Customer Reviews

Forbidden Flowers

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Nancy Friday asked women from around the world to send in their sexual experiences and fantasies. The result was some of the most provocative reading ever published. If you embarrass easily, this book is not for you. Just about every sexual taboo is mentioned in this book and in great detail. But beyond the fantasies and experiences of these women, are the comments and observations of Nancy Friday herself. This book can be an awakening for any man or woman. An awakening in that, if you have had a certain type of fantasy or experience and feel that you are the only person in the world who has had such, you may learn of others who have had similar ones. Or you may be awakened to fantasies you have never thought of, but after reading the book, find yourself thinking about them, or desiring to do them. I have owned a number of copies of this revealing book only to have different individuals borrow them and never return them. I recall once when I was in a snack bar reading the book, some women noticed it and inquired about its contents. I told them what the book was about and they said, it's very good on my part to be interested in what women think about. They then wanted to read a page, just to see what it was all about. But they didn't end up reading only one page. They kept on reading and reading and reading. I finally had to ask for the book in order to get it back, and half of them were blushing. This isn't a porn book by any means, then again no porn book is even in this ones league!!! For various reasons, I don't own an edition of this book now, but, one reason I don't is that if I did, I know it would only be a short time before someone would want to borrow it, and I'd never see it again. If you enjoy reading about women's real sexual fantasies and experiences, you will want this book.

Let's face it. For most of us, the intellectual aspect of this book and all of Nancy Friday's books on sexual fantasies is not why we read these books. They turn us on. If someone catches us reading them, we can use the excuse that we are interested in social scientific questions about women (and men) and how they think. I think that if not for the social scientific discussions, this book might have been banned in 1973.

The book tries to cover all areas of women's sexual fantasies, so it stands to reason that some parts will squick some readers. I think that it's best not to read it all in one sitting; it will eventually get boring and repetitive. A chapter or two at a time for the first sitting is best. Of course, one will develop a few favorites among all the fantasies, and read them over and over again. I have, but I'm not going to tell which ones. :-)

Men should read this book as well. They're bound to find it as stimulating as women, and it should help them understand women better.

While the book was plentiful of wild, sensual fantasies, I was disappointed in some of them. Many were hard to believe even for fantasies and many sounded like they were written by illiterates. If you're looking for this type of book, I strongly recommend "Women on Top".

If you're a man who would like to understand how women think and feel about sex, this book, along with the others in its series, is a must have. Contrary to popular belief, women feel just as much lust as a man. Most are highly selective about who they have sex with, but not because sex interests them any less. Unlike a man, the availability of sex is not usually sufficient reason to have sex, but don't think they aren't daydreaming about it.

Some of the fantasies are strange and even disturbing, but I think that is to be expected. The things a person fantasizes about aren't necessarily the things they would want to do in real life.

In any case this is a very good book and one I'd highly recommend for anyone seeking to understand human sexuality.

This book is one of the absolute musts for anyone man interested in being a better and more in touch lover. The perspectives it provides are not only informative but stimulate and help to refine the readers sexual fantasies and sexual self concept.

Am I allowed to say that this book gets me off? No? Am I allowed to say that this book could be a marital aid? No? Am I allowed to say that this collection of women's sexual fantasies will teach you things about women that you never even dreamed about? Well, I guess you can delete my review. By the way, this book is slightly better than "Secret Garden" (the contributors are more open after having read that book) and "Women on Top" (which was a bit too self-conscious) and "Men in Love" (because women do this fantasy thing better than guys)

The basic idea of this book is a good one, that women's sexual fantasies are healthy and normal and something to enjoy. I bought this book hoping to be aroused but was mostly just bored with it. It is just a collection of letters from women who read the first book, My Secret Garden, and are sending in their fantasy for this book. That is fine but each letter is in its entirety and are all basically the same. Example: Dear Nancy, your book changed my life and was great, bla,bla,bla. Next paragraph, let me tell you about myself,(boring) bla,bla,bla. Next paragraph, let me tell you about my fantasy (finally!), then some mostly so-so fantasies (although a few were good) and then another letter--the same thing. Also commentary by Nancy Friday before each chapter and after some letters.(dull and uninteresting to me) Just write some hot fantasies or erotic stories for pure enjoyment!

I bought this for my wife but read it myself - which man doesn't want to hear about women's sexual fantasies? The book covers a wide range of people and fantasies from highly erotic to downright disturbing. However I do have to say -WOW - some of you ladies have the most incredible imaginations!

It also occurred to me as I was reading this that many women do not really understand or appreciate a man's perspective when things go awry in a bedroom. However, I think the author has given persuasive insight into issues that she has identified and she is clearly competent in this area.

The author also alluded to the reasons behind some fantasies and it became obvious with the direction that some took, that they were a reflection upon the state of the woman's relationship with her husband or lover.

From a man's point of view , there is a common thread among many fantasies that is good to know. Above all however, it is worth the read to satisfy the voyeur in us all.

I'm transferring over my review I wrote on B&N so that other people will know not to buy this book.

"When I was moving, I found this book and My Secret Garden in a box of old used books. I flipped through some of them and read a few of the stories to see what it was about. I literally wanted to vomit. It wasn't remotely sexy whatsoever.

Frankly, having a fantasy about being gang-raped and then finishing yourself off with a German Shepard or having a lesbian encounter with a 3 year old is not sexy or normal, it's depraved. Nor are stories about how you get it on with your dog on a regular basis in reality arousing. I don't want to read about bestiality or pedophilia, it's absolutely disturbing.

I don't know what sort of person would find this erotic, it is absolutely stomach turning. I absolutely learned nothing from this book except that there are some closet pedophiles out in the world along with many sick and vile people.

Many of these woman seem to have absolutely no lines of communication open with their husband. Frankly, I'm not buying the whole, "I'm a lonely housewife and my husband never wants sex so I masturbate 6 hours a day" lines. It takes two to tango so if you have a terrible sex life, start on yourself first. Your husband isn't a mind reader so if you want something different, voice your opinion. This book doesn't stress that - it's basically, "My husband doesn't want me so I fantasize about having orgies while I masturbate with various items from the grocery store. Well, I guess this is my lot in life so don't judge me for being a pervert." It's terrible.

Depraved fantasies aren't healthy. Sex is healthy. Want better sex, pick up a copy of the Kama Sutra or some sort of Tantric sex book if you're looking for excitement in the bedroom.

I'm throwing away both of the Nancy Friday books after I finish writing this sentence."

These books I found went straight into the trash bin. Foul.

An amazing book covering female sexuality and specifically female sexual fantasies. Nancy Friday does a wonderful job adding commentary to some of female fantasies that were sent in by females. While at times graphic, explicit, and even really kinky at times, the book opened my eyes to the depth of the female sexual psyche and the issues regarding female sexuality in modern day culture.