Dirty Thirty: A Memoir

by Asa Akira

The author of the bestseller Insatiable pens a new book about turning thirty in the adult film trade. Internationally known as a porn star, Asa Akira's perceptive, funny, and straightforward writings on love, sex, death, marriage and celebrity come together in a surprising book of essays. Personally revealing as well as universal, Dirty Thirty marks the coming of age of a new literary star.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography, Audiobook, Adult, Sexuality, Feminism

278 pages, Paperback

Published August 9, 2016

About the author

In 2014, Asa published her first book "INSATIABLE - Porn: A Love Story" with Grove Press, which was named one of New York Post's Best Books of 2014.

Her second book, "DIRTY THIRTY: A MEMOIR" is due to release in August of 2016 from Cleis Press.

Praise for INSATIABLE - Porn: A Love Story by Asa Akira:

"Akira is not only passionate about the porn industry, she’s shameless, funny and even endearing."
-Susannah Cahalan, New York Post (Best Books of 2014)

“An intimate look at her life. Each chapter is filled with brutal honesty and self-deprecating humor. It’s touching, inspiring, and flies in the face of a lot of people’s preconceptions about the life of an adult film star. What’s most refreshing is that the high points of the book aren’t the double-penetration and masturbation scenes—even though that stuff is great—it’s her strong storytelling, which makes her struggles and triumphs in the adult film industry super relatable.”
-Erica Euse, Vice

"It is common for mainstream porn stars to explain their choice of profession with some variation on “I just love sex. . . . When Asa Akira says it, though, I really believe it. . . . And yet, no person can act as the flawless representative for an entire group of people — and certainly not while writing a memoir worth reading. Luckily, Akira doesn’t try to do that with her book. . . . All of which is to say, her book is a lot like her porn: raw, brutal and always unflinching.”
-Tracy Clark-Flory, Salon.com

"Candid, funny, sexy, and smart...Akira expertly explores the human side of the sex industry...Shocking and tawdry, but ultimately relatable, this is a tale of a young girl realizing her dreams and navigating dangerous temptations (drugs, hooking, pizza) along the way."
-Royal Young, Interview Magazine

"Insatiable is, at turns, laugh-out loud funny...poignant...and outrageously politically incorrect...But above all else, it’s a brutally honest look at one woman’s journey through the adult industry."
-EJ Dickson, The Daily Dot

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review




Who is Asa Akira? Well, you either know her or you don’t. But I think practically majority of the male population might know who she is according to her large amount of Twitter followers. Well for those who don’t know who she is let me give you a brief introduction on who she is. Asa Akira is synonymous as one of the top leading porn actress known for her anal scenes and recently as a published author.

Porn. There will always be a stigma associated with porn. You either hate it, enjoy it, love it, or are indifferent. As a blogger that mostly reviews romance books, majority of romance authors will tell you that they get inspirations from watching porn in order to write those sexy steamy scenes and so when I had the opportunity to read and review Asa Akira’s second memoir Dirty Thirty, I wanted to know what made Asa Akira a household name.

Dirty Thirty gives readers an insider’s perspective on Asa Akira’s life from her promiscuous youth to sex, love, life, marriage, and being in the porn industry. After reading this memoir, I will say that I find Asa to be intriguing. She has led such a colorful life that was filled with many ups and downs. Her life has been influenced and shaped by the wide array cast of characters that she has met. Yes, her profession is porn but I don’t think we should judge her solely on her profession. She is just like any other individual making a living but her career choice was something that she wanted to do. What I truly enjoyed about this memoir is that we got to see the real Asa Akira flaws and all. Her life may not be perfect but she is true. I find her to be funny, caring, sensitive, wild, crazy, and kind of lovable.

I did enjoy her insider’s perspective on her marriage to fellow porn star, Toni Ribas. I know that many people like myself wonder how can their marriage work. Wouldn’t there be jealousy, infidelity and insecurities? And the answer is yes minus the infidelity. Their marriage works because they have an open communication and have set strict boundaries and rules when it comes to sex on set and off. They both have a deep respect in one another so both of them try to abide by their rules. Asa didn’t hold back as she discussed they are just like any couple that fights and gets jealous. Are these two perfect? Absolutely not, but Asa and Toni’s boundaries and trust within each other are what works for them. So yes, Asa Akira can have it all. She can be successful in the porn industry and have a happy committed marriage.

My only wish was that she kept her memoir chronological instead of jumping from the past to present and then present to the past. But other than that, I did enjoy getting to know Asa Akira, the porn star, the wife, the daughter, the friend, and as a woman. So if you are ready to get to know the wild, crazy, and intriguing Asa Akira then I suggest you go pick up her memoir and discover how clever, witty, and funny Asa Akira can be.



Review can also be found on Four Chicks Flipping Pages: http://fourchicksflippingpages.weebly...Asa Akira

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

If you know me, you know I love porn.
And while I love porn, the really dirty kind, I have never truly understood the people who perform it. Do they do it because they HAVE to do it? Or do they truly enjoy doing it? I also have always been wondering how someone in the industry has a healthy relationship outside of it.

So when I saw that a popular porn star, Asa Akira, had a new book coming out, I didn't hesitate to add it to my TBR. Did it answer all of my questions? Surprisingly, yes.

There was a lot that I liked about this story.
Asa has an interesting sense of humor and is quite thorough in her critique of herself. I particularly enjoyed her Haikus.

Still in bed at noon
Everyday is Saturday
When you are a whore

In this story, she doesn't try to paint herself as the perfect woman. Drugs have ruled a big part of her life, and I'm actually shocked that she never ODd. But was even more surprising was how she embraced her sexuality with no shame. Quite the opposite. Since her days in high school, she actually enjoyed being called a slut. It's clear she has a healthy sex drive and desire to experience new "firsts".

This book not only gave an in-depth look into her life as a porn star, but also her life married to a fellow porn star, Toni Rabas. And she answered one question that I have always wondered - yes porn stars have jealousy issues too. However, where she drew the line was so much different than I expected. I could never put myself in her role, but I liked how she and Toni, learned to set rules in place, so as to not intentionally hurt the other. On the set sex with another was one thing they accepted, off the set was not. I also loved how she laid out her rules to a successful marriage. Would every suggestion work for every couple? No, but I thought a lot of the ideas made a lot of sense.

My only critique of the story would be that the author didn't seem to decide on the method in which she wanted to tell her story. There is no distinct timeline, bouncing from youth to present repeatedly. Also, some parts were full chapters of events in her life, switching to journal entries, and then reflections on her life. So while I liked all of the pieces, I wished they would have been organized to make the book flow better.

Overall, this was a pleasant surprise. I thought the book was honest and gave me a lot of insight into an industry I only know through videos. Asa is unapologetic about who she is and highlights why she wouldn't change a single thing with the direction her life has taken. Porn lovers like myself now get to see the person behind the cum shot.

*An ARC was received for an honest review.

For more reviews, visit

[Gabriel Avocado · Rating 2 out of 5]

If I had to sum this up in one word it would be “tacky.” Maybe “tasteless.” I do actually think sex workers are intelligent and insightful people but like any industry there are bound to be some weirdos. Asa Akira is permanently trapped in 2006. She is the ultimate Cool Girl, not like other girls pick me type and it’s grating. I read memoirs for some insight into lives that I’ve never lived and Akira has a pathological fear of depth. She brings up her dead boyfriend a lot and doesn’t seem to display any emotion other than like a glib “so THAT happened!” attitude.

Frankly this is just tiring to get through. I wanted something light to start off the year with and god I remembered why I don’t read fluff. Akira loves talking about how pedophilia isn’t that bad and how much she wants to fuck trans women (you realize you can actually just set up that scene right? Why don’t you? Don’t ask questions!) and idk is this fun? Is anyone enjoying themselves? Did you like all the times she talked about having sex in graphic yet incredibly boring detail? No? Well maybe you’re just a prude since only prudes like good writing or some shit. I need a drink.

[Ville Verkkapuro · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one surprised me. I was expecting a fun book, but it was actually good.
Dirty, raw and honest.
Asa Akira, working in porn, has no reason to censor herself. This is a thing that works with autofiction really well. The main problem is usually that the author has to protect his life and cannot reveal everything. At least they have to protect the people close to them. Asa doesn't have to do this as her line of work is something that gives her nothing to lose. As she herself puts it: she has an award-winning asshole.
What really surprised me is that Asa is a pretty decent writer. She really is.
This is a radical book. It is a manifesto for liberalism, doing whatever you want to and to enjoy your life, without any labels. Being called a slut can be a compliment if you want to.
I'm a fan.

[Katy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
It’s good. It is a jolt of joyful anti slut shaming. There is a fair bit of rambling TMI- honestly Asa do we need to know about your pussy’s stench if you skip a douche? I guess we did. The haikus interspersed throughout are INSPIRED, however. Most exciting use of the medium I’ve seen in years.

Unfertilized eggs
Go ahead, bleed down my leg
I’m not done whoring

You might learn more than you wanted to know about her cab driver’s dick but reading this book is worth it for the thrilling poetry alone.

[Sean Stevens · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mostly amusing memoir with great anecdotes however more self-reflection would have provided more depth. Then again, would her fanbase want that? haha.

[Tan Markovic]

Weird comment about 15 year boys, the fuck is that about

[Christy Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. How to explain this read and my feelings...

First, it is titled as a memoir. However, each chapter tells of something different that has happened in Asa's life - from events during her teen years, to her relationships (friends and romantic), to her marriage, to her life as a porn star. It is almost as though you have auto-biographical essays of her life events, along with random thoughts thrown in that make the book damn entertaining.

The writing is really great. There were many times I laughed out loud while reading, as well as having thoughts of "this woman has some great ideas" - especially when it comes to the marriage bed (read the book).

Well written, entertaining, thoughtful at times, funny at times. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This book also must be for those with an open mind! It contains stories that deal with her job; so if you are a prude, this book probably isn't for you - unless you want to read it to liberate yourself, that is.

Further, if the author decides to write more? I'm in. I want to hear more from her. There is something fabulous about reading an author who is open with her thoughts and feelings about her life and what she wants with no fear of what someone more conservative would think.

ARC received in exchange for honest review.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good writing, for a porn star!

[Krystle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even better than her first book!!! I read this book because I had already read the author's first "Insatiable". It certainly did not disappoint. Asa held nothing back. Her writing is awesome because she never holds back. Loved this book and wished it was double its length, it is that good!

[Lyndsay Kilgore · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5. I love essays. I love Asa. A lot of the essays seemed to be repeated from insatiable and that I did not care for. Besides that. No complaints. Solid summer reading right here.

[Rasheedat · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually enjoyed reading this more than I expected. It's a nice insight into an otherwise stigmatised topic.

[Bookolage · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don’t Google Asa Akira at work. Unless you’re in a private office and sitting at a desk that faces the door. If you’re male, Google her only if you won’t have to stand up and walk anywhere soon. And if even discussion of pornography offends you, click out and visit Focus on the Family’s website for plainer fare.

Believe me, I was initially reluctant to take on a book by a porn star and broadcast my appreciation – enthusiastic respect, really – to my several billion+ readers, but one thing hooked my lip, reeled me in and tossed me, wriggling and flopping, into the task: She writes smutty haiku. I’m in. There’s Issa – and then there’s Asa.

I also felt compelled to do my part in butting heads with the prevalent myth of pornography’s total detriment, even evil, and the lopsided judgment – perpetuated by both many uptight feminists and religious conservatives alike – that it’s part of all-pervasive patriarchy, solely about male gratification, and a deviant celebrant of misogyny and rape. Much of the latter accusation can be blamed on censorious misandrists Andrea Dworkin and Catharine MacKinnon. Contrary to their fanatical crusade against sexuality far beyond the pornographic, former ACLU president Nadine Strossen points out that pornography can promote sexual equalization, sexual autonomy (via, say, enhancing and bringing satisfaction into female masturbation), increased sex drive and/or controlled enjoyment of risqué or taboo fantasies.

Likewise, University of Illinois’ Judith Gardiner goes so far as to say that, “for some women, pornography may actually de-objectify women because they can use it to validate their own desires and pleasures.” (This part of why there are now many female-managed porno businesses and productions for both heterosexual and lesbian viewers.) Also, studies with alarming conclusions about watching pornography have been contradicted by studies showing better sex and intimacy between couples, stress reduction, even bolstered feminism.

I’d bet there are few normally functioning people on the planet who haven’t been or aren’t at least porn-curious. After all, as Susan Sontag puts it in “The Pornographic Imagination,” there are “physical sensations involuntarily produced in the reader [of pornography].” The loudest opponents of pornography are often the most viciously clandestine devourers and slaves to it. Regardless of faith, ethics, politics, puritan offense, outcries against obscenity, and vows of monogamy, pornography persists and thrives – because it possesses a kind of beauty (the so-called Beauty of the Whore), even in many of its nastiest forms. In other words, beautiful bodies in ecstatic storm and stress, exposed figures to both envy and emulate, fascinate in a uniquely strong way. And, by its power and allure, porn has osmosed into pop culture. Former porn star Annie Sprinkle shows apt insight into the potential ubiquity of the pornographic when she says, “Maybe there’s a little porn star in some of you out there and maybe not. But I can tell you from a whole lot of experience, there’s a lot of you in every porn star.”

It’s an understandable magnetism. After all, we’re mortal creatures, and pornography, like any good sex, is an anti-death ritual. Its bizarre exuberance flouts the triumph of grave worms, and the squishes effigize the pus of corpses. In other words, porn is a noisy sneer at the Grim Reaper, a prideful (even hubristic) mockery of death: the polar opposite of death’s stillness, frigidity, total silence. As Camille Paglia puts it, “pornography is a pagan arena of beauty, vitality, and brutality, of the archaic vigor of nature.” There’s a unique glee in pornographic sex, a kind of mystical transcendence of mundanity, mores and stale puritanism. A living Kama Sutra explodes on the screen; the “private” and “forbidden” boast supremacy and immunity in bright light, audacious before the zoom lens. Pornography feeds many bottomless appetites. For example, Annie Sprinkle admits that “kicks, thrills and fun was a big reason for me. Physical needs. I was a very sexual young woman.” Which is a perfect way to bring the gleefully sexual Asa Akira, author of the new memoir, Dirty Thirty (Cleis Press), into the spotlight.

Blessed with a sonorous and alliterative name, knee-knocking eyes, a mind-shredding body and the lustful dynamism of a hentai whore, Asa (“ah-suh”) is an award-winning pornstar for Wicked Pictures, which produces, as Asa describes it, “top notch smut”. As if that’s not enough, she’s whip-smart, comedic, perceptive and adept at writing. As sublime and luminous as, say, Sasha Grey (another Cleis author), Mia Malkova, Stoya, Jayden James, Nyomi Banxxx and Katie Morgan, Asa has held up her end (ahem) in marathon porn work with industry giants such as Jenna Haze, Stormy Daniels, jessica dare, Aiden Ashley, Jessica Drake and Dana Dearmond. She’s also married to and sometimes a collaborator with porn-ram Toni Ribas, to whom she dedicated Dirty Thirty and to whom she remains monogamous off-set.

The hoi polloi may roll their eyes at this, since having sex with hundreds of men and women on camera defies the definition of monogamy, but like many pornstars, Asa has developed an impressively nuanced concept of fidelity, intimacy and true love. Very early in the book, she recounts how she resisted temptation to go to bed with a cocky quadriplegic passenger named Keith, whose confident flirtation attracted her and disability stoked her curiosity. Learning that Keith also was married, she complained to her assistant Bill, “There’s no hope. He’s proof that all men cheat. That dude is a quadriplegic, and he still cheats.”

Now, if a man who can’t move his arms and legs desires adultery, how much more difficult must faithfulness be for an inordinately horny expert in the art of sex – with four functional limbs, no less? To Asa’s credit, she didn’t surrender to her urge, and she expresses appreciation for how Toni “knew how much I thought about fucking everybody that came into my path – and yet, he trusted me enough to know that I wouldn’t.” Asa’s also honest about the normalcy of her and Toni’s home life, and the fact that private sex isn’t always peaches and cream(pies). “When I worked with Toni, I was his ragdoll…Off camera, we fucked like any other normal couple: for two minutes, in the missionary position…”

In a chapter called “(Probably Bad) Relationship Advice,” Asa imparts some of her cohabitation wisdom, which includes sleeping in separate bedrooms (you’ll be happier to see each other next morning), fighting a lot in the first year (get it all out, people), picking your battles (to avoid a war), having your own lives (even a half circle needs some autonomy) and – hold on to your dentures, gender feminists! – “put your beef with old-fashioned, preconceived gender roles aside once in a while and be a 1950s housewife.” Yes, I just transcribed that line. And yes, Asa Akira, liberated, individualistic, professional, bringing-home-the-bacon (not that bacon!) porn icon, wrote and believes it.

This conclusion was reached after a conflict she and Toni had over cooking while they were still dating. Both of them had decided to discipline their diets, and Toni asked if she’d cook him a nutritious meal, which irked Asa at first but ultimately challenged her to honor his request:

I was sort of against cooking for a man in principle – why should I be the one cooking? Why not him? But this was the beginning of the relationship, before I had let my crazy out, when I was still shaving above the knees on a regular basis. I was still trying to sell the idea of the perfect girlfriend…

…When I got home with the ingredients, I got into the shower and repeated the phrase ‘domestic goddess’ over and over in my mind as I washed the dried cum out of my hair.

The meal succeeded, and they had “the best sex [she] ever had” for dessert. That was the last meal she made for a few years, and it gave Toni a teasing joke with which to torment her:

Every time Toni would jokingly tell this story, and end it with the punchline of me never cooking again, the feminist in me would come out and I’d become enraged. “I’ll cook for you when you pay all the bills and I can stay home on drugs in my pajamas all day,” I’d yell.

Finally, her exasperation melted away when Asa realized that “he wanted me to cook because it made him feel loved and cared for.” And here lies the strongest proof of the reality of possible genuine romantic exclusivity between people who work in porn: “For me, doing a favor for someone is much more intimate than fucking them.”

As is obvious, Dirty Thirty is highly quotable, perhaps too quotable. And Asa’s humor, often thrown out as tickling one-liners, is pitch perfect. Here are several of my favorite wisecracks:

My uncle, in his youth, was a sumo wrestler – which sounds like both a racist joke and a fat joke, but it’s just a fact.

Yessss! I just got my period! Usually this is not a cause for celebration, but this time it came just in time for Thanksgiving, so I’ll be extra hungry and the food will taste extra good.

I think I might start Thanksgiving at midnight. The eating part, not the thanking part.

[F]ew things are more torturous than eating pussy with a stuffed nose. It feels like drowning – it’s like you have to gasp for air every five seconds.

It’s really important to be nice to people. You never know when you might be accused of murder and need character witnesses.

…before Justin Timberlake got hot. When his hair still looked like precooked Cup-a-Noodle.

[on fellow porn diva jessica drake] Whenever I come to an ethical crossroads, I think to myself: WWjD? What Would jessica Do?

Lawrence of Arabia is the movie he thinks is the greatest of all time, and when I ask him who’s the most beautiful celebrity, he answers Maureen O’Hara. Which is super funny when you’re thinking it’s a tie between Kim Kardashian and J-Lo.

Thought of a really good relationship test: Leave your used lashes around the house. If your boyfriend freaks out, it means he hasn’t fucked enough sluts to be true relationship material yet.

It’s my thirtieth birthday today. I can’t believe I’ve made it to fucking thirty without any Hello Kitty tattoos. Or sex offender registrations. Or cavities! But I’ve contracted chlamydia six times, so it’s not like I haven’t lived.

Don’t get me started on her Twitter page (@AsaAkira), where she called masturbation “the breakfast of champions.” Should stand-up comedian be added to this Renaissance Minx’s resume?

Wit aside, Asa’s most attractive non-physical quality is her blunt rejection of social-righteous pretense. On top of that basic glee she has for sexual pleasure and her apparently astronomical appetite for the eroticized anatomy of both males and females, she possesses a refreshing candor. I don’t intend to necessarily endorse a porn habit or condemn it by saying this; my main appreciation is for the explicit snubbing of political correctness, college-campus sexual repression (which, in many ways, is way worse than the misunderstood Victorian era) and often façade-only propriety, like a tongue stuck out at a totalitarian leader or silly graffiti marring the face of Big Brother (and Big Sister). Such sexual frankness also counters theocratic despisal of the so-called decadent West, and her authentic enjoyment of sex offends the prude and frigid.

Over 25 years ago, Jello Biafra addressed such boring repression in “Lost Orgasm”:

When was the last time you heard someone reminisce about the orgasm they had the other day?…And that, to me, is why so many artists and rap and rock musicians who deal openly with sex and sexuality are being treated as political subversives…It’s just too taboo to talk pleasure in this arena…Thus, the lesson is implanted, fear is the teacher: Next time think and feel in ways the others can relate to.

A perfect first lesson in Asa Akira NSFW Candor 101 is this brief email Asa sent to Wicked Pictures’ owner Steve Orenstein:

From: Asa Akira
To: Steve Orenstein
Subject: BREAKING NEWS
I fucked Stormy’s butthole.

The anus pops up quite often throughout Dirty Thirty, so I don’t think it’s a stretch to assume that Asa (@asahole at Instagram) has an anal fascination. For her it’s a fun turn-on, an important and desirable erogenous zone. “I already told Jessica [drake] that if she and Stormy get so wound up that they totally leave me out, I’ll completely understand, and go on asshole-licking duty,” she wrote in her diary one day. Outside of the book, Asa’s Twitter page abounds butt-related tweets such as “Listen to your mother, always do your butthole exercises” and “What is this thing? I guess I’ll put it in my butt and find out.” And she dripped with pride when Aiden Ashley “tweeted that I have the most decadent asshole she’s ever eaten.” Not only does Asa express her enjoyment of analingus, but she admits to envying men for their prostate glands. Rump-aciousness isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be, however, as this diary entry about the cherry on top (or bottom) of an apparently rotten day attests: “Oh, and my asshole is torn.”

To us relatively straitlaced, conventional denizens of Dullsville, such things might seem as alien and upside-down as something out of The Addams Family, but for Asa it’s part of what’s to be expected in a porn career. “When I walk on the street, the strangers I pass have seen my most private moments,” she writes. “When I eat at a restaurant with my parents, fellow diners are shocked that I am somebody’s daughter.” (As a father of a very young daughter, Dirty Thirty makes me wonder how massive of a stroke I’d have if she aced a Wicked Pictures job interview in the future.)

Sure, Asa has sex with her co-workers regularly and is paid for it. Sure, the thought of getting pregnant and bringing a baby to term makes her horny, while being spanked by Ryan Gosling would do the trick for most jaded veteran mothers. Sure, she relies on Botox, laser treatment, injections – and leeches (for speedier bruise healing) – to maintain a superhuman level of hotness. Sure, pornstar Eric John caught fire while mounting her during filming of Asa Goes to Hell. But her job is a job, and she has to flex business sense, performance expertise and general agency to excel and survive in it. And all that must be balanced with her day-to-day home life, love life and…life, which is never totally carefree. Even a person who is hungered for, who receives prestigious awards in a popular, lucrative industry and probably earns a sexy penny for her craft struggles with self-doubt and fear of failure. Consider the mood swing in the course of a week, as recorded in her diary:

April 20
I LOVE MY LIFE, CAN EVERY DAY BE LIKE THIS?

April 21
Major writer’s block. I feel so fucking depressed. Bye.

June 27
Writing a book is fucking hard…I feel like a piece of shit. I’m so depressed. I feel like a failure. None of this is an exaggeration…I forget how much writing rules my emotions…They say writing is therapeutic. I’ve said writing is therapeutic. What they don’t tell you is that not being able to write is the exact fucking opposite.

Imagine all the self-righteous castigators of porn workers who could never manage to write a coherent memoir, let alone one with such variety and acumen. The same folks attempt to belittle with terms such as “whore” or “slut,” but Asa and her enlightened ilk use those terms positively, similar to how original insults toward sexual orientation and race have been appropriated as endearment labels rather than hurtful epithets.

Sexpert, director, entrepreneur (or entreprenwhore), author. Does Asa dare squeeze anything else into this fat curriculum vitae? Of course: screenwriter. Except for a final haiku, Dirty Thirty ends with 45-page script about her debut in the world of porn. All you need to know is that a Corey Feldman lookalike who’s the real Corey Feldman hits on her at a swinger party in one scene.

Judging by this amusing, impressive memoir, in the future I’d like to see a novel by Asa. Or, better yet, a comic book written by her and illustrated by David Choe, who did Dirty Thirty’s cool cover art. (Twist my arm, and I’ll edit the damn thing.)

[Rachel Yuska · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read Asa's first book, Insatiable, and I like it. The book answers your curiosity about adult movie industry. I am always curious about everything, so the book pretty much answered my questions.
Her second book, Dirty Thirty, is not surprising but fun to read. Asa is very candid about her life as a wife, a daughter, a friend, a writer, a podcaster and a performer. She's funny and pretty smart. What I don't like about this book is it's not organized. It jumps back and forth to the past and present time without clues. But so far, I enjoyed reading this book.

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

it was okay. the writing was very straight and to the point, as if she was speaking directly to you. mostly done in short essays and two styled in script form. a quick read.

[Júlia Vilarim · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5*
é o segundo livro da asa akira que eu leio e adoro. ela escreve muito bem, se expressa de maneira muito interessante e é uma figura bastante intrigante. espero que ela lance mais coisas!!

[Doris Morgan Rueda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny and truthful, in a very authentic way. I found myself connecting with her reactions to reaching her 30s and the usual questions/fears/joys that one experiences around that milestone. Her reflections on sex, drugs, and being a human were honest and real, and brutally hysterical in the best possible way.

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Forewarning to those thinking about reading this: Asa is VERY candid in her descriptions of her life. Considering that she's a long time porn star, I shouldn't have to explain myself too much. Let's just say that the reader shouldn't expect many euphemisms here. I will not comment much on the choice of words but the writing itself.

This book calls itself a memoir. The description says it's a book of essays. Why? I'm not really sure as neither is true. Call it a collection of random writings.

Having said that, this book is all over the place. There are random musings, a bunch of diary entries, some haikus, a seemingly autobiographical screenplay, etc. One thing that really stuck out to me in her writings was the humor involved. It's easy to tell that, while Asa takes her professionalism very seriously, she's not afraid of laughing at herself or the situations she's been in. She's also really good at letting her heart out regarding heavy moments. I think there was a very good mix of those things.

On the negative side, and I'll admit it's probably super hard to stray from this in this type of book, is that there were times that seemed very self-serving and maybe a tad narcissistic. Now, going back to what I said before: she's very candid. Sometimes that can be a strength and a weakness. For example, the chapter on marital advice seemed ill-advised. In hindsight, her marriage ended the year after the book was released. Another downer was that it didn't seemed like she learned much from her comments on teachers/students. The screenplay chapter also seemed very tacked on in addition to being self-indulgent.

One final thing: Having said what I did about the candid language used, I just want to add that the woman who read the audiobook deserves all the praise in the world. Kudos to you.

[Chris Everson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a sequel to her firt book 'Insatiable'. It's pretty much along the same lines, though this time the chapters flit around and don't seem to be in any chronological order. It deals with Akira's fear of reaching 30, and also of her relationships... with her husband (at the time), with her parents, with some clients and fans, and with her agent Mark Spiegler.

The main difference between Akira and the likes of Paris Hilton or Kim Kardashian is: -
1. She's pretty good at sex (though I'm not a fan of her work),
2. She has a brain. Her writing is good, easy to read, succinct, and
3. She's totally self-aware.

She's not a massively likeable character, as far as the book goes. She seems self-absorbed, moody, flaky, selfish... but she knows this and strives not to be. Her husband does his best to tolerate her, but one time he did decide to teach her a lesson and while Akira loved it (and seemed disgusted at herself for doing so), it was beyond the pale for me... but hey, I suppose consenting adults and all that jizz... I mean jazz.

The one spot where she shows her caring side is when her agent has to go into hospital. Akira is one of the 'Spiegler Girls'... famous in porn circles... and she seems to really care for him, and he her. Akira drops everything to be by his bedside and even goes back to his house for weeks to carry on the care. It was quite touching.

I won't say any more other than it's a quick, entertaining read, apart from the last 60-0dd pages (a lot when the book is only 260 pages long) which is like a movie cript set piece of a scene from the book that you've already read. Padding anyone? For this it gets 3 stars.

[Esther Zhuang · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find Asa's voice a valuable one, as she eloquently writes haikus and personal topics while at the sharing great insight, conversations and representation for sex workers, female sexuality and Asian women. This book shares some really intimate but powerful stories, such as her marriage, drug addition and sex drive.

However, if she had a different job or wasn't going to talk about that part of he life, Dirty Thirty would not be even half as interesting. Really opened my eyes to exactly how horny she can be (haha), and her empowerment from herself and her career.

[Lexxie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great, fun book. Honest and refreshing. Loved it.

[Livia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Asa Akira wrote this book when she was 30. Since I enjoyed her first book Insatiable very much, I decided to read it when I'm still 30 as well.
I'm glad I've read it, it was once again an enjoyable and quick read full of interesting stories and memories and meetings. It was however just not THAT interesting and funny as the previous book Insatiable.
Insatiable is more like getting to know her personality along with some industry gimmicks and behind the scenes stuff, and this book is more like a memoir, so a collection of memories, just like the title already suggests it.

There were some parts which seemed familiar and / or reminded me of her previous book, those were probably already mentioned before - I've read it too long ago to remember it for sure, but therefore I totally get those reviews complaining about how Asa just rewrote the same stuff. And also, this feeling of rewriting can come from the writing style too, that it is very direct and friendly which makes you feel like you were on the phone with her chatting or at a get-together where she gets to talk to you like you two were friends. But I actually like this direct style, I personally think it fits her well, because it's easy to picture her being really this honest and direct of a person.

To my surprise I realized something while reading it which I don't think I realized when reading her first book. It's how her sense of humor is kinda similar to mine and how even her general behaviour and way of thinking is definitely similar to mine, be it some serious stuff or just something that's very childish. Like, I too need some alone time from time to time quite frequently and how people wouldn't understand it, or that to quote her 'I’m good for ONE thing a day—that’s all I have energy for.' Anyway, this I just mention because I find it funny and it might also explain why I enjoy reading about her life and stories that much.

My favorite parts in the book were the haikus and her pieces of advice for having a good marriage. With the latter I have to agree with her, even if some of them I find nothing more than funny, some of them I can feel are actually true in my personal experience as well. Also it's weird to read about actual pieces of advice from her that aren't sexual natured. With her type of humor I kinda expected some funny semi-serious advice like 'talk through everything and once in a while let him do it in the butt' but she totally missed it to my surprise. (Huh, see how our sense of humor is kinda matching, as I was saying? LOL.)

[Imani Sumbi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I expected a lot more from this book. While I enjoyed the conversational writing style and unflinching honesty, overall it read less like a coherent memoir with a purposeful beginning, middle, and end and more like a collection of anecdotes from Asa's sex life. It's like reading her diary (which, at one point, you literally are). The stories are wild and entertaining, but what was the point? Where's the self-reflection, the growth, the learning? There are times Asa seems just self-aware enough to dive into all that, but it never amounts to much. I particularly hoped to hear more 0f her insights on body image and beauty standards, seeing as she works in an industry fueled by conventional sex appeal. Instead, all I saw was an audience-approved skinny, beautiful woman dropping hints here and there about how terrified she is of becoming fat. I'm not even gonna touch the David Choe stuff, which... *sigh*... comes off so much more gross with present-day context. So does the chapter on ephebophilia. I won't lie; my rating may be biased solely on the fact that I don't particularly like Asa Akira as a person, based on how she presents herself in this book. But there is still value to her writing as far as Asian American/female sexual liberation goes. Power to her for giving a big middle finger to slut-shaming. I imagine it could have done a lot more for me if I'd read it as a teenager. All things considered, I don't feel the need to ever read it again or recommend it to someone else.

[Kiku · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Insatiable, and this sort-of-sequel has all the great stuff in that with a more polished structure. It's not really so much a memoir as it is just someone telling you stories--so if a very casual, conversational tone is what you like and you're not bothered by a porn star who talks about porn as someone who got into it because she clearly just loves the hell out of sex and trying everything once, this is your book. If, however, you are looking to UNDERSTAND someone in the adult industry from the lens of someone who chose this for a Reason and is dealing with the SHAME of being a woman in porn, well, Asa Akira is not your porn star. You won't find any pensive what-ifs in this book or tear-jerking emotional stories of the abuse that led this POOR GIRL into The Life; which is probably why I prefer this to so many others. Asa just likes to fuck, getting paid for it, and telling stories--and that's great.

[Kristen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed most of this book, Asa has a lot of interesting things to say and I think her reflections on love and her marriage are unique at times. That being said it wasn't anything mind-blowing or remarkable. I was surprised at the sudden format change about 2/3 in when it becomes diary entries. I don't mind the idea of this, but I wish they were spread out across the book. Also the screen play format was out of place at the end of the book. I did enjoy that she included her family, and talked about her Japanese heritage even if it was only lightly.

The haikus were easily the best part, and I secretly hope she releases a book of poetry. They definitely added a lot to my understanding of who Asa is and what her life is like.

My biggest issue however, was the repetition of content. A lot of times she begins to re-tell the same snippet of a story. I'd be reading thinking, "Haven't I heard this before?" and the answer was always yes, in 2 chapters ago. Someone really should've gone through and edited down a lot of that. I'm sure lots else happened in Asa's life that could've replaced that content.

I also wasn't keen on the rather pointless and (once again) repetitive references/off hand comments about r*pe, and at times Asa seems to be passing judgement at other women.

[Paige Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

2nd read: This book is a porn star reacting pre and post turning 30, which she calls clear adulthood yet compares its anxiousness to an acid come-up. In porn, this is MILF age or when the internet trolls women as “hitting the wall”, forced to look at all they didn’t accomplish at their most nubile. But Asa fears not feeling that way like every other chick more than actually exiting her 20s. She’s accomplished so much and still has a little time to etch out a family. Her real questioning of worth comes alongside the AVN awards, where she’s used to winning Performer of the Year after four nominees. Are people getting tired of her or should she have put out more, she wonders. Despite her dozens of awards, they seem to be drying up. Scheduled as a keynote speaker, she’s almost thwarted because she said on a pod that a teen boy sleeping with an older women is less damaging than the reverse. (She’s been part of the reverse and felt it didn’t affect her.) This is a pretty common opinion and less harmful in general than all the actual drunk fights/arrests that occur at the award show itself, honestly.

Brisk tidbits paint her history: She was a smoker 10 years, started French kissing in fourth grade, got tattooed eyeliner underage and ironically Vegas married while cranky on oxies and developing tattoo addiction. Knowing what I know now, the breadcrumbs of ambiguity over her second marriage are more glaring: saying she could always cover up her tattoo of his name, considering cheating outside their line of work for a bucket list hookup w/ a paraplegic, analyzing how her friends would’ve been as her husband, wanting separate bedrooms, punching and throwing stuff at him.

This book starts much more chronological than her first, explaining her semi-sleaze glam life w/ assistant friends and drivers who help sell merch at strip tour stops. The last ch should be one of the first, Asa visiting LA to start her career, explaining different lines of porn work like gonzo being hardcore clip-style ones versus feature ones, which are more cinematic and romantic with dialogue.

She talks to her friend about things she wants to do older like getting rich but not through a man, getting fat. Contemplating mortality, Asa recalls a friend in high school who intentionally became a junkie, always talking with his eyes close and burning himself with cigarettes. She’s stayed sober since 2008 but still wants to try heroin when too old or chronically ill so not to face an uncontrolled death.

Wish there was more than brief mention that she wants to reconcile with fam in Japan, who I suppose know she does porn or of her checkered past of shoplifting, doing salvia and angel dust. Ironically, there’s lots of marriage advice (she’s been divorced a few times) like fight often during the beginning to get your boundaries out of the way, define what cheating means to you, have separate friends and hobbies to not feel trapped. She’s married to a fellow porn star but doesn’t want to cook for him because he’s not the breadwinner. Funny enough, their least scoring love language is touch vs gifts and affirmation.

Asa is also addicted to cosmetic treatments (Botox, boot camp classes, laser treatments, lip injections) to look good on camera in LA and undergoes leeching to lessen bruises she gets from gangbangs (as a contract girl, she makes plenty while only shooting one scene a month). Didn’t realize cool sculpting has been around so long. There’s decent retread of her first book, like working at the Hustler strip club, masturbating on Bubba the Love Sponge show as a regular. How, even as a kid, she felt proud about being a slut because she was having fun without being shy like other girls. Yet this contradicts how she worried about her protruding clit (which IDK what she’s talking about since the whole world has seen how normal if not sleek she looks), pledging to never let anyone see her naked. Yet she sleeps with 16 guys in one year of high school and even does two guys at once. So that part should’ve have been better explained, how she overcame even thinking maybe she was a hermaphrodite because her high sex drive.

It takes half the book to get back to her bday and hosting the Adult Video Awards. That is also super brushed over, mostly quick, quippy bits about her shocking life and observations, like buying her first house or getting the clap half a dozen times. Then it’s back to smears of titillating or gross stuff: the gallons of enemas needed to perform anal on screen, how she got anal beads stuck in her from anxiety after a fight w/ her husband when they normally have quick, vanilla sex. That same day she even got stung on the butt by a bee and developed pink eye from a facial. She used to do ball punching and clown porn though we only get a sentence about it. More in scene is her going to Shinjuku w/ her hubby for a nuru massage: a bathhouse act where a girl covers herself in cold gel to glide naked on a man. Yet most every Japanese place won’t let her foreign (Spanish) husband in so it’s a bust.

The things I found most memorable on my first read were blips: Stormy Daniels making girls cry on set as a frequent prank, drugged-up hookers making fun of Asa for doing porn, a Dominican cabbie showing her the pearls he inserted into his d!ck, resembling Yakuza pleasure customs but in the shape of a heart. How she writes fiction and essays all the time, which she’s said she could afford her LA mortgage on. That and casually mentioning she “tore” her rectum are all things I wish she expounded upon. Instead, we got a final scene of her accidentally infiltrating a swinger party w/ other porn stars, where Corey Feldman propositions her. So to my surprise, I liked the first book, Insatiable, better.

[Salla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dirty Thirty is a perfect sequel to Insatiable. I read these books back to back, which was perfect for those moments in Insatiable where I wanted to know more. Asa delivered just that, by elaborating with her gut wrenching humor and heart warming personality.

I love that she included more of Spiegler and their endearing friendship. I loved learning a little bit more about her family. I love her outlook on how her and Toni's marriage worked. (Hopefully the next book will give a little insight on why it didn't work.) I especially loved learning more about how she loves writing and how she aspires to do more of it. I'll be waiting for her next book like a little kid on Christmas morning.

[Tania Vega · Rating 2 out of 5]

Este libro podría ser bueno si no has leído el anterior. No estoy seguro si Asa tomó más libertades creativas o qué sucedió en esta entrega, pero a diferencia del anterior, resulta vulgar y predecible. El talento que nos mostró en su primer libro y la ansiedad que sentía por volver a leerla parecen desaparecer en esta ocasión. Quizás por algo fue su último libro. Tenía muchas ganas de leer sobre su etapa casada y siendo madre, pero, sinceramente, algo falta y deja que desear, lo cual es una metáfora chistosa si consideramos que estamos hablando de una estrella del cine para adultos.

[Lorin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Asa Akira’s first book was a snide slog, a try hard affair that held the audience at arms length and never let us in the author’s mind. Dirty Thirty is still a pose but Akira is actually vulnerable this time and so it reads more like a real person than before. It’s still pretty flippant and a couple chapters are just boring stories with no pay offs, but when Akira lets the reader in, albeit briefly, it’s illuminating.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting enough memoir, but the flow could have used some work - this book is written as essays or journal entries, and certain events are referenced multiple times across chapters in a way that makes you think this book was never copy-edited for readability and the elimination of unnecessary repetition.