The Big Book of Porn [Paperback]

Seth Grahame-Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2005

An XXX Rated Celebration of Adult Movies
 
According to film historians, the first motion picture was screened in December 1895. And the first dirty motion picture was screened just a few months later.
 
Adult movies are nearly as old as cinema itself. The Big Book of Porn celebrates this controversial art form in all its timeless glory—from the stag films of the 1920s and the Super 8 reels of the ’50s to the VHS boom of the ’80s and the interactive DVDs of Tomorrow.
 
Chapters include:
 
     •  Know Your Classics: The twenty-five most important adult films of all time, including Debbie Does Dallas, Deep Throat, and an X-rated musical version of Alice in Wonderland.  
     •  Great Moments in Porn History: From the first on-screen kiss to the invention of the silicone breast implant, these are major events that defined modern-day adult films.
     •  The Pantheon of Porn: These mini-bios of mega-stars like Seka, Linda Lovelace, and Marilyn Chambers are filled with surprising trivia.
     •  It’s A Porn World, After All: We travel around the world—from Australia and Canada to Germany and Japan—to watch the best of international porn.  
     •  Make Your Own Porno: All you need is a video camera, a willing partner, and these simple pointers (“Tell a story,” “Start with a bang,” “Parody a real film title whenever possible”).
 
And that’s just the beginning. You’ll also find a glossary of unfamiliar terms, a catalog of favorite porn genres, tons of classic stills and posters, interviews with porn pioneers, the 300 goofiest porn titles of all time (Edward Penishands, Juranal Park, Oklahomo!), and much, much more.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

More loving than smutty, this riff on the glory of dirty movies has more double entendres than an X-rated film, but charms with its sincerity. Firsttime author Grahame-Smith first gives a chronology of the porn industry, mentioning nude photography of the early 1900s before going into the Hays Code film regulations of 1930, and then into porn's heyday in the 1970s. Once the history lesson is complete, the author veers into extensive lists of his favorite "classic" films, which he categorizes as featuring actors and actresses without tattoos, but with plenty of body hair. He rhapsodizes about the luscious quality of porn stars from the Debbie Does Dallas era, but gives the current crop of vixens their due, especially those clever enough to parlay their profession into mini-empires of sex toys and Web sites. Also covered in this compact but edifying volume are common terms, fetish videos, international porn and even an ode to the old, smut-drenched Times Square. Lively and entertaining, with a sprinkling of raunchy photos, Grahame-Smith's valentine to his favorite art form is a must for any bookshelf that also holds Flesh Gordon and Lust of the Mohicans. (Jan.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Seth Grahame-Smith still can’t believe somebody paid him to watch pornos for an entire year. He lives in Los Angeles with his incredibly tolerant wife, Erin, and their incredibly oblivious dog, Logan. This is his first book.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Quirk Books (October 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1594740402
• ISBN-13: 978-1594740404
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 0.6 x 9.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #386,380 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Seth Grahame-Smith is a film and television writer/producer, semi-frequent blogger, and bestselling author. His first novel, "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies," debuted at #3 on the New York Times bestseller list. Since its release in April 2009, it has sold over a million copies and has been translated into 20 languages. Seth is also the Co-Creator/Executive Producer of the upcoming MTV comedy series, "The Hard Times of RJ Berger." He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and son.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A thorough and fun examination of porn history, August 5, 2007

By 

Jessica Lux (Rosamond, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Big Book of Porn (Paperback)

The Big Book of Porn lives up to its subtitle--it is a penetrating look at the world of dirty movies. It is a glossy, high-quality paperback with screenshots, actor portraits, vintage advertising posters, and glittery sidebars. Publisher Quirk Books has been known to release some wacky joke books in the past, but this thorough examination of a hobby with more viewers than sporting events (yes, it's true) is well worth the $20 cover price and a place on your history/anthropology bookshelf.

The book opens with a timeline of the invention of still and motion pictures, the ratings administered by the MPAA, the history of obscenity rulings by the Supreme Court, and the evolution of the stag film, peep show, dirty movie theater, and home video. The author is thorough in his examination of history, from the printing press to dime store novels to VHS to the Internet and on to...virtual reality? Grahams-Smith alleges that all the high-falutin' academic research in virtual reality is founded in a desire to invent the Holy Grail of porn. He decries our prudishness about "wardrobe malfunctions" and celebrates the mainstream influence of Madonna, men's magazine Maxim, and the rise of S&M-inspired fashion.

For anyone looking to advance their porn education, the author has a list of 20 all-time classics (Taboo, The Opening of Misty Beethoven, Insatiable, Alice in Wonderland, and more). The list explores the cultural and cinematic significance of each entry. Other lists include five modern classics and the two weirdest classics of all time (my lips are sealed, so pick up the book to find out the titles). The top list of leading ladies is impenetrable (who can argue with Annette Haven at #1?). Sidebars explore the magic formula for determining your porn name, the classic crossover actors, the international perspective, 20 sacred porn movie rules, and who's who in upcoming stars. Includes a glossary.

42 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I met my wife reading this book!, February 6, 2006

By 

K. Chesley "Professional Critic" (Your Back Porch, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Big Book of Porn (Paperback)

There she was, sitting just beyond the creamer
counter at Starbucks and she was reading the exact same page!?!
It was kismet. We clicked immediately.

I'm a porn history buff, but I had never known
some of these amazing facts and true stories!
Natalie loves the pictures and the do-it-yourself section.

The book is written with a great deal of humor, having
some fun with what is - too often - a very drab topic.
Great interviews, brilliant insights by the author,
and excellent descriptions consistantly make this
book an everyday read for this critic.

One word of advice though:
DO NOT BORROW THIS BOOK FROM A FRIEND.
Go out there and buy your own! It's a better idea!

Oh...and by "clicked"? I meant had sex with each other.

14 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars If Cliff's Notes gave a crash course on porn..., April 4, 2006

By 

HalloweenAddict "HalloweenAddict.com" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Big Book of Porn (Paperback)

Remember when you used to ride the bus to school and there was that one tough kid who sat in the back seat who was wise beyond his years?
He was the go-to guy when you wanted to know about where to buy fireworks, what beer tasted like, and most importantly: what does "S-E-X" mean? You could ask him anything, and though he may chide you a bit, you'll get your answers.

Author Seth Grahame-Smith is THAT guy.

The Big Book of Porn has the answers to all those questions you were too lazy to search the internet to find, and too embarassed to ask your friends at the poker game. With a sharp and humorous slant to his writing, Grahame-Smith plows through the decades to make the Big Book of Porn an overview that's not only informative, but laugh out loud funny.

The Big Book of Porn isn't the end-all, be-all for the history of porn, but if you want a crash course in what was, is, and will be, it's a must-read primer. Before you know it, you'll be the tough kid everyone is coming to for answers.