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The Practical Seductress: How I Learned to Take My Hat and Run
In this sexually charged memoir, Sue Camaione sets off on a rebellious course to make her way as a young woman determined to live on her own terms despite societal mores.
Full of a precocious curiosity about sexuality, Sue questions her religious education, challenges her school dress code, sets herself on a quest to lose her virginity, and, as she grows older, encounters challenges that at times leave her broke, sick, and homeless. She flees upstate New York, embarking on romantic adventures across the country. She discovers orgasmic joy in the Rocky Mountains, falls in love in Tucson, struggles with open marriage in San Diego, and explores forbidden intimacy in the arms of a Chilean graduate student in Boston. These experiences, men, places, and friendships transform her.
Both a coming-of-age story and a depiction of an era, The Practical Seductress exposes the gender double standard and the dangers and joys of sexual freedom that defined the 1970s and ’80s. Filled with humor and learned wisdom, this is a story of desire and survival, navigating treacherous and unpredictable paths, defying social norms, and finding redemption.
Full of a precocious curiosity about sexuality, Sue questions her religious education, challenges her school dress code, sets herself on a quest to lose her virginity, and, as she grows older, encounters challenges that at times leave her broke, sick, and homeless. She flees upstate New York, embarking on romantic adventures across the country. She discovers orgasmic joy in the Rocky Mountains, falls in love in Tucson, struggles with open marriage in San Diego, and explores forbidden intimacy in the arms of a Chilean graduate student in Boston. These experiences, men, places, and friendships transform her.
Both a coming-of-age story and a depiction of an era, The Practical Seductress exposes the gender double standard and the dangers and joys of sexual freedom that defined the 1970s and ’80s. Filled with humor and learned wisdom, this is a story of desire and survival, navigating treacherous and unpredictable paths, defying social norms, and finding redemption.
288 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 30, 2024
34 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
March 30, 2024
I was given the opportunity to read this feminist memoir as an ARC and I recommend adding it to your TBRs immediately.
Sue’s combination of grit and gentleness mesh so well when reading about both her soft moments concerning family and her own femininity and her trials and traumas.
The weaving of past and present was seamless and provided context for why she acted how she did from her parents’ and grandmother’s lives.
She provides juxtaposition of what happened to her in certain circumstances compared to what would have happened to a man in the same situation and the way it is represented makes this a must-read for anyone interested in feminism and powerful women.
Sue’s combination of grit and gentleness mesh so well when reading about both her soft moments concerning family and her own femininity and her trials and traumas.
The weaving of past and present was seamless and provided context for why she acted how she did from her parents’ and grandmother’s lives.
She provides juxtaposition of what happened to her in certain circumstances compared to what would have happened to a man in the same situation and the way it is represented makes this a must-read for anyone interested in feminism and powerful women.
April 30, 2024
I love reading books by women writing about their experiences as women.
The candid nature of this book combined with the ability to learn, laugh and cry as you read it should make it a must read for you. Sue doesn't shy away from her chosen topics.
It's a quick read, and a memoir you won't want to miss. I received an ARC and felt so lucky I did!
The candid nature of this book combined with the ability to learn, laugh and cry as you read it should make it a must read for you. Sue doesn't shy away from her chosen topics.
It's a quick read, and a memoir you won't want to miss. I received an ARC and felt so lucky I did!
May 16, 2024
I am speechless. This book is absolutely incredible, I couldn’t put it down. I don’t want to give anything away, so all I can say is read it!
I love feminist stories & reading about women’s lives, but this was different. I can honestly say this book made me laugh, cry & feel every emotion in between! So good!
I love feminist stories & reading about women’s lives, but this was different. I can honestly say this book made me laugh, cry & feel every emotion in between! So good!
July 1, 2023
Had the pleasure of reading an ARC of this book--pre-order now, and thank me later! Camione's combination of candor and humor are exactly what the reader needs to join the author on her path to positive sexuality. You'll read in one gulp!
May 8, 2024
Fueled by her intricate and entertaining storytelling, Sue bravely puts herself out there - sharing raw honest tales of a girl's quest to overcome the sexual double standard. While she unravels and re-ravels her coming-of-age in a captivating quick read, her journey toward womanhood and becoming a resilient empowered feminist will leave a lasting impression. Her witty writing confronts difficult topics head-on and evokes the whole spectrum - from shock and outrage to hilarity and tears of joy.
May 27, 2025
When an author reveals her most intimate thoughts and desires in an authentic self effacing and self critical way, a memoir is hard to resist. The struggle to live her journey, push the boundaries and land on her feet kept me reading and at the end, I understood a bit about the author and maybe even something about myself. A worthy read.
May 7, 2024
Author Sue Camaione learned early on that the female body is both a liability and a source of power. From a naked romp through the neighborhood at age six to a rape in college to sunning on a nude beach while seven months pregnant, she takes us on a journey of sexuality and how different it is for women than for men. Rather than be crushed by experiences that might have left other women fearful, she comes out sassy and strong. This memoir is fascinating, fun, and beautifully told. Highly recommended
May 1, 2024
In 'The Practical Seductress: How I Learned to Take My Hat and Run, Sue Camaione shares a relatable journey of self-discovery. With practical tips and a relatable tone, the book offers valuable insights into building confidence and embracing personal empowerment. Whether you're navigating romance or seeking personal growth, this book provides a straightforward and engaging read.
October 6, 2024
Oftentimes our childhood shapes who we become as adults. Sue’s memoir explores her childhood, her quest to educate herself when it came to sex, her marriage and her eventual divorce. She mentions more than once that she was inspired by her maternal grandmother: “Every wife wants to be a mistress and every mistress wants to be a wife.”
Part One tells of Sue’s often volatile childhood with a father who experienced dramatic mood swings. As the eldest of four, she was often tasked with watching over her younger siblings. She was described as a “fighter” who would surely survive life’s challenges. Whip-smart but thinking she couldn’t attend college financially, she is encouraged by a high school counselor who helps her find scholarships and other aid. She almost doesn’t make her escape, however, as a fellow student wants to marry her and threatens to kill himself if she doesn't. Her mother, who married young, is the one who encourages her to “take her hat and run”. Although scrappy, Sue realizes she is somewhat naïve after arriving at college, especially when it comes to sex, and becomes determined to lose her virginity. This leads to Part Two where she manages to accomplish her goal but at a steep price, discovering a double standard for what is acceptable for men and women. “That moment of bad decision-making in my dorm room kept returning to me. Had I purposely put myself at risk? I knew, in some way, no man would be homeless due to losing his virginity. Yet this one decision ran like storm rain growing into a destructive waterfall of despair. I had believed that sexual knowledge would give me some magical power; instead I was paralyzed by self-doubt.”
Two events – an assault and an almost assault lead her, with hesitation, to a monogamous relationship and marriage in her early 20s. “His care and safety created a warmth that slowly grounded and returned me to earthly existence. His gentleness I took for caring. His experimentation, and adventurous risk-taking. His studiousness, for intellectual curiosity. His charm, for understanding. So many decisions were made that night. How many months, years, decades would it take to balance love’s reality against that moment?”
As you might expect, happiness eluded Sue, exacerbated by her husband's long absences at sea. A decade or so into the marriage, she does begin an affair, but it is after she is sure her husband is doing the same. Her children kept her in the marriage long after she would have ended it.
Sue also injects some humor into her memoir. The two scenes that stand out for me are when she is in religious class with stiff old-fashioned Sister Cecilia and young hip Father Marcus when the discussion is about the Virgin Mary. My other favorite is when she is hiking with Andy in the desert and shots ring out but she is NOT finished, dang it!
I’m a few years younger than Sue but the double standard reality, and the quest to learn about sex since it was a hush-hush topic with my mother had me nodding my head in sisterhood. I was fortunate, however, to have a relatively boring middle-class childhood and didn’t marry until I was 26, and am still happily married. I would have liked to find out what happened to Kendall, though!
Part One tells of Sue’s often volatile childhood with a father who experienced dramatic mood swings. As the eldest of four, she was often tasked with watching over her younger siblings. She was described as a “fighter” who would surely survive life’s challenges. Whip-smart but thinking she couldn’t attend college financially, she is encouraged by a high school counselor who helps her find scholarships and other aid. She almost doesn’t make her escape, however, as a fellow student wants to marry her and threatens to kill himself if she doesn't. Her mother, who married young, is the one who encourages her to “take her hat and run”. Although scrappy, Sue realizes she is somewhat naïve after arriving at college, especially when it comes to sex, and becomes determined to lose her virginity. This leads to Part Two where she manages to accomplish her goal but at a steep price, discovering a double standard for what is acceptable for men and women. “That moment of bad decision-making in my dorm room kept returning to me. Had I purposely put myself at risk? I knew, in some way, no man would be homeless due to losing his virginity. Yet this one decision ran like storm rain growing into a destructive waterfall of despair. I had believed that sexual knowledge would give me some magical power; instead I was paralyzed by self-doubt.”
Two events – an assault and an almost assault lead her, with hesitation, to a monogamous relationship and marriage in her early 20s. “His care and safety created a warmth that slowly grounded and returned me to earthly existence. His gentleness I took for caring. His experimentation, and adventurous risk-taking. His studiousness, for intellectual curiosity. His charm, for understanding. So many decisions were made that night. How many months, years, decades would it take to balance love’s reality against that moment?”
As you might expect, happiness eluded Sue, exacerbated by her husband's long absences at sea. A decade or so into the marriage, she does begin an affair, but it is after she is sure her husband is doing the same. Her children kept her in the marriage long after she would have ended it.
Sue also injects some humor into her memoir. The two scenes that stand out for me are when she is in religious class with stiff old-fashioned Sister Cecilia and young hip Father Marcus when the discussion is about the Virgin Mary. My other favorite is when she is hiking with Andy in the desert and shots ring out but she is NOT finished, dang it!
I’m a few years younger than Sue but the double standard reality, and the quest to learn about sex since it was a hush-hush topic with my mother had me nodding my head in sisterhood. I was fortunate, however, to have a relatively boring middle-class childhood and didn’t marry until I was 26, and am still happily married. I would have liked to find out what happened to Kendall, though!
April 7, 2024
Very good interview, the book is a great story, chockfull of insights about coming of age and relationships, from a very astute female point of view. All males interested in understanding women would do well to read this book. I love it!
October 13, 2024
Wow! Thanks Sue, for your vulnerability and honesty. The combination of excellent writing and an interesting storyline held my attention for the entirety of the book, which isn’t easy to do. I especially loved how you came-to in college and became the person who you are. The epilogue also tied things up very nicely. Great work!
July 18, 2024
The best thing I ever say about a book is that I miss it when I am not reading it. And I hated to be away from this incredibly frank and brave and interesting memoir. The story is fabulous, yes, but it is Camione's capacity for writing about things most of us maybe never would that makes it five stars for me. She's an incredible storyteller with the writing chops to match.
September 1, 2025
This memoir reads like a novel, using the best of both genres to capture the complexities of growing up in a time when societal expectations and rigid gender roles left little room for individuality or self-expression. Camaione’s journey through sexual awakening is portrayed with both tenderness and unflinching honesty. It’s not always comfortable. I found that the author touched on my own memories of the awkwardness of developing a woman’s body, and the confusion of how the world suddenly shifted in how it experienced me. It’s so well described – in all its confusion, exhilaration, and vulnerability. I rooted for the girl in this book, and perhaps, gave a long-overdue cheer for the tweenager who was me way back when.
The author skillfully weaves historical context into the story without ever losing sight of the deeply personal struggles at its heart. An early chapter gives us the terrific Father Marcus, who coolly handles the precocious child/author’s burgeoning curiosity about sex and the Virgin Mary. No spoiler here; you’ll have to read it to get the full enjoyment. What a classic scene. And a harbinger of the girl/teenager/woman who will emerge in later chapters.
These later chapters pulse with the tension of a young person caught between inherited norms and an emerging sense of autonomy. Some of the unfairness the author experienced is maddening: from the campus housing rules to the vividly described scene of an unwanted/unasked for/undeserved sexual assault. It’s worth saying twice: it’s maddening.
What makes this story extraordinary is its courage: it does not shy away from the discomfort or complexities of sexual exploration at any age. Interestingly, it reframes this very natural instinct as an essential step toward understanding and self-worth. Camaione’s evolution feels authentic and earned, believable to its core. In her articulation of how a woman feels who is being generously satisfied by a partner, she identifies how transformative that experience can be.
There’s some hard-won wisdom in these pages. Yet, the writing is brisk, light, even fun. It's all about love, in all its iterations.
The author skillfully weaves historical context into the story without ever losing sight of the deeply personal struggles at its heart. An early chapter gives us the terrific Father Marcus, who coolly handles the precocious child/author’s burgeoning curiosity about sex and the Virgin Mary. No spoiler here; you’ll have to read it to get the full enjoyment. What a classic scene. And a harbinger of the girl/teenager/woman who will emerge in later chapters.
These later chapters pulse with the tension of a young person caught between inherited norms and an emerging sense of autonomy. Some of the unfairness the author experienced is maddening: from the campus housing rules to the vividly described scene of an unwanted/unasked for/undeserved sexual assault. It’s worth saying twice: it’s maddening.
What makes this story extraordinary is its courage: it does not shy away from the discomfort or complexities of sexual exploration at any age. Interestingly, it reframes this very natural instinct as an essential step toward understanding and self-worth. Camaione’s evolution feels authentic and earned, believable to its core. In her articulation of how a woman feels who is being generously satisfied by a partner, she identifies how transformative that experience can be.
There’s some hard-won wisdom in these pages. Yet, the writing is brisk, light, even fun. It's all about love, in all its iterations.
June 2, 2025
Much like its protagonist, this book is funny, original, and determined to chart its own course. It's one of those rare books that both entertains and illuminates, as the journey of how rebellious, hilarious, and whip-smart Sue grows into maturity also reveals how we all got to where we are--as individuals, as women, and as a society. I don't normally read memoirs, but this one had me making excuses to read the next chapter and then the next so I could find out how Sue would get herself out of whatever new hot water she'd just landed in, and get answers to compelling questions like: What does it mean to be sensual? Intimate? Empowered? The Practical Seductress is convincing evidence that we human beings tend to learn life's most valuable lessons the hard way, which explains a lot about why the world is the way it is right now, and offers some much-needed hope.
May 3, 2024
OMG, I LOVED this book! I will have to read it again this summer on the beach!
It's full of questioning curiosity about sexuality, religious, familial, and
educational norms. An honest and funny story of the author's challenges that at times leave her broke,
sick, and homeless. She flees upstate New York, discovers orgasmic joy, falls in love, struggles with open marriage, and explores forbidden intimacy in the arms of a Chilean lover in Boston. These
experiences, men, places, and friendships transform her. Filled with humor and learned wisdom, this is a story of desire and survival, navigating treacherous and unpredictable paths and defying social norms to find freedom. I loved, loved, loved it. Come on girls, we all know we all want it ALL!
It's full of questioning curiosity about sexuality, religious, familial, and
educational norms. An honest and funny story of the author's challenges that at times leave her broke,
sick, and homeless. She flees upstate New York, discovers orgasmic joy, falls in love, struggles with open marriage, and explores forbidden intimacy in the arms of a Chilean lover in Boston. These
experiences, men, places, and friendships transform her. Filled with humor and learned wisdom, this is a story of desire and survival, navigating treacherous and unpredictable paths and defying social norms to find freedom. I loved, loved, loved it. Come on girls, we all know we all want it ALL!
January 16, 2025
A Captivating Story Told By a Master Story Teller. This memoir reads like a novel and kept me awake well past my bedtime, finally finishing it in the wee hours of the morning. The author tells her life story with such an honest self-reflection that few of us would have the courage to share about our own lives. As we turn the pages, we get to know the people who shaped her life and their strengths and weaknesses. We meet her parents and her grandmother. We meet the men in her life. Set in the '70s (think Mad Men meets Woodstock), she documents the hypocrisy of the times and her search for the freedom to enjoy equality, which was emerging but certainly not the norm. Kudos to Sue for a well-lived life and for delivering an excellent and vital read. I can't wait for her next one.
September 14, 2025
Sue Camione's memoir, "The Practical Seductress" is a refreshingly open, honest and candid examination of her coming-of-age experiences during the women's rights era of the 1970s, when women faced a strong double standard , being shamed and blamed for being sexual beings, while men were instead considered adventurous and pleasure seeking. Sue focuses on so many important areas about sexuality and gender role expectations that still hold true in many ways today. Her voice and writing are smart, clear, courageous and emboldened- just what all women need to hear!! Thank you so much Sue for writing this important book for women of all ages to read and refer back to when they need to remember to believe in their own intuition rather than society's social mores.
July 16, 2024
Sue Camaione’s memoir, The Practical Seductress, is bold, fun, inspiring and defiant! It is filled with learned wisdom from a strong, unapologetic woman. I love her voice and humor about topics that many of us were taught to carry shame about early in our lives. Sue exposes the double standard in our society around desire and gives readers tips on how to navigate challenging paths. I hope with books like these that future generations of women will drop the rock of societal and self-judgment and live out loud, pursuing pleasure as desired, in accordance with one's own values, not someone else's. Thank you, Sue, for sharing your story and helping to empower anyone who reads it! Brava!
October 2, 2024
Fascinating and skillfully blending complex themes, Sue Camaione’s memoir, The Practical Seductress, explores women’s sexuality. Based on the author’s own experiences and research while seeking love and authenticity, her story illuminates how double standards, genetics, childhood experiences, misogyny, the women’s liberation movement, and other forces shaped her expression of sexuality. The range of her experiences runs from ecstasy to rape; some scenes could be triggering. Camaione’s power and vulnerability shine on every page. Hot, heartbreaking, humorous, and highly informative. Reading this memoir once may not be enough to metabolize its multiple layers.
March 27, 2024
I had the privilege and pleasure of reading an Advanced Reader Copy of this memoir.
Sue delivers a raw, authentic, and thought-provoking memoir on womanhood, femininity, sexuality, and pleasure. This delivery is also intergenerational with stories of her mother and grandmother's experiences interwoven into her own upbringing.
The book is divided into three parts, each detailing Sue's journey through life and how she interacts with men during these phases.
Every modern day feminist should read this incredible memoir.
Sue delivers a raw, authentic, and thought-provoking memoir on womanhood, femininity, sexuality, and pleasure. This delivery is also intergenerational with stories of her mother and grandmother's experiences interwoven into her own upbringing.
The book is divided into three parts, each detailing Sue's journey through life and how she interacts with men during these phases.
Every modern day feminist should read this incredible memoir.
April 22, 2025
The 'seduction' of Sue Camaione's book on "The Practical Seductress" is its boldness, with an insightful critique of social norms. The provocative memoir contrasts the fight for personal growth and feminist expression.
You would be delighted to read on how 'practical' Sue weaves authenticity and resilience into her stories.
Furthermore, it made me laugh with her wit.
I luv it!
A. Kaldun NOSSULI MD, FACP, FASN
August 6, 2024
I loved this book. It's funny, charming, raw, honest, and left me wanting more chapters -- or a movie adaptation! I felt like I was experiencing the author's life right along with her, through pain, joy, and all the rest.
May 1, 2025
Funny, honest, entertaining
Ms. Camaione touches on difficult issues and/or situations many women go through in an honest and a very funny prose. She gives us permission to be ourselves, to be irreverent (if we so choose to)! I Highly recommend it.
June 17, 2024
Wow what an incredible read. It is hard to imagine Camaione coming though the other side of all that was thrown at her in her early and mid life, yet she does, with strength and a love for life that many of us lack not having had nearly the challenges Camaione faced. She writes with an honesty and transparency that clearly shows her strength and bravery, for both the sharing of these life events as well as surviving them. Her will, determination and resiliency are courageous and inspiring. I think the various themes throughout this book--sexual double standards, independence, free will, love, marriage, raising independent girls--would make excellent discussion topics for book clubs, friends, family etc.
October 17, 2025
The Practical Seductress" is a bold and captivating memoir that pulls you into a woman's journey of self-discovery, freedom, and defying societal expectations. Sue Camaione's storytelling is raw, witty, and unfiltered, making it an engaging read from start to finish. She masterfully captures the excitement and risks of embracing independence and sexual liberation in an era that wasn’t always welcoming to women who refused to play by the rules. I
It’s a fascinating, thought-provoking, and empowering read for anyone who appreciates a story about stepping into one's power—on one's terms.
It’s a fascinating, thought-provoking, and empowering read for anyone who appreciates a story about stepping into one's power—on one's terms.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews