges and dismantles longstanding myths about kink perpetuated by pop culture phenomena like Fifty Shades of Grey and 365 Days. In doing so, Greenberg names the systemic marginalization kinky people experience and argues that we must build a society that accepts and celebrates sexual diversity of all kinds. The book also affirms the importance of consent and not “yucking someone’s yum”—key concepts inherent to the practice of kink that are essential building blocks for safer, more inclusive sex.

Genres: Nonfiction

280 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 1, 2023

About the author

Arielle Greenberg is the author of My Kafka Century (Action Books, 2005) and Given (Verse Press, 2002), along with the chapbooks Shake Her (Dusie Kollektiv, edited and made by Jen Hofer, 2009) and Farther Down: Songs from the Allergy Trials (New Michigan Press, 2003). Her poems have appeared in journals including the American Poetry Review, Denver Quarterly, Black Warrior Review, Crazyhorse and American Letters & Commentary, as well as the 2004 and 2005 editions of Best American Poetry and other anthologies. She serves as poetry editor for the journal Black Clock and is one of the founding editors of the journal Court Green, and is the founder and moderator of the poet-moms listserv. She is co-editor, with Rachel Zucker, of the anthology Women Poets on Mentorship: Efforts and Affections (University of Iowa Press, 2008) and, with Lara Glenum, of the poetry anthology Gurlesque (Saturnalia, forthcoming). The recipient of a Saltonstall individual artist's grant and a MacDowell Colony residency, she is an associate professor at Columbia College Chicago and is currently living in Belfast, working on an oral history of the current back–to–the–land movement in Waldo County.

Reviews

[Sheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun and fascinating read!
A sort of wide ranging intro to kink and fetish, told in a very comfy and friendly voice. I learned a lot about fetishes, and I really appreciated her call to separate kink (things people are in to for sexual gratification) from "playcraft" ( things adults do for fun that are not sexual for them)
The last few chapters are really amazing resources with listings of kinky forebears, pop culture/literature/film portrayals of kink (good and bad), sources of information and gear, and a very charming A-Z of kink and fetish items and practices.
I hope people with a curiosity about kinky fuckery will pick this book up and find something of themselves in it. I found myself nodding and smiling and saying YES! out loud often as I listened to the audiobook.
I did have to laugh when the audiobook reader pronounced "stingy" as ungenerous rather than bitey when describing impact tools. Folks into impact play are often talking about stingy vs thuddy, and it was a kind of cute sign that she is not "in the life" (though her reading is really fantastic in all other senses---just the right amount of gravitas and sly wink)
I'm super glad to have discovered this author and her work!

[Sinclair · Rating 5 out of 5]

thoroughly enjoyed this detailed, well-researched, and personal book on kink and fetish subculture. some history, some deep psychology, some self-analysis — a little bit of everything.

I'll read anything Arielle Greenberg writes really, so I'm biased (her poetry is gorgeous) — but this book really is worth reading whether you're interested in kink (though there might be some shocking things in it!), or a seasoned (read: jaded) kinkster with decades of experience.