Customer Reviews

For Yourself: The Fulfillment of Female Sexuality

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

There's a reason this book continues to be reprinted and available 27 years after its first publication! For women who have never connected with their own sexuality, who see sex as something they do for their partners and not for themselves--and, yes, there are still many women with these attitudes in 1999, despite the sexual revolution--this is just the best book available. In my 20 years as a sex therapist, I have never recommended this book to a sexually inhibited woman who has not found it thought-provoking.

I just finished reading this book last night. When I first picked it up and read the first few chapters, I was so engrossed that I couldn't put it down. Within the first few pages I felt like the author was addressing me personally. Before this book I really thought I was the only woman on planet Earth that couldn't have an orgasm and I felt very uncomfortable sharing this problem with anyone for fear that I'd be told that I was a freak of nature and would need to be shot to be put out of my misery. I was so relieved to find that there was actually a whole book written about this problem and that I was not alone.

Some readers here have commented that certain sections of the book are outdated, especially the parts that deal with the distorted ways that women are brought up to view sex, but believe me, there are still a lot of us out there that were brought this way and I'm only 28. Cultural and religious background may have a big impact on this. I had a Hispanic, Catholic upbringing. But this book never speaks to a specific type of woman, it speaks to ALL women, in a warm, straighforward manner. The concept is that physiologically, we are all the same.

Indeed the one and only thing that I found quite disturbing about this book is in the Chapter on how to bring your children up to be sexually healthy. It straight up says it's okay to have sexual feelings and fantasies about your children, just don't act upon those feelings. I'm not a psychologist but that doesn't sound right to me. I think someone who has those thoughts and feelings towards a child, no matter whose they are, probably has some other sexual issues and should seek some professional help!

Other than that, I can honestly say this book changed me. I gradually felt a difference in my attitude towards sex, which has made me a happier person in general. I don't feel angry and resentful towards sex as I used to. I would recommend this book to any woman who feels anxiety or stress towards sex. At the very least you should give it a shot, it's an easy read. I'm not done going through the exercises in this book but I am grateful just for the fact that it has changed my views on sex and has made me so comfortable with my sexuality and femininity.

I thought this book was wonderful. It made me realize I was not alone. Reading womens' magazines and talking to friends had me convinced I was the only woman in her twenties not having orgasms. This book helped me understand my body better, cleared up many of my misconceptions, and allowed me to achieve orgasm. I would recommend this book to anyone and have shared it with all my friends (who said they now have even better orgasms). My sex life can be divided into before this book and after, and the after is great!

I started out reading this book as an assignment for a Human Sexuality course. I did not realize until after reading this book how much I ignored my feelings as a woman and sexual responder. This book helped get my partner involved and brought the two of us closer as we tried to do the exercises provided in the book. The ones we were uncomfortable doing, we were able to push back with laughter and continue with the help of the book. Having the book as an excuse if something didn't work made things easier for us to enjoy without blaming one partner or the other for our difficulties with the sexercises.

This is a wonderful self-help book on how to become comfortable with your own body and how to share that with your partner, if you have one and even if you don't. It's very informative, interesting and helpful on something that has been taboo to discuss or find information about for many years. This book has helped me immensely in my relationship in the principle that if you don't know how to love your body and yourself, how can anyone else? And, if you don't know, how can they? A rare find in a book with a warm helpful feel for any woman.

I read this book in the late 1970's and because of it have gone on to lead a "normal" sex life. She tells it like it is; the title got me because of an abusive partner--abusive emotionally and uneducated in the ways of sex. I decided that I could "do this for myself" as the title indicated and DID! If it had not been for the information in this book, we might have been divorced--or worse I would have been in some institution!! It is a great book for achieving the female orgasm. It may not be needed by all, but probably IS needed by more than most men will admit AND by more women who don't even KNOW their lives can be changed. Believe me, honey, you are NOT frigid as you've been told! Read the book!! Thank you, Lonnie Barbach!!

Originally published in 1975 during the height of the womens lib movement, this is THE classic text to help women understand their own sexual response and become orgasmic - with or without a partner. This book has the potential to cause a revolutionary shift in the consciousness of women who persist in believing that the penis is king, i.e., that women can only have orgasms with the assistance of a thrusting male member. Wrong, wrong, WRONG. The penis is NOT a necessary condition for female orgasm. Barbach notes in the opening chapter that "minor surgery can be performed on the inner two thirds of the vagina without an anesthetic." So in reality, it is the clitoris and not the vagina that is the female sex organ. The clitoris exists purely to provide women with sexual pleasure. It's funny how the clitoris is no where near the vaginal opening. Nature's little joke? Perhaps. The message of Dr. Barbach's book: women, take responsibility for your own sexual pleasure, and don't wait around for the "Magic Penis" or "Mr. Right" to give you that elusive orgasm.

This book was wonderful to read. I felt so relieve that there was even a book out there on this subject. Yes, it is a little out dated with some of the view's from women but it was right on as far as how to help overcome the inability to orgasm. I was fortunate enough to read this book with my partner, but I know that you don't need to have a partner to benefit from this book. It helps you and how you feel during sex.

I am a college student cursed with this disorder that I keep hearing about older women still not having orgasms. I thought that I'd start early and try to fix it before I go that old. The book had many helpful tips and exercises to pave the path to orgasm. I still have not had my first orgasm yet and I am now somewhat frustrated. The book was a bit out of date, talking about women and how we were raised, but she is right. If you're on the edge of giving up, you might want to try a different book first, but if you're ready to go and motivated, this could be the book for you. Good luck... I know how you feel...

This book is very informative. It answered a lot of questions that I had about female sexuality--the kind of questions I don't even feel comfortable asking my close female friends about. I had never experienced an orgasm prior to reading this book, and I didn't think it would ever happen for me--I thought I was inorgasmic. This books points out that I was pre-orgasmic--and what do you know, I was about halfway into the book when I crossed over. I am now able to orgasm fairly regularly!