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Pornology
When Ayn Carrillo-Gailey confronted her boyfriend about his porn habit, he pronounced her “pornophobic.” Determined to prove she wasn't phobic, simply more enlightened, Ayn set out to learn all she could about this phenomenon. Like any good researcher, she added her new quest to her daily To-Do list: 1. Drop off dry cleaning 2. Call Mom 3. Visit sex toy store on Melrose Acting as an amateur anthropologist introduced Ayn to a world populated by everyday people. Her quest aroused the curiosity of her female friends: her knitting group quickly turned into informal information sessions, as the women-single or married, involved or not-were desperate for information. What does XXX mean vs. un-rated? What's the difference between topless dancers and strip clubs? Why is some of it actually not that stimulating? And why are men obsessed with it? Along the way, Ayn ditched the porn-obsessed boyfriend, and learned that one should not try to make change from a stripper's G-string tips, nor is the Hustler store the best place to make a first impression on a hot guy. Pornology is the result of one woman's quest to pierce the veil that modestly covers something many women actually want to know about. Suprising, hilarious, informative, and ultimately non-judgmental, this narrative is one readers won't put down-once they admit they're curious enough to pick it up!
243 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 13, 2007
40 people are currently reading
757 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
February 1, 2009
Okay, so I was at the gym on a the treadmill and I always look around at what people are reading and I couldn't help but have this title jump out at me. Now if a guy had been reading it I would have been like, whatever. But, a girl was reading it and that piqued my curiosity. So, when I got home I looked it up on here and it had great reviews as well as an interesting hook. It's basically a "good girl" who realizes she knows nothing about porn and decides to educate herself for the sake of her relationship as well as her own edification. There is some pretty risque' stuff in this book, but I found it to be more along a "Sex & the City" kind of vibe. It's very funny, very honest and just a fun read.
August 9, 2008
I had high hopes for this book, and it didn't disappoint! Funny, quirky, with a strong voice coming through, and even a happy ending, it really made for a fun, quick read (I finished it in one sitting) that had me laughing out loud.
Mind you, it occasionally is a little too "precious"- it sometimes reads a little bit like "Sex in the City" and other chick-lit horrors (gushing about sex with my gal pals and having drinks, oh yes!), and it takes away some of the magic of the story to hear that, while true, it was also "slightly elaborated" with dramatic license. Hence the way everything works out perfectly- not a single thread left untied, and even a Hollywood movie ending that would charm fans of rom-coms everywhere.
But if you take it lightly- as the cute fluff that it is- it is a very enjoyable read and one that actually sheds a lot of light on how porn/erotica can be empowering for women (and moreover, how doing the unconventional and challenging yourself can lead to wonderful things). Very sex-positive, and yes, funny, too.
Mind you, it occasionally is a little too "precious"- it sometimes reads a little bit like "Sex in the City" and other chick-lit horrors (gushing about sex with my gal pals and having drinks, oh yes!), and it takes away some of the magic of the story to hear that, while true, it was also "slightly elaborated" with dramatic license. Hence the way everything works out perfectly- not a single thread left untied, and even a Hollywood movie ending that would charm fans of rom-coms everywhere.
But if you take it lightly- as the cute fluff that it is- it is a very enjoyable read and one that actually sheds a lot of light on how porn/erotica can be empowering for women (and moreover, how doing the unconventional and challenging yourself can lead to wonderful things). Very sex-positive, and yes, funny, too.
April 7, 2008
HILARIOUS.
April 10, 2012
What is a straight-laced girl to do when her boyfriend is being a jerk? Dump him and become a red-hot mama! (Not necessarily in that order.)
Ribald, funny and really hot in places, this novel shows what happens when a women kicks over the traces—and then gets caught in the reins. Suddenly, being a bad girl isn’t as easy as it sounds and Ayn learns that the hard way. But it’s a great trip for her and the reader as she assembles a sexy list of Things To Do and ticks off the items one by one.
Ribald, funny and really hot in places, this novel shows what happens when a women kicks over the traces—and then gets caught in the reins. Suddenly, being a bad girl isn’t as easy as it sounds and Ayn learns that the hard way. But it’s a great trip for her and the reader as she assembles a sexy list of Things To Do and ticks off the items one by one.
May 1, 2008
I loved this book. This was a book about a prudish, naive woman who explores the world of porn. She starts with the help of her boyfriend - he constantly has stacks of Playboy magazines laying around and she doesn't understand why, so she starts to ask questions and research. Her journey was interesting... I even learned many new things.
June 29, 2008
This book was introduced to me by Shane. I loved this book, it was so funny. I was laughing out loud at the crazy antics of the main character. the writing and dialogue were hysterical. It was a fantastic light and fun read.
September 10, 2008
This book is hysterical-if you don't have a fear of vibrators or porn, or even if you do, this book will demystify some of the ways that our society deals with sex. It's funny and entertaining, sometimes gross, sometimes enlightening, and that's never a bad thing.
December 25, 2013
I think that this a great story. Ayn could have taken the statements her boyfriend (at the time) told her and just tossed them aside as untrue and moved on with her life; however, I admire her decision and willingness to dig deeper and figure out if she was truly afraid of the subject.
February 15, 2008
Really this book is not as raunchy as you would think. Really for me it was more amusing then sexy but I think that was the point.
April 23, 2008
Well written, fun, and fascinating perspective on the world of pornography.
December 29, 2008
A hilarous book! I recommend for every woman!
January 4, 2009
This book is great for anyone who is curious about porn and sex or just want a good honest story about a woman learning about herself and embarrassing herself a few times along the way.
January 7, 2009
Hysterical, well-written book about all things porn. Learned some new stuff, but in a very entertaining way!
March 12, 2009
Hi-larious!
April 30, 2009
Very entertaining and well-written book about how a woman comes to embrace sexuality after being told by her boyfriend that she was a prude.
August 28, 2012
This book was hilarious!!! Very easy read
August 23, 2007
When Ayn Carrillo-Gailey’s boyfriend accuses her of being pornophobic, she sits down and creates a “porn to do list.” It includes visiting a strip club, testing vibrators, and ten other items she, as a self-described “good girl”, is curious about but has never experienced. The result is this book; a laugh-out-loud memoir of her journey through the adult entertainment industry.
Her writing is honest and she, along with her always entertaining friends the Naughty Knitters, hold nothing back as they explore subjects that are sometimes taboo and always interesting. You’ll learn what goes on behind the scenes at a brothel, how much you should tip for a lap dance, and that laughing during sex is a good thing!
One chapter worth mentioning is when she was inspired by Morgan Spurlock’s documentary “Super Size Me” and decides to consume nothing but porn for two weeks. She turns off NPR and tunes into Howard Stern. She is coaxed into eating lunch at Hooters by a friend who insists she should eat at “porn-related food venues.” Finally, she receives over 100 porn videos from her supportive friends with imaginative titles like Clitty Clitty Gang Bang and A Clockwork Orgy, that are playing almost constantly. In the end, she’s a little burnt out and a box of porn has crashed down on top of her latest crush, but she’s found out a lot more about her own desires. She’s also inspired by her latest experiment, and invites the aforementioned crush to a viewing where she is greatly rewarded.
Overall, the book is a quick, entertaining read that I would recommend to anyone who is curious about the sex industry or just looking for a good time!
Her writing is honest and she, along with her always entertaining friends the Naughty Knitters, hold nothing back as they explore subjects that are sometimes taboo and always interesting. You’ll learn what goes on behind the scenes at a brothel, how much you should tip for a lap dance, and that laughing during sex is a good thing!
One chapter worth mentioning is when she was inspired by Morgan Spurlock’s documentary “Super Size Me” and decides to consume nothing but porn for two weeks. She turns off NPR and tunes into Howard Stern. She is coaxed into eating lunch at Hooters by a friend who insists she should eat at “porn-related food venues.” Finally, she receives over 100 porn videos from her supportive friends with imaginative titles like Clitty Clitty Gang Bang and A Clockwork Orgy, that are playing almost constantly. In the end, she’s a little burnt out and a box of porn has crashed down on top of her latest crush, but she’s found out a lot more about her own desires. She’s also inspired by her latest experiment, and invites the aforementioned crush to a viewing where she is greatly rewarded.
Overall, the book is a quick, entertaining read that I would recommend to anyone who is curious about the sex industry or just looking for a good time!
January 23, 2021
This book is hilarious. The author/protagonist begins a journey into discovering porn and sexuality (nothing crazy here, well ok, she ends up viewing a pretty crazy taping of a show, but she's pretty uptight, yells at boyfriend about porn and decides to learn a bit about it) with the support/egging on of her friends.
Its not so much her attending an oral sex workshop or visiting a sex shop that's funny as what happens in her relationships and attempts to have relationships all while doing things like watching 70 porn films in a matter of days.
Its not so much her attending an oral sex workshop or visiting a sex shop that's funny as what happens in her relationships and attempts to have relationships all while doing things like watching 70 porn films in a matter of days.
May 30, 2009
This is one of those books where I can't tell if it's a true story or not. It's funny and entertaining (and has a lot of good info on porn and the sex industry along the way), but it's also got a lot of the standard, predictable chick-lit stuff that annoys me. So, I'm glad I read it and I enjoyed it, but I did a nonzero amount of eyerolling along the way.
February 14, 2011
This is one of the funniest books I've read in a long time. This is one to read for giggles and silliness, not for seriousness. But it is very well written, sarcastic, and was informative on a few topics for me.
October 1, 2011
I loved loved loved this book, as I felt the author would fit right in with my friends and our bookclub. Also, incredibly interesting read for a good girl like myself;) I highly suggest it for anyone who is curious, and who wants to laugh out loud while watching someone else do all the research;)
November 8, 2008
This one opened up my sexuality a bit. My favorite lesson was to focus "down there" instead of letting your mind wonder to grocery or to do lists!
January 3, 2011
I enjoyed this book it had several laugh at loud moments
January 31, 2009
Hysterical and educational! I was so proud to be informed at the next sex toys party I went to!
December 30, 2023
Þoldi ekki aðal manneskjuna í þessari bók en skil afhverju það var verið að lesa hana fyrir kynjafræði áfanga
April 22, 2019
An eye-opening and also a hilarious book. It kept me hooked when I read Ayn's journey about her adventures of porn. Its also very interesting because she gives interesting statistics about the topic such as "what is good/bad porn to women?" I give it a recommendation to young readers who wants to explore the topic further. Cheers!
September 18, 2025
A mildly amusing but largely infuriating read. Not only is the author and narrator insufferable, her thoughts and conclusions throughout the novel are juvenile and self-congratulatory. Toward the beginning of this book, I had to check a couple times to make sure that this was actually nonfiction, because I could not believe that the author would willingly portray herself in the way she does. A bonafide 2000s period piece.
The author, multiple times throughout the book, touts herself as a feminist. She even provides this as justification for why she is initially against porn, as she believes it is misogynist in nature. Despite this, she is consistently dedicated to putting other women down, with no sign that she recognizes that this is wrong. She is a proud Harvard grad, and whether she knows it or not, is deeply condescending toward any women who aren't sufficiently intellectual for her tastes. She only begins to respect working in the porn industry as a choice for women when she learns that these women are using it as a pathway to more conventionally "respectable" industries, entirely ignoring the idea that this may be someone's chosen career for life. She excuses her partner Sam for cheating on a woman (Holly) with her because she dislikes Holly and because they both agree that Holly is stupid. She incessantly includes unnecessary dialogue with her mother simply so she can point out her mother's Chinese accent, something that is clearly meant to be funny but instead comes off as deeply pathetic.
In addition to her Chinese heritage, she also makes the incredibly irrelevant point of disparaging her Mexican ancestry by describing a city in Mexico (when it adds nothing to the narrative) as disgusting and filled with beggars who need to be fended off. Who is this for? I can't imagine it being worth it to mock my own mother, who worked hard to learn a language vastly different from her own, for the sake of a couple laughs from uncaring strangers. I don't see the benefit of giggling about the poverty in Ensenada on the off chance a reader might smile at the image of a homeless amputee.
She clearly has body image issues, which I would be sympathetic to, if not for the fact that she projects those issues onto the women around her and relays that back to us. Wendy, the salesperson for her sex toy party, is insulted dozens of times for being overweight. Carrillo-Gailey insists that she is not being mean, simply observing, but the fact is she is using this woman's weight as a way to further illustrate her dislike for Wendy. If she hadn't meant the "observation" to be negative, why is it couched in other criticisms of this woman? Her deep disgust for the female body is further shown by her juvenile reaction to the live taping of Dr. Block's sex show, where she, out loud, says "ewwwwww" (I believe she used more Ws than I did, but you get the point) to the sight of the inside of a woman's vagina. For the entirety of the scene, she goes into great detail about how awful she finds the show, that this other woman's body is just so gross and icky. After they leave the show, she and her partner say "good for her" when Dr. Block achieves her goal for the show, seemingly trying to show that actually she is very respectful and accepting of her work, despite the fact that she just spent the last dozen pages waxing on about how she wanted to throw up at the sight of the performers' bodies.
Going back to her partner, I am genuinely baffled that we are meant to like this man. We have reason to believe he cheats/attempts to cheat on two women (Sabine and Holly) in the time it takes for Carrillo-Gailey to officially get with him. Even if you agreed with the author's logic that Holly is vapid and mean (The reason she thinks this is because Holly insults another girl's weight. Ostensibly, it is bad when Holly does it, but Carrillo-Gailey is actually being very smart when she fatshames people, so it is fine), what about Sabine? Carrillo-Gailey even refers to her as "Super Sabine" because of her intelligence and accomplishments, so why is it that she excuses Sam's attempted infidelity in that case?
Her overarching conclusion is that women are drawn to softcore porn where men are drawn to hardcore. Ignoring the fact that this is essentially a repainted, adult version of "girls are better at emotional stuff and boys are better at physical stuff", she makes no effort to factor in her own personal biases when generalizing all women. She does not consider that her evident hatred for the naked human form might inform the distaste she has for seeing the full acts of sex.
I have many other issues with this book: why was she cool with her friend praying on barely legal boys? Why was she so awful to her ex-boyfriend when he acted more femininely that she personally liked? Why does she constantly feel the need to remark that women she meets are less hot than she was expecting? But I think my feelings can be summed up by describing the scene in this book that pissed me off the most.
Toward the beginning of the book, her knitting club is choosing a charitable cause to send their knitting to. Someone remarks that there is something bad happening in Somalia now, and they agree to send their wool sweaters and socks and whatever else there. The author then provides a retrospective about how, at the time, it was nearly a hundred degrees in Somalia, and how the suffering people there would likely be very surprised to be sent clothing that was so unfit for their climate. To me, this read like the kind of scene that would be used to illustrate in a novel how a character is wildly out-of-touch and uncaring about the suffering they claim to be trying to combat. her knitting club claim to send their work to people in need, but they don't actually care enough about the people in need to know what they are in need of.
This is a good analogy for this entire book, in my opinion. Carrillo-Gailey convinced herself she went on a mystical journey to open her mind to the world of pornography, but in actuality, she accepted the surface-level positives of the industry that appealed to her, and disrespected not only the people within that industry, but the people around her, both her friends and the people she dislikes. I hope to god she is embarrassed to look back on her work and realize what a horrible impression she left on anyone reading this with any kind of discernment.
The author, multiple times throughout the book, touts herself as a feminist. She even provides this as justification for why she is initially against porn, as she believes it is misogynist in nature. Despite this, she is consistently dedicated to putting other women down, with no sign that she recognizes that this is wrong. She is a proud Harvard grad, and whether she knows it or not, is deeply condescending toward any women who aren't sufficiently intellectual for her tastes. She only begins to respect working in the porn industry as a choice for women when she learns that these women are using it as a pathway to more conventionally "respectable" industries, entirely ignoring the idea that this may be someone's chosen career for life. She excuses her partner Sam for cheating on a woman (Holly) with her because she dislikes Holly and because they both agree that Holly is stupid. She incessantly includes unnecessary dialogue with her mother simply so she can point out her mother's Chinese accent, something that is clearly meant to be funny but instead comes off as deeply pathetic.
In addition to her Chinese heritage, she also makes the incredibly irrelevant point of disparaging her Mexican ancestry by describing a city in Mexico (when it adds nothing to the narrative) as disgusting and filled with beggars who need to be fended off. Who is this for? I can't imagine it being worth it to mock my own mother, who worked hard to learn a language vastly different from her own, for the sake of a couple laughs from uncaring strangers. I don't see the benefit of giggling about the poverty in Ensenada on the off chance a reader might smile at the image of a homeless amputee.
She clearly has body image issues, which I would be sympathetic to, if not for the fact that she projects those issues onto the women around her and relays that back to us. Wendy, the salesperson for her sex toy party, is insulted dozens of times for being overweight. Carrillo-Gailey insists that she is not being mean, simply observing, but the fact is she is using this woman's weight as a way to further illustrate her dislike for Wendy. If she hadn't meant the "observation" to be negative, why is it couched in other criticisms of this woman? Her deep disgust for the female body is further shown by her juvenile reaction to the live taping of Dr. Block's sex show, where she, out loud, says "ewwwwww" (I believe she used more Ws than I did, but you get the point) to the sight of the inside of a woman's vagina. For the entirety of the scene, she goes into great detail about how awful she finds the show, that this other woman's body is just so gross and icky. After they leave the show, she and her partner say "good for her" when Dr. Block achieves her goal for the show, seemingly trying to show that actually she is very respectful and accepting of her work, despite the fact that she just spent the last dozen pages waxing on about how she wanted to throw up at the sight of the performers' bodies.
Going back to her partner, I am genuinely baffled that we are meant to like this man. We have reason to believe he cheats/attempts to cheat on two women (Sabine and Holly) in the time it takes for Carrillo-Gailey to officially get with him. Even if you agreed with the author's logic that Holly is vapid and mean (The reason she thinks this is because Holly insults another girl's weight. Ostensibly, it is bad when Holly does it, but Carrillo-Gailey is actually being very smart when she fatshames people, so it is fine), what about Sabine? Carrillo-Gailey even refers to her as "Super Sabine" because of her intelligence and accomplishments, so why is it that she excuses Sam's attempted infidelity in that case?
Her overarching conclusion is that women are drawn to softcore porn where men are drawn to hardcore. Ignoring the fact that this is essentially a repainted, adult version of "girls are better at emotional stuff and boys are better at physical stuff", she makes no effort to factor in her own personal biases when generalizing all women. She does not consider that her evident hatred for the naked human form might inform the distaste she has for seeing the full acts of sex.
I have many other issues with this book: why was she cool with her friend praying on barely legal boys? Why was she so awful to her ex-boyfriend when he acted more femininely that she personally liked? Why does she constantly feel the need to remark that women she meets are less hot than she was expecting? But I think my feelings can be summed up by describing the scene in this book that pissed me off the most.
Toward the beginning of the book, her knitting club is choosing a charitable cause to send their knitting to. Someone remarks that there is something bad happening in Somalia now, and they agree to send their wool sweaters and socks and whatever else there. The author then provides a retrospective about how, at the time, it was nearly a hundred degrees in Somalia, and how the suffering people there would likely be very surprised to be sent clothing that was so unfit for their climate. To me, this read like the kind of scene that would be used to illustrate in a novel how a character is wildly out-of-touch and uncaring about the suffering they claim to be trying to combat. her knitting club claim to send their work to people in need, but they don't actually care enough about the people in need to know what they are in need of.
This is a good analogy for this entire book, in my opinion. Carrillo-Gailey convinced herself she went on a mystical journey to open her mind to the world of pornography, but in actuality, she accepted the surface-level positives of the industry that appealed to her, and disrespected not only the people within that industry, but the people around her, both her friends and the people she dislikes. I hope to god she is embarrassed to look back on her work and realize what a horrible impression she left on anyone reading this with any kind of discernment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 13, 2016
Every woman needs to read this book, especially the ones that think porn is dirty, awful, abusive and just plain bad (and that men are disrespectful misogynists for viewing and liking it).
As the author herself, a self proclaimed "evolved" feminist, admits several times, she mistook the above sentiments for the truth: the problem was her own deep seated fear of sex and the baggage it can bring. Her journey to this realization is highly entertaining as she discovers herself and her natural sexuality, while coming away finally with a grown up understanding of the real reasons for the prosperity of the various commercial sex industries: men AND women both need and enjoy sex of all sorts because that's how nature made us.
A smart, fun read.
As the author herself, a self proclaimed "evolved" feminist, admits several times, she mistook the above sentiments for the truth: the problem was her own deep seated fear of sex and the baggage it can bring. Her journey to this realization is highly entertaining as she discovers herself and her natural sexuality, while coming away finally with a grown up understanding of the real reasons for the prosperity of the various commercial sex industries: men AND women both need and enjoy sex of all sorts because that's how nature made us.
A smart, fun read.
December 24, 2007
This was not the book I thought it was. It was interesting, entertaining. I thought the parts where she actually discussed various "pornography" was good--like the brothel and the sex toy party and the vibrators. But I didn't like her implication that "Good Girls" didn't participate in any of the porn culture--meaning anyone who had read erotica or read Playboy or Penthouse or Hustler or who wasn't a vibrator virgin or who had watched porn or visited porn websites was a "bad girl." What bullshit. And this book was mainly a love story about how she met her husband. Like I said, entertaining, but not what I thought...
Maybe you'll like it more than me...
Maybe you'll like it more than me...
May 8, 2008
as someone practically no experience with porn-this was an eyeopening book...and as the back of the book promised...it was fun to read. it was an un- intimidating way to learn a few things about what porn actually is/what kinds of porn products there are etc etc...it didn't get into *as much* detail as i thought it might...but in a way, i am grateful for that. now it has got me curious and i would like to read more about sexuality in general.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews