Mommy's Little Girl: On Sex, Motherhood, Porn, and Cherry Pie [Paperback]

Susie Bright (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 23, 2003

Susie Bright has gained a reputation as one of the world's leading writers on sex and sexual politics. Bright's stories in magazines like Salon, Playboy, and Bust have drawn cultish followings, and her books are national bestsellers. Mommy's Little Girl contains selected writing since the birth of Bright's now twelve-year-old daughter, Aretha. Challenging the idea that a woman cannot be a mother and sex goddess at the same time, this book positions Bright as a beacon of hope for women who feel that their days of openness about their sexuality must come to an end after they have a child. Bright describes how her daughter and her classmates have made her aware of how sexually charged children are these days, yet dangerously lack a proper education about their own bodies. From reminiscing on her role as "lesbian consultant" to the directors of The Matrix to her hilarious instruction for both men and women on how to ruin their sex lives in twelve easy steps, Bright's always provocative, often hilarious prose is sure to appeal to anyone with a heartbeat, and tops it off with the perfect end to perfect sex — a recipe for lustful cherry pie!

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Bright is one of America's most vocal sex-positive advocates, offering her sexual liberation message in advice columns, personal appearances and books (Susie Bright's Sexual Reality, etc.). This collection of 22 sketches written during the first 12 years of her daughter's life covers a variety of topics: her daughter's problems at school when she reveals her mom works as a sexpert, how nudists look when they age, the ubiquitous use of Viagra, her feelings about a friend's suicide and even a recipe for cherry pie. The material is uneven at best. The essay "Dirty Bookstore Docent," a field guide to the old-fashioned porn shop, is vintage Bright-she knows who's in that back booth and just what they're doing. Other pieces read more like thinly veiled bids for admiration. "Intern Phobia," for example, supposedly about why Bright won't hire interns, ends with "Somewhere there's a groupie heaven, but it can't be at my house," making the piece more of a reminder of what a star she's become. In "The Randy Bellboy," Bright ponders the methodology of seducing hotel staff, with such self-absorption she doesn't waste a minute considering the workers' rights-or dignity. While Bright acknowledges that some people have difficulties reconciling her "sex goddess" image with her mommy role, the problems with her motherhood essays are far more mundane. In "The Birthing Day Party," she describes tucking in the guests at her daughter's 10th birthday sleepover party with a graphic-yes, illustrated-discussion of her daughter's actual birth. Even die-hard fans may be put off by Bright's overt egotism and self-congratulatory writing.
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Review

"I laughed out loud, got weepy and felt generally inspired to live a fuller, more satisfying sex life." -- Abby Ehmann for eros-guide.com, September 27, 2005

Product Details

• Paperback: 172 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press (December 23, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 156025551X
• ISBN-13: 978-1560255512
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #599,223 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I'm an author, editor, publisher, performer, sex and culture critic, teacher, seamstress, and pumpkinhead.

I live in Santa Cruz, CA.

My blog is: http://susiebright..com.

My weekly show on Audible:
"In Bed With Susie Bright": http://www.audible.com/susiebright

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Genuine Article, March 23, 2004

By 

prisrob "pris," (New England USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Mommy's Little Girl: On Sex, Motherhood, Porn, and Cherry Pie (Paperback)

Susie Bright, author of "On Sex, Motherhood, and Porn & Cherry Pie" has been called a genius, goddess, sorceress and a damned fine writer! This may all be true. but this book, a collection of her writings is fairly uneven. She is a great writer, but not all of the articles are worthy of this book.

Susie is apparently a well known ranking connoisseur of sex, porn, and physical expression. This is the first book of hers that I have read. She is quite entertaining, not at all disturbing or too sexually advanced. She is a writer of sexual overtones, telling us that whatever we enjoy is ok.

This novel was written over 12 years of her daughter Aretha's life. The first chapter is about Aretha and her reaction to her mother's job- writing about sex. They are excellent sand spell out the shame and then joy Aretha feels about her mom's choices.

The next five chapters titled "Who wants to be a sex guru?" are not as well done. She talks about Viagra, internships and nudist colonies.

Porno land is the third set of chapters- a very real and sometimes funny look at this side of the underworld. She examines her job as a consultant for a movie. She is blunt and free and brings out the best of everyone!

The most enjoyable group of chapters is Susie's "My So-Called Sex Life". She recounts her experiences while on a book tour. How to talk to the maitre'd about those little needs you can't talk about publicly. The book tour diary and people she has met, and finally the Farmer in the Dell.

Susie ends her book by giving us a recipe for real cherry pie- not canned cherries, but the real thing- bing and queen anne. This is the recipe that you use when you want someone to fall in love with you. Recipe for pie pastry- I think Martha Stewart's is better, but they are both delicious. One warning do not make this pie for your lover if you don't want him to stay by your side forever! prisrob

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Susie Bright is the Molly Ivins of Sex, March 9, 2004

By 

Harold S. Henry (Fall City, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mommy's Little Girl: On Sex, Motherhood, Porn, and Cherry Pie (Paperback)

She's honest, intelligent, funny, and such a very good writer! I enjoyed every one of these wide-ranging essays. True, if you don't want to think about sex, she's not for you, but she always avoids being preachy or simplistic. I found her descriptions of her interactions with her daughter touching and quite believable... it's so hard to give your kids the tools they need to stand up against the uniform terror people seem to feel around sex even now. A good read!

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great fun!, February 18, 2004

By 

Linda Rowland-Jones (Big Sur, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mommy's Little Girl: On Sex, Motherhood, Porn, and Cherry Pie (Paperback)

Reading Susie Bright's latest book "Mommy's Little Girl" is like sitting down to a cozy cup of tea and a long chat with a loving, brilliant, witty friend.

I especially enjoyed the chapters about her relationship with her daughter. I admire the bravery and finesse Ms. Bright shows in mothering Aretha in her own authentic fashion. Her daughter and all of her playmates are lucky to have such an open and intelligent adult in their midst.

If you enjoyed her earlier works "The Sexual State of the Union" and "Full Exposure" you'll welcome Ms. Bright's bright, sassy view of the world, her powerful honesty and her crisp writing style.

I sent this book to my own mother, a former librarian, who informed me that this book comes under the category of "guilty pleasures."

Read, enjoy, and learn, from one of America's most beloved advocates of erotic freedom!