Customer Reviews

Hooking Up: A Girl's All-Out Guide to Sex And Sexuality

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I got a copy of this for my 16-year old daughter but after I read it, I want to make sure my 15-year old son reads it too. Be prepared. It's graphic. But you can either let kids go out there unprepared and hope for the best, or you can give them a chance to learn about and think about things in advance so when they get into sexual situations they are prepared to make good, safe and enjoyable decisions. With the help of solid professional support, Amber Madison has done a great job creating a book that speaks to it's audience with a credible style. As the publisher of health information for the general public, I see a lot of books and other resources and this one is on my short list to recommend.

HOOKING UP: A GIRL'S ALL-OUT GUIDE TO SEX & SEXUALITY comes from a Tufts University graduate who studied human sexuality - but expect not a science-laden treatise, here. It's a most readable, hard-hitting advice column to young women on sexuality, dating, and sex and covers all the basics, from understanding monogamy and sexual risks to contraception - including how to correctly use a condom and assessing problems with their use. Expect a candid, yet analytical, survey which trends where other sex guides fear to go, making it much more useful for modern women than competitors which dance around the subject.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

One of the most important things that can be done to encourage adolescent and young women to make safe, responsible decisions about their sexuality is to provide them with the tools and information necessary to make those decisions. Amber's book, Hooking Up-A Girls All-Out Guide to Sex and Sexuality, does just that, and does it in a very balanced way. She discusses the positives AND the negatives associated with a variety of behaviors and decision-making processes, and presents girls with the information necessary to understand how and why their bodies and emotions function as they do.

Amber writes in a conversational tone and with a sense of humor that makes the book an easy read and, perhaps more importantly, easy to comprehend. The book covers just about everything young women need to know in a short, concise format that is not intended to be a treatise on the subject, but rather an introduction to what they need to know to understand how their sexuality impacts them and their bodies at this age. It is also a good read for guys who want some insight into what women face as they learn to manage their own sexuality.

This book accomplishes its purpose so well that I have placed it at the top of my "Must Read" list for teenagers and young women. I wish I had had this book or a book like it when I was in high school, and I'd definitely recommend that any parent give it to their daughter.

Twenty-two year old recent college graduate Amber Madison has penned a non-fiction book about sex & sexuality that puts it on the line for young girls (and their parents). Nothing is off limits in Hooking Up-A Girls All-Out Guide to Sex and Sexuality (Prometheus Books). Amber starts with the basics (like describing the various sexual organs), and gets down to the details that some people may be apprehensive to ask about in conversation. From vaginal discharges, yeast infections, sexually transmitted diseases to pregnancy it's all here.

Amber also tackles tough issues like body image, sexual orientation, rape, relationships and abuse among other topics. I think this is a great book for young women who want to learn more intimacy. The layout and illustrations make for easy reading. The book also has a conversational tone to it.

Amber Madison is a graduate of Tufts University. She studied human sexuality in her degree program and she wrote a column in the Tufts Daily about sex, safe sex, and relationships.

Amber Madison demonstrates the importance of connecting with her audience. The book is written for teens, by a young woman who has experienced this chapter in her own life. "Hooking Up" is not a textbook, it is a book that may entice adolescents, both male and female, to read each chapter in its entirety.

Teenagers will do what they want in this new hooking up generation and the book is simply a resource to provide young adults with important information regarding some of the common issues faced by sexually active beings. The knowledge provided to young women (and men) via this book increases awareness, paticularly about topics relating to sex such a STDs, pregnancy and good decision making strategies.

During this generation of casual flings and hookups, it is the notion that women are in danger of being viewed as sexual beings that often elicits fear throughout society. Perhaps a book that rightfully suggests the natural needs of women and men alike provides the solution.

With the media bombardment of sex in our culture, reality and media imagery are often world's apart. This book is a chatty, enlightening window into the lexicon and concerns surrounding young people's sexuality today. Its also a great conversation starter with any teen. :-)

Wish I had this book for myself when I was a teenager and beyond. Glad I have it now for my daughter, and have found in reading it that there's something for me in it as well. I was a little concerned that the title..."Hooking Up..." suggested a permissive and promiscuous attitude toward sex and sexuality. Quite the contrary. Amber talks about reasons you might not be ready, self-esteem, feelings...in a validating way gives great information and permission to wait. Demystifies in a straightforward and often funny way. It's like having a knowledgable best friend talking with you who earns your trust, shares her own journey of discovery and provides accurate information. To say the least, it can be awkward to talk with your daughter (and sons) about sexuality and healthy choices. More than a guide, this book has been a bridge to my daughter in the beginnings of frank, open communication. Even if we don't talk about everything in the book, she knows nothing is taboo and I'm here. She's also got great information and advice if approaching me is too hard.

Never got the "sex talk" with your mom? And now you have a daughter? This is the perfect book for you and your daughter. It's written by someone young, with a fresh and non-judgmental language. Just loved it.

One of the reviewers - David L. Jenkins, from Virginia - comments, "How graphic is the chapter on the benefits of Abstinence? Counter culture concepts can be just way so.... freaky." Translation: there *is* no chapter on abstinence, as I found out when I actually read the book. Evidently this was meant to be sarcasm, but without a broader context a "clever" one-liner like this zinger becomes unintelligible.

That said, I do wish Madison had spent somewhat more time on abstinence, so I knocked off a star for that.

I was also disheartened that the book is coached entirely in "girls with guys" terms and seems written exclusively for heterosexuals. There *is* a "Chapter 14. Sexual Orientation: Gay? Straight? Questioning", in which the words Gay and Straight are crossed out. This chapter feels like an afterthought and one that really is restricted to the questioning element - "Gee, how do I know if I'm gay or not?" Only one page is dedicated to being gay as an actuality, with the header "I'm Pretty Sure I'm A Lesbian - So Now What?," followed by facile bulleted paragraphs -

- You are not alone.
- You are still normal.
- You are still at risk. (ie. of contracting STDs, or of becoming pregnant if you still choose to have sex with men)
- It will be OK.

That's...nice?...but here's an experiment: try "I'm pretty sure that I'm Straight - So Now What?" and see if one page is sufficient.

No, the author wrote a book to cover *that* eventuality. And here's the thing: much of the information in this book is something to which women across the spectrum can relate. Had Madison simply used more inclusive language throughout the book she would have done beautifully. Instead she wrote a book that purports to be a "girl's all-out guide to sex & sexuality" but wrote it in a way that makes it seem needlessly exclusivist. So that's where my second star went.

The intent of the author, as she said was to both write from her own experience, and from an youthful vantage, as someone who is still close to a lot of the concerns that young women are facing. I think she did a good job of that for the most part and agree that, for the most part, it grants the book its strength and appeal, *and* usefulness. If she ever does come back to it in second edition form, though, I hope that she will consider:

A. Giving abstinence a little more coverage (just because other books do doesn't mean you need to compensate by neglecting it), and
B. Writing the book so that it is more inclusive in its sense and sensibility.

I've bought a copy for each of my daughters. It's a jungle out there and I want them prepared. Great book.