What do you think?
Rate this book
Библия секса
Обновленное и дополненное издание одной из самых основательных и лучших книг о сексе. Книга адресована всем тем, кто ничего не знает о нем, ничего не умеет и у кого ничего не получается, тем, кто знает и умеет все, – ну и тем, кто серединка на половинку. Ее с пользой для себя и с большим удовольствием прочтут и мужчины и женщины. Ее постоянное место на тумбочке возле постели, и она там гораздо более уместна, чем знаменитая «Камасутра». Это книга не о технике секса, а скорее о его душе (хотя без техники, конечно же, нельзя обойтись).
Вы поймете, что необходимо не стесняться разговаривать о сексе со своим партнером, быть внимательным к его желаниям и не скрывать свои, почувствуете, что заниматься сексом – это так же естественно, как дышать. Эта книга, безусловно, поможет вам поддерживать ваши сексуальные отношения на высоте и продлить их на долгие и счастливые годы жизни вдвоем.
Вы поймете, что необходимо не стесняться разговаривать о сексе со своим партнером, быть внимательным к его желаниям и не скрывать свои, почувствуете, что заниматься сексом – это так же естественно, как дышать. Эта книга, безусловно, поможет вам поддерживать ваши сексуальные отношения на высоте и продлить их на долгие и счастливые годы жизни вдвоем.
1610 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1996
770 people are currently reading
5303 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 211 reviews
June 6, 2024
The mind b(oggle)s at all the novel (fric)tions taking p(lace) every second of every day. Who could hope to index even a fr(action) of them and ins(piss)(ate) (ream)s of paper (in)to a (thick) cube of con(nub)ial (and casual) contortions for enterp(rising) (sex)nauts that are looking to emancipate themselves from the untuto(red) need to p(rose)lytize in foreign countries (i.e. engage in (missionary) activities.) and wish to arm themselves for full contact Kyokushin Body Karate by engraving their hypothalamic wafers (not to be confused with the principle ingredient of beach sand (i.e. silicon) (not to be confused with the principle ingredient of augmented chest plumage (i.e. silicone) although you’re (in)vited to imagine fab technicians in (ass)less bunny suits (violating) the spirit of clean rooms and (ruin)ing transistors aplenty with the (ejection) of (orga)nic contaminants via surrep(tit)ious fla(gel)lation) utilizing (CAD) workstations (i.e. terminals in your imagination) to self (insert) you and your amorous liaisons in the photolitho(graphic) printing process (don’t forge(t) your UV l(ight) mask) where you can then be put th(rough) your paces, par(tit)ioned into die(s), then (package)d bet(ween) a (sub)str(ate) and a (h(eat) (spread)er (alright, this is getting pretty (raunchy).
(This parenthetical mood I’ve been in lately is really interfering with my ability to focus, so, for the remainder of this review, I am committed to flipping my nipples with a rubber band whenever the urge to bracket additional information is indulged) Having been bombarded with ions to alter my conducive properties many times before, (i.e. doping) [!], it is no surprise that I read most of this book while Queening (i.e. electroplating) [!] a fortunate soul in order to produce a labile environment for any new information to inundate dormant synaptic junctions with coital custard. But, having debased myself with actions fit only to occupy remote corners of urban dictionary, it is folly to seek instruction from manuals of this kind. Like a professional cage fighter seeking an edge by exploring aerobic kickboxing classes, I see only the rudimentary steps of my long journey here recapitulated for the incipient sexologist, “But...” I said to myself, while maneuvering my cloaca over bristly facial terrain due to a sudden itch, “This does not derogate from my duty to rate this ambitious work on the basis of its stated goal, which is not to satisfy those of us who have moved past the knee of the exponential in matters of deviancy, but rather to help those who desire an erogenous directory full of numbers to punch when fingering the dial at random fails to produce meaningful dialogue. In this, it succeeds.
Further commentary while Queening:
“I note a distinct lack of the Kentucky Tractor Puller... What’s that? Oh that tickles, ask me again and enunciate. That’s good. Yes, anyway, it’s when you take his Charlton Heston in your Seikan Tunnel and then you clench as if trying to crush a walnut with your butt cheeks, and here it always helps me to think of John-Claude Van Damme. You want me to demonstrate? Alright. Are you okay? It sounded like someone wringing a duck’s neck. I’ve been working out. You then take off running, towing the gentleman behind you like a hirsute Volkswagen. It’s particularly funny if your grip is strong enough to pull him from the seclusion of the bedroom and into some embarrassing public display, perhaps even into traffic. You’re tired? Wretch! Did you think I was joking about a daily regimen of shoe leather mastication? Your gums were bleeding? Would you rather PISS it?! That’s what I thought.”
“Nowhere in these thousand odd pages will you find mention of a Skittles Harvest. Stop playing, I know you’re still alive, I can feel your breath. Anyway, you do this by having your partner consume a bag of skittles each day for an entire week. During this time they are not allowed to express their seminal fluids either manually or through nocturnal emission. Ah, there you are. Well, you must be vigilant, and your sleep schedules must be asynchronous. If you detect arousal in them during slumber, you lightly shank them with whatever stabbing apparatus you’ve set aside for the occasion. At the end of the week, you allow Daniel Plainview to drink your milkshake. Wait, this is perhaps a confusing metaphor. You’re Daniel Plainview. You. Drink. Their. Milkshake. Drink it all up. Does that clarify the issue? And here I can’t stop mimicking (very badly) Daniel Day-Lewis as he says: Draaaaaaaaaaainage. Anyway, you whip them until they’re running side ways and their eyes are nearly all sclera (i.e. frothing in a kind of crazed-horse-look) like their haploid cells are ready to stage a mutiny inside their respective reproductive platforms. Then, when they’re blasting assorted fruitiness into your laughing gear, you gargle the following, “I can taste the rainbow!”
“Finally, I sometimes fantasize about shooting someone with a crossbow directly between the shoulder blades after having bedded them. The scenarios vary, but a reoccurring dream involves some post coital humanoid running on a treadmill. I sneak up behind them while they’re listening to Huey Lewis and the News at full blast. Then, at the perfect moment, when they’re in middle of a magnificent stride, I release the bolt. When it hits, their limbs seize and pull inwards like a dead spider’s, they collapse onto the moving belt which launches them across the room into a pile of free weights. This is called the Ted Nugent. It is nowhere to be found in here.”
(This parenthetical mood I’ve been in lately is really interfering with my ability to focus, so, for the remainder of this review, I am committed to flipping my nipples with a rubber band whenever the urge to bracket additional information is indulged) Having been bombarded with ions to alter my conducive properties many times before, (i.e. doping) [!], it is no surprise that I read most of this book while Queening (i.e. electroplating) [!] a fortunate soul in order to produce a labile environment for any new information to inundate dormant synaptic junctions with coital custard. But, having debased myself with actions fit only to occupy remote corners of urban dictionary, it is folly to seek instruction from manuals of this kind. Like a professional cage fighter seeking an edge by exploring aerobic kickboxing classes, I see only the rudimentary steps of my long journey here recapitulated for the incipient sexologist, “But...” I said to myself, while maneuvering my cloaca over bristly facial terrain due to a sudden itch, “This does not derogate from my duty to rate this ambitious work on the basis of its stated goal, which is not to satisfy those of us who have moved past the knee of the exponential in matters of deviancy, but rather to help those who desire an erogenous directory full of numbers to punch when fingering the dial at random fails to produce meaningful dialogue. In this, it succeeds.
Further commentary while Queening:
“I note a distinct lack of the Kentucky Tractor Puller... What’s that? Oh that tickles, ask me again and enunciate. That’s good. Yes, anyway, it’s when you take his Charlton Heston in your Seikan Tunnel and then you clench as if trying to crush a walnut with your butt cheeks, and here it always helps me to think of John-Claude Van Damme. You want me to demonstrate? Alright. Are you okay? It sounded like someone wringing a duck’s neck. I’ve been working out. You then take off running, towing the gentleman behind you like a hirsute Volkswagen. It’s particularly funny if your grip is strong enough to pull him from the seclusion of the bedroom and into some embarrassing public display, perhaps even into traffic. You’re tired? Wretch! Did you think I was joking about a daily regimen of shoe leather mastication? Your gums were bleeding? Would you rather PISS it?! That’s what I thought.”
“Nowhere in these thousand odd pages will you find mention of a Skittles Harvest. Stop playing, I know you’re still alive, I can feel your breath. Anyway, you do this by having your partner consume a bag of skittles each day for an entire week. During this time they are not allowed to express their seminal fluids either manually or through nocturnal emission. Ah, there you are. Well, you must be vigilant, and your sleep schedules must be asynchronous. If you detect arousal in them during slumber, you lightly shank them with whatever stabbing apparatus you’ve set aside for the occasion. At the end of the week, you allow Daniel Plainview to drink your milkshake. Wait, this is perhaps a confusing metaphor. You’re Daniel Plainview. You. Drink. Their. Milkshake. Drink it all up. Does that clarify the issue? And here I can’t stop mimicking (very badly) Daniel Day-Lewis as he says: Draaaaaaaaaaainage. Anyway, you whip them until they’re running side ways and their eyes are nearly all sclera (i.e. frothing in a kind of crazed-horse-look) like their haploid cells are ready to stage a mutiny inside their respective reproductive platforms. Then, when they’re blasting assorted fruitiness into your laughing gear, you gargle the following, “I can taste the rainbow!”
“Finally, I sometimes fantasize about shooting someone with a crossbow directly between the shoulder blades after having bedded them. The scenarios vary, but a reoccurring dream involves some post coital humanoid running on a treadmill. I sneak up behind them while they’re listening to Huey Lewis and the News at full blast. Then, at the perfect moment, when they’re in middle of a magnificent stride, I release the bolt. When it hits, their limbs seize and pull inwards like a dead spider’s, they collapse onto the moving belt which launches them across the room into a pile of free weights. This is called the Ted Nugent. It is nowhere to be found in here.”
October 12, 2025
A sex guide as big as a telephone book; a page turner, yet somehow oddly disappointing in many respects.
My greatest frustrations with this book--achievement though this tome may be (and it is quite a feat)--are that it repeats a number of facts and motifs over and over, and seems to do so because there is no apparent logical order to the overall presentation. It gets to be quite fatiguing after a few hundred pages.
The book is meant to be digested in small compartmentalized bits. The voice is bemused and humorous, but quite often I found author Joannides' urges to make jokes about the topics under discussion strained and possibly undermined the facts he was writing about. The book tries to find a balance between facts, conjecture, philosophy and humor to keep itself from becoming academically boring (though many sources are aptly cited), but sometimes I think the conjectures and the quips go too far. The definition of trophy wife in the book's "Goofy Glossary", for instance, is mainly editorialized satire that seems to cynically dismiss a man's second marriage outright without making any concession to genuine feelings and motives, and is sexist to boot. Most intelligent readers should be able to discern between Joannides' flip opinions and actual facts, but sometimes the line is blurred to the point of annoyance.
Is it necessary to have an entire two pages devoted to showing a first-timer how to insert a tampon, and then have a section that jokes about Viagra and dismisses its users rather than talking more about the facts of what Viagra does? Is it necessary on page 566 to give the exact same advice about using condoms as was already detailed earlier in the book? Why does the book insist throughout that the best thing to do when contemplating or having sex is to talk to your partner about what each of you wants, but then have an entire chapter way back on page 429 about "Talking to Your Partner About Sex"? Shouldn't this chapter be on page 1? In the chapter on anal play on page 290, why does Joannides mention gerbiling as one kind of kink without then elaborating on it or condemning it, since, as he notes elsewhere, there are sexual rights and wrongs? In one section he rather courageously and gingerly raises the question of interfamilial desire, but then seems at sea in explaining it. Why include letters from average people asking about sex topics that in many cases have already been addressed in the book?
Overall, I found this pop guide to be like taking a balloon ride over the landscape of sex with an eccentric balloonist tour guide, getting caught in crosswinds and drifting again over previously flown-over territory. I did learn some things, including a few practices I was not aware of, and would recommend it to people who think they know it all (and who usually botch their lovemaking as a result).
There are some gems throughout. It was interesting to learn about an exercise in which women are observed taking the man's on-top thrusting role and being barely able to handle it for 3 minutes, resulting in many exclamations of "How do men do it?"
There is also this, from page 247, which I like:
"A mediocre lover always knows what a partner wants without having to ask. An accomplished lover is a wise grasshopper who implores a partner to give him copious amounts of advice."
Most people will find this book fun and helpful, but I think it could have remained fun and informative in a version that cut out the approximately 40 percent of the material that seemed repetitive to me.
My greatest frustrations with this book--achievement though this tome may be (and it is quite a feat)--are that it repeats a number of facts and motifs over and over, and seems to do so because there is no apparent logical order to the overall presentation. It gets to be quite fatiguing after a few hundred pages.
The book is meant to be digested in small compartmentalized bits. The voice is bemused and humorous, but quite often I found author Joannides' urges to make jokes about the topics under discussion strained and possibly undermined the facts he was writing about. The book tries to find a balance between facts, conjecture, philosophy and humor to keep itself from becoming academically boring (though many sources are aptly cited), but sometimes I think the conjectures and the quips go too far. The definition of trophy wife in the book's "Goofy Glossary", for instance, is mainly editorialized satire that seems to cynically dismiss a man's second marriage outright without making any concession to genuine feelings and motives, and is sexist to boot. Most intelligent readers should be able to discern between Joannides' flip opinions and actual facts, but sometimes the line is blurred to the point of annoyance.
Is it necessary to have an entire two pages devoted to showing a first-timer how to insert a tampon, and then have a section that jokes about Viagra and dismisses its users rather than talking more about the facts of what Viagra does? Is it necessary on page 566 to give the exact same advice about using condoms as was already detailed earlier in the book? Why does the book insist throughout that the best thing to do when contemplating or having sex is to talk to your partner about what each of you wants, but then have an entire chapter way back on page 429 about "Talking to Your Partner About Sex"? Shouldn't this chapter be on page 1? In the chapter on anal play on page 290, why does Joannides mention gerbiling as one kind of kink without then elaborating on it or condemning it, since, as he notes elsewhere, there are sexual rights and wrongs? In one section he rather courageously and gingerly raises the question of interfamilial desire, but then seems at sea in explaining it. Why include letters from average people asking about sex topics that in many cases have already been addressed in the book?
Overall, I found this pop guide to be like taking a balloon ride over the landscape of sex with an eccentric balloonist tour guide, getting caught in crosswinds and drifting again over previously flown-over territory. I did learn some things, including a few practices I was not aware of, and would recommend it to people who think they know it all (and who usually botch their lovemaking as a result).
There are some gems throughout. It was interesting to learn about an exercise in which women are observed taking the man's on-top thrusting role and being barely able to handle it for 3 minutes, resulting in many exclamations of "How do men do it?"
There is also this, from page 247, which I like:
"A mediocre lover always knows what a partner wants without having to ask. An accomplished lover is a wise grasshopper who implores a partner to give him copious amounts of advice."
Most people will find this book fun and helpful, but I think it could have remained fun and informative in a version that cut out the approximately 40 percent of the material that seemed repetitive to me.
July 22, 2008
Because everyone should have a sex guide book that quotes The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
This is an excellent, general guide to sex and is designed as an all-in-one introduction. It covers such topics as: basic biology, oral sex, hand sex, anal sex, masturbation, sex toys, sexual safety, sexually transmitted diseases, sexual orientation, and pregnancy. Roughly equal weight and attention has been given to both the female and male perspectives on all topics. All topics are discussed clearly, calmly, and in an engaging manner.
The publisher of this book also maintains a website (www.goofyfootpress.com) with sample chapters and chapter excerpts, the author's weekly advice column, recommendations for further reading, and purchasing information for this and other similar publications.
This review is of the third edition (published in 2000).
This is an excellent, general guide to sex and is designed as an all-in-one introduction. It covers such topics as: basic biology, oral sex, hand sex, anal sex, masturbation, sex toys, sexual safety, sexually transmitted diseases, sexual orientation, and pregnancy. Roughly equal weight and attention has been given to both the female and male perspectives on all topics. All topics are discussed clearly, calmly, and in an engaging manner.
The publisher of this book also maintains a website (www.goofyfootpress.com) with sample chapters and chapter excerpts, the author's weekly advice column, recommendations for further reading, and purchasing information for this and other similar publications.
This review is of the third edition (published in 2000).
July 14, 2010
A sort of cross between The Kama Sutra and Modern Chess Openings, this book is a portable, one-volume guide that explains clearly and helpfully how to have any kind of sex you can think of with any partner you can think of: male, female, neuter, yourself, or combinations of the above. If you like doing it and it's not listed here, you're either a remarkably imaginative person or in urgent need of psychiatric help. I'll leave it to you to decide which.
July 4, 2007
This book is not just a how-to manual on "getting it on." It's a witty, informative, COMFORTABLE book on all the why's, how's, do-not's, and responsibilities of being an sexual bean. I credit this book and this book only with the massive accomplishment of getting me to stop being afraid of sex. It even includes chapters you don't want to read, but you prolly should know anyway. Dangers of it all. And above all, it prefaces the whole thing with a warning that if you are not ready to have a baby and make those life choices, you prolly shouldn't be having sex in the first place. Smart warning.
August 30, 2018
The entire chapter about consent is how heterosexual men can avoid the legal consequences of rape. Not how to respect a partner, how and why to communicate, etc.
I'll leave you with this gem:
"Even if a woman didn't say no to sex, you can still be charged with sexual assault. The same is true if a woman said yes, but suffer's buyer's remorse and it becomes her word against yours."
The author alludes to the idea that consent is important beyond it's legality and that people of all genders need to be concerned with consent. But he chooses to criticize the current cultural conversation that calls on men to take more responsibility for their sexual actions rather than teaching all his readers about the essential and wonderful nature of consent.
I did skim some other chapters, a very heterosexual take on most things. Sometimes relying on tired narratives on men and women and how they relate to sexuality.
There are probably useful, educational parts to the book. But I'm not sticking around to find out.
I'll leave you with this gem:
"Even if a woman didn't say no to sex, you can still be charged with sexual assault. The same is true if a woman said yes, but suffer's buyer's remorse and it becomes her word against yours."
The author alludes to the idea that consent is important beyond it's legality and that people of all genders need to be concerned with consent. But he chooses to criticize the current cultural conversation that calls on men to take more responsibility for their sexual actions rather than teaching all his readers about the essential and wonderful nature of consent.
I did skim some other chapters, a very heterosexual take on most things. Sometimes relying on tired narratives on men and women and how they relate to sexuality.
There are probably useful, educational parts to the book. But I'm not sticking around to find out.
September 16, 2017
Want answers to sex questions without having to speak to a person? Don't want to read a book on sex that seems like it was written by your professor or grandparent? Then this is your book. The author covers a large variety of topics that will answer any question you have- and will likely provide answers to questions that you didn't know you had. The book is laid out in a chapter format, so it is possible to read only the chapters that interest you. The layout is engaging and the author is both a skilled writer and quite funny.
August 18, 2008
Sweet, cute, funny, humorous. Definitely recommended for anyone interested in having sex, even if you've been doing it for years. This book is amazing. It covers about everything you can imagine, and when it doesn't cover something thoroughly, it tells you, and gives you recommendations for other books to read on the subject.
June 4, 2013
Orientally posted on The Perv Pack's Smut Shack.
I’ve actually had a copy of The Guide to Getting It On for close to seven years now. It has served as a great resource, reference and just a straight up entertaining read. Unlike a lot of other books about sex this book has a frank, but humorous tone to it. I mean with chapters titles like Nipples, Nipples, Nipples and The Zen of Finger Fucking, you know this book isn’t your standard, stale guide to human sexuality.
Right off the bat with the Alpha Chapter Joannides sets the tone by introducing us to the idea of the Goofy Foot Philosophy “that it doesn’t matter what you’ve got in your pants if there’s nothing in your brain to connect it to.” This tone carries through the entire book. Giving a practical guide to just about every aspect of sex you can think of, from anal sex to family planning and even how to explain sex to kids.
It also features excerpts from Joannides’ weekly column The Naked Truth. One of my favorite one is a letter from a frustrated guy name Randy who had wined and dined a young women, but didn’t get laid. The response to his plea for help began with “You might be confusing romance with prostitution.” I laughed so hard I almost dropped the book.
The book also covers sexual anatomy, delving head long into What’s Inside a Girl? Common myths about women’s sexuality are dispelled and detailed diagrams and explinations of female gentials is laid out alongside beautiful illustrations by the talented Dærick Gröss. Fans of the penis do not despair. The dick gets a spotlight too.
One of my favorite part is the awesomely titled The Zen of Finger Fucking, where an entire chapter is dedicated to digital stimulation. Numerous sources, including interviews from actual women are used to give an informed explanation of “finger fucking” as well as giving tips on how best to bring a woman unbelievable pleasure by using your fingers.
A similar detailed approach is taken with handjobs, oral sex and of course intercourse, or Horizontal Jogging as it is called in the book. There are even chapters on how to masturbate, pick a sex toy, homosexuality, bisexuality and even kink. It even addresses Sex When You’re Horny and Disabled.
The Guide to Getting It On is a great resource for anyone curious about sex. Whether you’re a virgin or an old hat at sex it has something interesting, insightful and down right funny to entertain you.
I’ve actually had a copy of The Guide to Getting It On for close to seven years now. It has served as a great resource, reference and just a straight up entertaining read. Unlike a lot of other books about sex this book has a frank, but humorous tone to it. I mean with chapters titles like Nipples, Nipples, Nipples and The Zen of Finger Fucking, you know this book isn’t your standard, stale guide to human sexuality.
Right off the bat with the Alpha Chapter Joannides sets the tone by introducing us to the idea of the Goofy Foot Philosophy “that it doesn’t matter what you’ve got in your pants if there’s nothing in your brain to connect it to.” This tone carries through the entire book. Giving a practical guide to just about every aspect of sex you can think of, from anal sex to family planning and even how to explain sex to kids.
It also features excerpts from Joannides’ weekly column The Naked Truth. One of my favorite one is a letter from a frustrated guy name Randy who had wined and dined a young women, but didn’t get laid. The response to his plea for help began with “You might be confusing romance with prostitution.” I laughed so hard I almost dropped the book.
The book also covers sexual anatomy, delving head long into What’s Inside a Girl? Common myths about women’s sexuality are dispelled and detailed diagrams and explinations of female gentials is laid out alongside beautiful illustrations by the talented Dærick Gröss. Fans of the penis do not despair. The dick gets a spotlight too.
One of my favorite part is the awesomely titled The Zen of Finger Fucking, where an entire chapter is dedicated to digital stimulation. Numerous sources, including interviews from actual women are used to give an informed explanation of “finger fucking” as well as giving tips on how best to bring a woman unbelievable pleasure by using your fingers.
A similar detailed approach is taken with handjobs, oral sex and of course intercourse, or Horizontal Jogging as it is called in the book. There are even chapters on how to masturbate, pick a sex toy, homosexuality, bisexuality and even kink. It even addresses Sex When You’re Horny and Disabled.
The Guide to Getting It On is a great resource for anyone curious about sex. Whether you’re a virgin or an old hat at sex it has something interesting, insightful and down right funny to entertain you.
March 12, 2017
Such a fun light read about one of the greatest thing to spent our time, sex! Quite an extensive one, at more than 1150 pages. Almost every subject can be found in this book, from vanilla to the very kinky. A lot of modern subjects (internet pornography for example) have a place in this vast tome, and rightly so. You can read it in its entirety, but it's possible to go to the specific subjects that interest you. Or skip the parts which are not relevant to your personal sex life. Personally I loved the (for me) not so relevant chapters as well, as it gives a look into the world of sex, and all of the diverse ranges of experiences within it.
Would I let my (hypothetical) children read this book? Definitely. It talks about sex in a very openminded manner. Very informative, though with lightness and humour. There are few taboos in this book, and I'm sure this read can help teens with developing a healthy view on sex and sexuality. It can be a start to a conversation about the important subject.
We should talk more about sex on this planet. not only between children and parents, or biology teachers and students, but as a normal and interesting subject between adults as well. Quintessential to life, we would not exist without sex, often it's still a theme in people's lives accompanied with strong feelings of shame and guilt. I hope we can overcome this as society, and I think this book can be a fun element to use in this quest.
Would I let my (hypothetical) children read this book? Definitely. It talks about sex in a very openminded manner. Very informative, though with lightness and humour. There are few taboos in this book, and I'm sure this read can help teens with developing a healthy view on sex and sexuality. It can be a start to a conversation about the important subject.
We should talk more about sex on this planet. not only between children and parents, or biology teachers and students, but as a normal and interesting subject between adults as well. Quintessential to life, we would not exist without sex, often it's still a theme in people's lives accompanied with strong feelings of shame and guilt. I hope we can overcome this as society, and I think this book can be a fun element to use in this quest.
January 29, 2011
Snicker all you want - this is the best book on sex we sell in our bookstore.
Here's my blurbish review of the book from Brews and Books a while back.
The Guide to Getting it On is the only “instructional” title on this list, because it is really the best one I’ve seen. Equally fitting on the shelf of a couple or as the text in a sex education class, the nearly-1,000 page book talks about sex frankly and with a sense of humor. Published in over a dozen languages, 6 editions, and a winner of multiple awards, Joannides’ book deserves all the praise it has received. Although the tone is hip, light and informal, the Guide to Getting it On is meticulously researched and covers every sexual topic under the sun, from the benign to the kinky. The book deserves a place on the shelf of anyone who has had sex, is currently sexually active, or thinks they will be in their lifetime.
Here's my blurbish review of the book from Brews and Books a while back.
The Guide to Getting it On is the only “instructional” title on this list, because it is really the best one I’ve seen. Equally fitting on the shelf of a couple or as the text in a sex education class, the nearly-1,000 page book talks about sex frankly and with a sense of humor. Published in over a dozen languages, 6 editions, and a winner of multiple awards, Joannides’ book deserves all the praise it has received. Although the tone is hip, light and informal, the Guide to Getting it On is meticulously researched and covers every sexual topic under the sun, from the benign to the kinky. The book deserves a place on the shelf of anyone who has had sex, is currently sexually active, or thinks they will be in their lifetime.
March 23, 2008
After I started reading this book, I had a difficult time putting it down! It has some really great information that I've yet to find in other books about sexuality. However, most of the information was about heterosexual relationships. The author spent some time discussing other sexual orientations and was certainly gay-friendly, but again it is geared towards heterosexual sexuality.
The book also had some really great chapters that looked at sex and sexuality from a historical perspective and was written in a way that anyone could understand it.
Although the book was great overall, the author often had some really corny jokes that were either really bad or pretty funny depending on what the reader's sense of humor is like.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about sex.
The book also had some really great chapters that looked at sex and sexuality from a historical perspective and was written in a way that anyone could understand it.
Although the book was great overall, the author often had some really corny jokes that were either really bad or pretty funny depending on what the reader's sense of humor is like.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about sex.
September 13, 2008
I'm not ashamed, I read this book, and it's great. My friend Meredith gave it to me as a present on my 21st birthday.
November 2, 2014
This was my human sexuality seminar textbook. It's awesome and funny. Guests are always pulling it off the shelf to take a peek or two.
December 16, 2020
most of this book is absolutely great. it's accessible, it's thorough, it's fun, it's informative. i love its take on porn and sex ed. HOWEVER there are a few problems with it:
first off, it's very, very heteronormative. i don't there's anything wrong with a book targeted towards straight people but honestly it felt kind of excluding of a whole important part of the sex community. and being a sex educator means including things for LGBT people, even if just a little. i find it hard to believe that he got no responses from LGBT people online, and their testimonies could've been very helpful!
secondly, the illustrations show basically no body diversity. i don't know what was the process for those because the author will sometimes critique the illustrations. maybe he didn't name any specific he wanted when he commissioned them? honestly he could've just been a lot more precise with his requests. all of the bodies in the book look the same. fortunately there is quite a bit of racial diversity, but when it comes to fat or disabled people, don't expect anything. like the whole book he'll criticize the standards of porn but all the women here are thin and all the men have 6 packs.
anywho, other than that it's honestly a great book that i would widely recommend. the practical parts are really helpful and the explanation parts are really informative, as it should be. it's not a slog to read but it doesn't oversimplify stuff. anyone could get something out of this.
first off, it's very, very heteronormative. i don't there's anything wrong with a book targeted towards straight people but honestly it felt kind of excluding of a whole important part of the sex community. and being a sex educator means including things for LGBT people, even if just a little. i find it hard to believe that he got no responses from LGBT people online, and their testimonies could've been very helpful!
secondly, the illustrations show basically no body diversity. i don't know what was the process for those because the author will sometimes critique the illustrations. maybe he didn't name any specific he wanted when he commissioned them? honestly he could've just been a lot more precise with his requests. all of the bodies in the book look the same. fortunately there is quite a bit of racial diversity, but when it comes to fat or disabled people, don't expect anything. like the whole book he'll criticize the standards of porn but all the women here are thin and all the men have 6 packs.
anywho, other than that it's honestly a great book that i would widely recommend. the practical parts are really helpful and the explanation parts are really informative, as it should be. it's not a slog to read but it doesn't oversimplify stuff. anyone could get something out of this.
March 11, 2015
a few years ago i bought this book as one step toward a set of aspirations to expand my sexual awareness, and hopefully my experience as well. i browsed a few sections of the volume and was quickly turned off by what felt like a pervasively negative tone toward the male sexual experience.
full disclosure - i engaged this book as someone without a lot of sexual mileage and so i take up this topic with some trepidation. perhaps my response was reflective of my own anxieties, or perhaps i was really picking up on the author's sociopolitical insecurities. whether real or imagined, i could not get through any piece of this book without feeling like i was wading through apologies by/for, passive-aggressive criticisms of, and jokes regarding male inadequacy and buffoonery.
the book felt like one heavy blanket of shame after another being thrown over my psyche, and it made me wonder who the intended audience of this 'guide' is. honestly, having surveyed several other books in this vein, i suspect that the genre doesn't have a whole lot to offer to people who don't already have everything they need or who just need a vehicle to brag their credentials.
i could see this book being used like an interactive world map, on which people color in the countries they've visited. maybe for others it's a game that you can set on easy/normal/hard in order to knock out achievements and feel more accomplished. perhaps there are armchair critics who satisfy themselves with rating the accuracy or acumen of the author's various explanations, or attenuating the content to various philosophical or political purposes.
whatever the actual benefits of a book like guide to getting it on, it's safe to assume that plenty of people really are looking for just what is advertised in the title: a sex guide. furthermore, i'm sure that not a few of these people are rookies like me, hoping to find a psychological way into this world and not just mechanical data (as valuable as that is).
i am hard-pressed to imagine myself enjoying any real-life sexual experience in which my education or pleasure would be enhanced by a compulsive stream of cliched, gender criticisms aimed between my eyes. but that is what this book appeared, in my experience, to offer.
sometimes it seems that nothing in life escapes the taint (ha) of political deconstruction. maybe some people need endless calculation, need to measure the period of every gyration and thrust, graph their positional frequency and build weighted models that establish the sex/power causality of analingus vs reverse cowgirl vs snowballing. and ok, maybe there is a place for that, because shit goes down on many levels in these engagements.
yet for all the pitfalls and complexities of interpersonal relationships, there has to be a point where people just build the fucking bridge. in bed, i just want to be a person having fun and connecting with another person. i do not want to be a capital-m Man representing Men to a capital-anything else. gender politics may be an important and necessary topic of discussion, preceding sex, anteceding sex, whatever...but in bed can we just shut up (about the politics, anyway) and get down to it?
as a person who doesn't know it all, and hasn't done much of it, this book offers little in the way of an invitation to relax and have fun.
full disclosure - i engaged this book as someone without a lot of sexual mileage and so i take up this topic with some trepidation. perhaps my response was reflective of my own anxieties, or perhaps i was really picking up on the author's sociopolitical insecurities. whether real or imagined, i could not get through any piece of this book without feeling like i was wading through apologies by/for, passive-aggressive criticisms of, and jokes regarding male inadequacy and buffoonery.
the book felt like one heavy blanket of shame after another being thrown over my psyche, and it made me wonder who the intended audience of this 'guide' is. honestly, having surveyed several other books in this vein, i suspect that the genre doesn't have a whole lot to offer to people who don't already have everything they need or who just need a vehicle to brag their credentials.
i could see this book being used like an interactive world map, on which people color in the countries they've visited. maybe for others it's a game that you can set on easy/normal/hard in order to knock out achievements and feel more accomplished. perhaps there are armchair critics who satisfy themselves with rating the accuracy or acumen of the author's various explanations, or attenuating the content to various philosophical or political purposes.
whatever the actual benefits of a book like guide to getting it on, it's safe to assume that plenty of people really are looking for just what is advertised in the title: a sex guide. furthermore, i'm sure that not a few of these people are rookies like me, hoping to find a psychological way into this world and not just mechanical data (as valuable as that is).
i am hard-pressed to imagine myself enjoying any real-life sexual experience in which my education or pleasure would be enhanced by a compulsive stream of cliched, gender criticisms aimed between my eyes. but that is what this book appeared, in my experience, to offer.
sometimes it seems that nothing in life escapes the taint (ha) of political deconstruction. maybe some people need endless calculation, need to measure the period of every gyration and thrust, graph their positional frequency and build weighted models that establish the sex/power causality of analingus vs reverse cowgirl vs snowballing. and ok, maybe there is a place for that, because shit goes down on many levels in these engagements.
yet for all the pitfalls and complexities of interpersonal relationships, there has to be a point where people just build the fucking bridge. in bed, i just want to be a person having fun and connecting with another person. i do not want to be a capital-m Man representing Men to a capital-anything else. gender politics may be an important and necessary topic of discussion, preceding sex, anteceding sex, whatever...but in bed can we just shut up (about the politics, anyway) and get down to it?
as a person who doesn't know it all, and hasn't done much of it, this book offers little in the way of an invitation to relax and have fun.
May 16, 2007
While Maxwell Young retitled the book, "The Guide to Twisting Bitches Out", I prefer the original title. I wish this book had existed when I was like, fifteen. Its frank about how to get it on. It covers a lot of material, so it doesn't go into a whole lot of depth on some things, but overall, it is an excellent book to add to one's sex shelf.
April 24, 2008
Essential, I think.
January 3, 2014
Imperdibile, dovrebbero renderlo lettura obbligatoria nelle scuole. Non dico altro.
March 3, 2022
M-a ajutat la 17 ani. Cam orice legat de sex: boli, contraceptive, biologie, actul sexual în sine etc.
December 26, 2014
What I liked:
-The honest, approachable, humorous, and unflinching writing. This book is never intimidating or threatening. It passes no judgments on peoples' preferences. (A good example of this is the letter a reader wrote about including breastfeeding into sexual activity. My initial reaction was, "Eww, why would you ever want to do that?" But as I read the author's response, I was awed and impressed by his lack of judgment. He offered information on the mechanics of the activity, on why some couples find it enjoyable, and resources for learning more. By the time I finished the letter, my reaction had transformed from "Eww" to "I'm glad there are people out there who enjoy this.") The book did not reinforce tabboos or cast judgments on what couples (or threesomes, or foursomes...) do sexually.
-The sex-positive attitude. Sex is natural and sex is great! I loved the enthusiasm.
-The inclusion of all orientations as natural and valid. I was psyched to learn that this book wasn't aimed just at heterosexual couples. That said, I do think the book used a heterosexual couple as the "standard" pairing in most chapters, and I would have liked to see more gender neutral wording.
-The testimonials from survey respondants. Specifically, I appreciated the variety of responses that reaffirmed the meaning of "different strokes for different folks." However, there were a few times when these responses seemed cherry picked in order to meet a specific conclusion. More on that later.
-The silly drawings and diagrams. I did not particularly find these useful, but they did break up the text a bit and add even more levity.
-I particularly liked the chapter "Talking to your kids about sex." I liked the head-on approach to discussing anatomy, masturbation, and sexual feelings, and I loved the emphasis on creating an open line of communication. I would advise any parent to read this chapter.
What I did not like:
-The chapter about abortion was abysmally short and gave very little information about what the different procedures are, how much they cost, and where to obtain them. It did not give advice on how to support a partner or friend who chooses to have an abortion. This chapter did not even include testimonials from survey contributers like most other chapters did. It annoyed me that this subject was glossed over so tritely.
-There was no mention of pansexuality in this book, not even in the glossary at the end. For a book that did a pretty good job validating people of all orientations, sexes, and genders, it ignored pansexual individuals and only mentioned bisexuality. (To those who are confused, "bisexual" generally refers to individuals who are attracted to males and females, whereas "pansexual" rejects the gender binary and refers to individuals who are attracted to all sexes and genders.) I was extremely disappointed by this.
-At times, the survey testimonials seemed to be cherry picked for a specific response. I especially noticed this in the chapter about penis size. The featured responses became an echo chamber of "size doesn't matter at all!", perhaps to appease guys who express concern in this arena. Personally, I think size matters...sometimes a lot. I would have liked to see at least one testimonial that preferred sex with a larger penis. The one-minded chorus seemed phony to me.
Overall:
I recommend this book and think it would be a valuable resource to older teens/young adults. I also think parents could use this book as an educational tool for their kids if talking about sex makes them squeamish.
-The honest, approachable, humorous, and unflinching writing. This book is never intimidating or threatening. It passes no judgments on peoples' preferences. (A good example of this is the letter a reader wrote about including breastfeeding into sexual activity. My initial reaction was, "Eww, why would you ever want to do that?" But as I read the author's response, I was awed and impressed by his lack of judgment. He offered information on the mechanics of the activity, on why some couples find it enjoyable, and resources for learning more. By the time I finished the letter, my reaction had transformed from "Eww" to "I'm glad there are people out there who enjoy this.") The book did not reinforce tabboos or cast judgments on what couples (or threesomes, or foursomes...) do sexually.
-The sex-positive attitude. Sex is natural and sex is great! I loved the enthusiasm.
-The inclusion of all orientations as natural and valid. I was psyched to learn that this book wasn't aimed just at heterosexual couples. That said, I do think the book used a heterosexual couple as the "standard" pairing in most chapters, and I would have liked to see more gender neutral wording.
-The testimonials from survey respondants. Specifically, I appreciated the variety of responses that reaffirmed the meaning of "different strokes for different folks." However, there were a few times when these responses seemed cherry picked in order to meet a specific conclusion. More on that later.
-The silly drawings and diagrams. I did not particularly find these useful, but they did break up the text a bit and add even more levity.
-I particularly liked the chapter "Talking to your kids about sex." I liked the head-on approach to discussing anatomy, masturbation, and sexual feelings, and I loved the emphasis on creating an open line of communication. I would advise any parent to read this chapter.
What I did not like:
-The chapter about abortion was abysmally short and gave very little information about what the different procedures are, how much they cost, and where to obtain them. It did not give advice on how to support a partner or friend who chooses to have an abortion. This chapter did not even include testimonials from survey contributers like most other chapters did. It annoyed me that this subject was glossed over so tritely.
-There was no mention of pansexuality in this book, not even in the glossary at the end. For a book that did a pretty good job validating people of all orientations, sexes, and genders, it ignored pansexual individuals and only mentioned bisexuality. (To those who are confused, "bisexual" generally refers to individuals who are attracted to males and females, whereas "pansexual" rejects the gender binary and refers to individuals who are attracted to all sexes and genders.) I was extremely disappointed by this.
-At times, the survey testimonials seemed to be cherry picked for a specific response. I especially noticed this in the chapter about penis size. The featured responses became an echo chamber of "size doesn't matter at all!", perhaps to appease guys who express concern in this arena. Personally, I think size matters...sometimes a lot. I would have liked to see at least one testimonial that preferred sex with a larger penis. The one-minded chorus seemed phony to me.
Overall:
I recommend this book and think it would be a valuable resource to older teens/young adults. I also think parents could use this book as an educational tool for their kids if talking about sex makes them squeamish.
February 14, 2013
I’ve actually had a copy of The Guide to Getting It On for close to seven years now. It has served as a great resource, reference and just a straight up entertaining read. Unlike a lot of other books about sex this book has a frank, but humorous tone to it. I mean with chapters titles like Nipples, Nipples, Nipples and The Zen of Finger Fucking, you know this book isn’t your standard, stale guide to human sexuality.
Right off the bat with the Alpha Chapter Joannides sets the tone by introducing us to the idea of the Goofy Foot Philosophy “that is doesn’t matter what you’ve got in your pants if there’s nothing in your brain to connect it to.” This tone carries through the entire book. Giving a practical guide to just about every aspect of sex you can think of, from anal sex to family planning and even how to explain sex to kids.
It also features excerpts from Joannides’ weekly column The Naked Truth. One of my favorite one is a letter from a frustrated guy name Randy who had wined and dined a young women, but didn’t get laid. The response to his plea for help began with “You might be confusing romance with prostitution.” I laughed so hard I almost dropped the book.
The book also covers sexual anatomy, delving head long into What’s Inside a Girl? Common myths about women’s sexuality are dispelled and detailed diagrams and explinations of female gentials is laid out alongside beautiful illustrations by the talented Dærick Gröss. Fans of the penis do not despair. The dick gets a spotlight too.
One of my favorite part is the awesomely titled The Zen of Finger Fucking, where an entire chapter is dedicated to digital stimulation. Numerous sources, including interviews from actual women are used to give an informed explanation of “finger fucking” as well as giving tips on how best to bring a woman unbelievable pleasure by using your fingers.
A similar detailed approach is taken with handjobs, oral sex and of course intercourse, or Horizontal Jogging as it is called in the book. There are even chapters on how to masturbate, pick a sex toy, homosexuality, bisexuality and even kink. It even addresses Sex When You’re Horny and Disabled.
The Guide to Getting It On is a great resource for anyone curious about sex. Whether you’re a virgin or an old hat at sex it has something interesting, insightful and down right funny to entertain you.
Reviewer: Jeanne
Right off the bat with the Alpha Chapter Joannides sets the tone by introducing us to the idea of the Goofy Foot Philosophy “that is doesn’t matter what you’ve got in your pants if there’s nothing in your brain to connect it to.” This tone carries through the entire book. Giving a practical guide to just about every aspect of sex you can think of, from anal sex to family planning and even how to explain sex to kids.
It also features excerpts from Joannides’ weekly column The Naked Truth. One of my favorite one is a letter from a frustrated guy name Randy who had wined and dined a young women, but didn’t get laid. The response to his plea for help began with “You might be confusing romance with prostitution.” I laughed so hard I almost dropped the book.
The book also covers sexual anatomy, delving head long into What’s Inside a Girl? Common myths about women’s sexuality are dispelled and detailed diagrams and explinations of female gentials is laid out alongside beautiful illustrations by the talented Dærick Gröss. Fans of the penis do not despair. The dick gets a spotlight too.
One of my favorite part is the awesomely titled The Zen of Finger Fucking, where an entire chapter is dedicated to digital stimulation. Numerous sources, including interviews from actual women are used to give an informed explanation of “finger fucking” as well as giving tips on how best to bring a woman unbelievable pleasure by using your fingers.
A similar detailed approach is taken with handjobs, oral sex and of course intercourse, or Horizontal Jogging as it is called in the book. There are even chapters on how to masturbate, pick a sex toy, homosexuality, bisexuality and even kink. It even addresses Sex When You’re Horny and Disabled.
The Guide to Getting It On is a great resource for anyone curious about sex. Whether you’re a virgin or an old hat at sex it has something interesting, insightful and down right funny to entertain you.
Reviewer: Jeanne
January 1, 2012
Back in November of 2011, The New York Times ran an article called "Teaching Good Sex" that featured a class taught in a Philadelphia private school by a guy named Al Vernacchio. Vernacchio's class - frank, open, and all-inclusive - was everything the sex education classes I'd had to sit through in my life never were. (This is perhaps less than surprising given that a solid half of those were taught in Catholic school. Though to be fair, I don't remember the sex ed unit in my public high school Health class being any great shakes either.) Reading that piece left me feeling a little cheated in the knowledge department, and when Laurie Abraham moved the focus of her article from Vernacchio's classroom to Paul Joannides and his book, I decided to check it out. All 900+ pages of it.
Frankly, the title's a bit misleading. There are, God knows, many and more books on the market devoted to the best ways to get it on (looking at you, Anne Hooper and Laura Corn!), but this isn't one of them. Sure, there are several chapters dealing with sex in all its marvelous variations and those chapters certainly include some pointers, but if you're simply looking for How To's this isn't the place to find them. What you will find is a wealth of information about the male and female bodies, contraception, menstration, masturbation, pregnancy, and, yeah, sex and some of the accoutrements you might choose to accessorize it with - in short, everything a Sex Ed class should tell you, but frequently doesn't for political reasons.
More than anything, what makes this book is the tone, which is at all times supportive, upbeat, and frank. Joannides's text celebrates the possibilites our bodies offer, providing advice and information in a way that leaves the reader feeling not only comfortable but empowered. Funny how knowledge tends to do that. I'm giving slight demerits for poor editing since I caught several obvious type-os, but if you can overlook that(and possibly the illustrations, which may or may not appeal), you may start to feel that the Guide to Getting It On is the most important book currently not on schools' required reading lists.
Frankly, the title's a bit misleading. There are, God knows, many and more books on the market devoted to the best ways to get it on (looking at you, Anne Hooper and Laura Corn!), but this isn't one of them. Sure, there are several chapters dealing with sex in all its marvelous variations and those chapters certainly include some pointers, but if you're simply looking for How To's this isn't the place to find them. What you will find is a wealth of information about the male and female bodies, contraception, menstration, masturbation, pregnancy, and, yeah, sex and some of the accoutrements you might choose to accessorize it with - in short, everything a Sex Ed class should tell you, but frequently doesn't for political reasons.
More than anything, what makes this book is the tone, which is at all times supportive, upbeat, and frank. Joannides's text celebrates the possibilites our bodies offer, providing advice and information in a way that leaves the reader feeling not only comfortable but empowered. Funny how knowledge tends to do that. I'm giving slight demerits for poor editing since I caught several obvious type-os, but if you can overlook that(and possibly the illustrations, which may or may not appeal), you may start to feel that the Guide to Getting It On is the most important book currently not on schools' required reading lists.
June 16, 2020
This is the BEST SEX BOOK EVER! Sorry for yelling but it’s true. It has just about everything in it and it’s not shy about talking (or illustrating) the topic at all. If you are shy about sex, this may not be your book but no one’s making you share it or talk about it to others. If you want to know better techniques this book can help but it also has scientific information that is interesting, helpful, but not over your head.
It’s not just me that loves this book. The Guide To Getting It On has received 7 awards and has been an assigned text for sex ed courses across the US.
I can’t describe the book too much as I don’t want to get to graphic on this blog but let’s just say it covers all different kinds of sex, with graphic line drawings (which can be very helpful.) The only thing is that the book is a little male dominate sometimes as the author is male. However there is lots of information for women. Please make sure you check out the table of contents to see what I mean. The book is huge and will take you a while to get through it. It’s heavy reading too so take your time, read a few chapters a night before bed, (or before lovemaking .)
It’s not just me that loves this book. The Guide To Getting It On has received 7 awards and has been an assigned text for sex ed courses across the US.
I can’t describe the book too much as I don’t want to get to graphic on this blog but let’s just say it covers all different kinds of sex, with graphic line drawings (which can be very helpful.) The only thing is that the book is a little male dominate sometimes as the author is male. However there is lots of information for women. Please make sure you check out the table of contents to see what I mean. The book is huge and will take you a while to get through it. It’s heavy reading too so take your time, read a few chapters a night before bed, (or before lovemaking .)
May 3, 2016
Comprehensive-ish. Heteronormative. I know I oughtn't blame it for reflecting cultural norms. I do anyway. As a queer female-bodied dominant, this book was not speaking to me.
Five stars for it's near-unflinching dedication to honesty and for addressing nearly every conceivable area of human sexuality. Also for the near constant sex positive tone.
I don't care for him suggesting that teenagers shouldn't have sex. He should have suggested alternatives to intercourse if he had such a problem. They are horny. They are going to get off. Mutual masturbation exists. As do nitrile gloves and their many applications.
He also seems HORRIFIED by kink in the BDSM chapter only to suggest it in the very next chapter! Newsflash, having sex in a naughty maid/schoolgirl outfit is kink even if no one is tied up. Whispering filth in your lover's ear is kink. Ordering you lover to give you a backrub is kink. It's not all deadly. Some of us have more sense than David Carradine.
Still, it's sex-positive and I approve. (If this is all the complaining I do after 800 pages, it's gotta be good)
Five stars for it's near-unflinching dedication to honesty and for addressing nearly every conceivable area of human sexuality. Also for the near constant sex positive tone.
I don't care for him suggesting that teenagers shouldn't have sex. He should have suggested alternatives to intercourse if he had such a problem. They are horny. They are going to get off. Mutual masturbation exists. As do nitrile gloves and their many applications.
He also seems HORRIFIED by kink in the BDSM chapter only to suggest it in the very next chapter! Newsflash, having sex in a naughty maid/schoolgirl outfit is kink even if no one is tied up. Whispering filth in your lover's ear is kink. Ordering you lover to give you a backrub is kink. It's not all deadly. Some of us have more sense than David Carradine.
Still, it's sex-positive and I approve. (If this is all the complaining I do after 800 pages, it's gotta be good)
May 18, 2009
The Guide to Getting It On is one of the very few how-to guides that I recommend to others. This book covers a wide variety of topics from basic anatomy to advanced sexual skills for new parents and/or disabled lovers! I know several instructors who use this thick book for their classes, but don't let that give you the impression that it isn't an interesting read. It's engaging with a wonderful emphasis on the role of emotions and intimacy, whether play is solo or partnered. This edition offers additional information for men's anal play and same sex relationships, which is an excellent improvement over past offerings. As an added bonus, the author is a great guy with a caring personality and a great deal of expertise. Whether you're looking to enhance your own knowledge, want a gift for a coming of age young adult, or are seeking a great gift for a friend, this is a fantastic and reasonably priced find.
March 31, 2014
I so enjoyed reading this book, and read it cover-to-cover in all it's 850-page glory. It's not an ideal book for carrying around and reading on lunch breaks-- I had it propped open on my table and the waitress walked up to find the chapter heading "Balls! Balls! Balls!" staring her in the face.
Anyway, what I liked best about this book:
the accessible, comfortable, informal tone
information presented for both genders
attempt to be comprehensive, while recognizing it can't possibly be and making useful book recommendations for more in-depth coverage of certain subjects
references to Battlestar Galactica
It's a fun, sexy read and the best Human Sexuality text I've picked up-- which was thanks to a "Staff Picks" recommendation at Powell's Books.
[While I gave it 5-stars, it isn't perfect. Some passages, particularly those covering rape and sexual assault legalities made me cringe because of moments where sensitivity seemed sacrificed to forthrightness.]
Anyway, what I liked best about this book:
the accessible, comfortable, informal tone
information presented for both genders
attempt to be comprehensive, while recognizing it can't possibly be and making useful book recommendations for more in-depth coverage of certain subjects
references to Battlestar Galactica
It's a fun, sexy read and the best Human Sexuality text I've picked up-- which was thanks to a "Staff Picks" recommendation at Powell's Books.
[While I gave it 5-stars, it isn't perfect. Some passages, particularly those covering rape and sexual assault legalities made me cringe because of moments where sensitivity seemed sacrificed to forthrightness.]
Read
December 27, 2010Came highly recommended from an fMh thread. Checked this out along with "Sexy Little Knits" and "Naughty Needles". I don't think our librarian was TOO suspicious, though. lol. This book is definitely hefty, though!
************
Didn't finish it before it had to be returned. Impressions: it is pretty thorough, but deceptively so. It makes you think that because it's thorough on some subjects, it'll be thorough on all, and that isn't the case at all. Also, checking it out from the library meant that some of the pages with illustrations were ripped out. Um. Nice. Will probably have to buy it if I'm ever going to get the chance to finish it.
************
Didn't finish it before it had to be returned. Impressions: it is pretty thorough, but deceptively so. It makes you think that because it's thorough on some subjects, it'll be thorough on all, and that isn't the case at all. Also, checking it out from the library meant that some of the pages with illustrations were ripped out. Um. Nice. Will probably have to buy it if I'm ever going to get the chance to finish it.
July 22, 2019
Should be available at every secondary school in the country (if not a required textbook). If you're looking for a good book on Sex Ed that is both practical and biological, this is the book for you. Each chapter tackles a different topic including: Romance, Kissing, Semen Confidential, Orgasms, Sunsets & Hand Grenades, Your First Time, Techno Breasts and Weenie Angst, Good Sex After Bad--Rape and Abuse, The Historical Breast and Bra, and Kink in the Animal Kingdom to name but a few. I recommend this book to just about everyone, of all experiences and backgrounds. I still pull it off the shelf to thumb through it, and I've had the book for three years now.
September 4, 2009
Received this for an anniversary present. Not just a sex how-to book (though it certainly is extensive (exhaustive, even) in that regard), but also looks at sexuality (including chapters on the history of underwear, Barbie, and the 1800s), and sexual health. Even though I don't agree with all their philosophies ("self-love" is their cure-all prescription), the text is informative (over-informative, even, but there's no need to read chapters you don't want to), funny, and well-researched.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 211 reviews