Sexography: One Woman's Journey from Ignorance to Bliss (Hardcover)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

By turns serious and playful, Sexography maps the coming of age, tragedy and rebirth of one woman's sexual self. From "making out" with imaginary Hollywood stars in her closet (and getting busted) to coming to terms with abuse, assault and rape, from embracing her curiosity enough to become a sex toy tester to accepting and dealing with her tumultuous past, Milne paints a brutally honest--and, at times, amusing--picture of what it's like to learn about and experience sex in every sense of the word. From the earliest experiences in her childhood homes in Edmonton and Calgary, Alberta, to present-day Los Angeles, Milne guides readers through the troubled waters of female sexuality with a mixture of candor and humor. Whether you've been through similar experiences or just know someone who has, Sexography will change your mind about why and how survivors survive.

About the Author

Carly Milne began her professional writing career at age 14 and hasn't looked back since. Her work has appeared in Glamour, Variety, AOL, Stuff, Maxim, Shop, Bitch Magazine and more. She has also been interviewed by Entertainment Weekly, Cosmopolitan, MSNBC, Marie Claire, Sex TV, Wired and E!, among many others. Milne has also had essays published in Virgin Territory (Three Rivers Press), Best American Sex Essays 2005 (Cleis Press) and Hooking Up: You'll Never Make Love In This Town Again Again (Phoenix Books), and curated the anthology Naked Ambition (Carroll & Graf). She lives in Los Angeles.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 449 pages
• Publisher: Phoenix Books (October 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1597775436
• ISBN-13: 978-1597775434
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,482,516 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars True story of incredible triumph (not to sound cliched, but no other way to describe this great autobiography), December 8, 2007

By	Jennifer A. Schneider "Jen S." - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

"Sexography" is an autobiography written by Los Angeles - based writer and blogger Carly Milne, a moving account of growing up in midwestern Canada during the 1980's and 90's, and as a child and teen suffering from unspeakable instances of abuse and abandonment, emerging from it as a gifted, strong and witty journalist and writer. Additionally, an interesting treatise on the cultural similarities and differences between Canada and the US and the difficulties Carly experienced in making the what-one-thinks-should-have-been easy emigration to the States. From the hilariously recounted account of what started as a gig to interview a popular rap star for a Canadian newspaper in the early 1990's and the nearly landmark court case it resulted in, to Carly's experiences as one of Canada's pioneers of the dot-com boom of the late 1990's, then her tenured career as a writer, editor and publicist for some of the biggest names in the American adult industry, it will be hard for the reader to put this book down and very hard to walk away from it without viewing one's own life a little differently. A highly readable analysis of the effects of child abuse on adolescence, intimacy and marriage and forgiveness and redemption of the abuser. Highly recommended.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An absolutely riveting story, August 26, 2008

By	Donna G. Storey "writer and Japan scholar" (Northern California, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I found Carly Milne's powerful memoir almost impossible to put down. It is profoundly moving, at times humorous and often heartbreaking, but just as the author comes to feel gratitude for the strength she's gained from her life's challenges, the reader too will feel thankful for the courage and honesty of this book. Even if you haven't personally experienced sexual abuse, every woman (and man) will recognize the issues raised here--the struggle to move from sexual object to sexual agent, to find nourishing intimacy with others, and to love and respect ourselves and in a society that is often hostile to these goals. Milne reminds us that when we write thoughtfully about sex, we're also writing about all of the deep, dark, scary and beautiful reasons we do it. Popular magazines these days are full of broken promises to reveal the secrets of sex to readers hungry for the truth--Sexography actually delivers some genuine answers. Highly recommended.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How Can You Survive and Find a Way to Thrive?, June 19, 2008

By	Devin A. Zimmerman "Devin in LA" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Carly's book left a strong and lasting impression on me. I found it to be a journey that every woman should travel, as I felt myself grow in strength and resolve as she does, overcoming the odds to find her voice--and one with an amazingly discerning eye and superior sense of humor.

It's an inch, by inch description of how one young girl, then woman searched and earned her own sense of self, and self esteem. There are no short cuts or platitudes that can erase an abusive past--the secret to healing really lies in hard work and perseverance. Struggling to create your own anchor, (one's sense of self, and a grid of values of your own making) is a universal, coming-of-age-and-beyond struggle. What makes this book so intriguing is that the subject matter, a "Sexography" throws in sharp relief many of the issues women face, from wanting and needing a man who is not good for them, to how to fathom and take advantage of the great experience sex can be. But basically, this book is about LIFE, how to make peace with the one you've got, and embrace all the possibilities it has to offer in the midst of sacrifice, pain and disappointments...this should be required reading for every young woman.