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blkmymorris's review
3.0
An uneven collection. Lots of personal stories that read like a collection of blog posts. I like the ones that read like articles with a political and historical perspective on sex. It just get tiring to read another memoir essay on BDSM or polyamory.
Best parts:
"Live New Models" by Jonathan Lethem - the difference between nudity and sexualization.
"Can a Better Vibrator Inspire an Age of Great American Sex?" by Andy Isaacson - The history of vibrators and its rise in popularity with a look at how the Lelo company designs their toys.
"Very Legal: Sex and Love in Retirement" by Alex Morris - Exactly what it says on the label. Realistic yet touching.
"Cherry Picking" by Julia Serrano - This about a transgendered woman and how virginity is more complicated than society makes it seem.
"Holy Fuck: the 4th and Long Virgin" by Jon Pressick - Tim Tebow and how it goes against how society views male athletes and lockerrom culture. It was a bit superficial, but explored a little dicussed part of sports culture and (lack of) sex.
"Dear John" by Lori Selke - another BDSM story but the humor makes this memoir more tolerate and its interesting to read how it has changed.
"Sex by any other name" by Insiya Ansari - a virginity story by a Muslim woman. The virginity stories speak to me because they seem to go against the American mainstream culture more. Thi sstory was religious but I would have liked a little more exploration of cultural attitudes compared.
"Enhancing Masochism" by Pat Califia - Califia waxes poetic and philosophical about BDSM. I don't agree but it was a thought provoking article.
"Porn Defends the Money Shot" by Dennis Romero - a excellent article bout the legislation to require condoms in porn and how porn is changing under the pressure of the Internet. It also touches on other issues such as homophobia in porn, escorting, and OSHA.
"Lost Boys" by Kristen Hinman - an informative article on child prostitution. Highly recommends because the research shows that our understanding of child prostituion (not child trafficking) is only reflect 10% or those teens and how it adds in the image of teen prostution only happening to child and not boys. A must read!
These last two articles are a great contrast to rather lazy article in this collection that defended the Village Voice keeping its Backpages adult ads. Overall, it's an uneven collection bogged down by some essays that feel too similiar.
Best parts:
"Live New Models" by Jonathan Lethem - the difference between nudity and sexualization.
"Can a Better Vibrator Inspire an Age of Great American Sex?" by Andy Isaacson - The history of vibrators and its rise in popularity with a look at how the Lelo company designs their toys.
"Very Legal: Sex and Love in Retirement" by Alex Morris - Exactly what it says on the label. Realistic yet touching.
"Cherry Picking" by Julia Serrano - This about a transgendered woman and how virginity is more complicated than society makes it seem.
"Holy Fuck: the 4th and Long Virgin" by Jon Pressick - Tim Tebow and how it goes against how society views male athletes and lockerrom culture. It was a bit superficial, but explored a little dicussed part of sports culture and (lack of) sex.
"Dear John" by Lori Selke - another BDSM story but the humor makes this memoir more tolerate and its interesting to read how it has changed.
"Sex by any other name" by Insiya Ansari - a virginity story by a Muslim woman. The virginity stories speak to me because they seem to go against the American mainstream culture more. Thi sstory was religious but I would have liked a little more exploration of cultural attitudes compared.
"Enhancing Masochism" by Pat Califia - Califia waxes poetic and philosophical about BDSM. I don't agree but it was a thought provoking article.
"Porn Defends the Money Shot" by Dennis Romero - a excellent article bout the legislation to require condoms in porn and how porn is changing under the pressure of the Internet. It also touches on other issues such as homophobia in porn, escorting, and OSHA.
"Lost Boys" by Kristen Hinman - an informative article on child prostitution. Highly recommends because the research shows that our understanding of child prostituion (not child trafficking) is only reflect 10% or those teens and how it adds in the image of teen prostution only happening to child and not boys. A must read!
These last two articles are a great contrast to rather lazy article in this collection that defended the Village Voice keeping its Backpages adult ads. Overall, it's an uneven collection bogged down by some essays that feel too similiar.
rosecaraway's review
5.0
This book is refreshing, informative, raw, intelligently written and put together perfectly. Rachel Kramer Bussel took her time with this one and should be congratulated! There are twenty essays altogether in this anthology, that cover as many completely individualized topics, and dear reader you will be just as enthralled. My heartstrings were tugged multiple times in, Alex Morris's, "Very Legal: Sex and Love in Retirement" and in Seth Fisher's, "Notes From a Unicorn". Patrick Califia lays BDSM out perfectly in, "Enhancing Masochism: How to Expand Limits and Increase Desire". I cannot wait for next year's, "Best Sex Writing 2014"! It is like reading 20 of the best episodes of, "This American Life". Thanks to all the authors that contributed to this anthology! Well done!
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