Best Sex Writing 2008 (Paperback)

by Rachel Kramer Bussel (Editor)
Key Phrases: pink ghetto, period porn, sexuality studies, United States, New York, Lexington Steele (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Captures the heart and soul of what’s happening behind the bedroom door, where lust, desire, gender, identity, sex work, and politics collide.

The best sex journalism of the year in one unforgettable book.

Do Jewish girls give better blowjobs? What does it mean to be a modern-day eunuch? Does abstinence-only sex education work? Would you want to work in the pink ghetto or live in the glass closet? How “hung” are African-American men? What happens to a celebrity sex tape star in Iran? Best Sex Writing 2008 answers these questions (and raises many more) as it probes the inner lives of those on the front lines — political, personal, and cultural — of lust.

From dangerous dildos to professional submissives, the erotic appeal of twins, sex work, pornography and much more, these authors delve into the underbelly of eroticism. Probing stereotypes, truths, and the tricky areas in between, Best Sex Writing 2008 opens the bedroom door and explores the complexity of modern sexuality with thought-provoking, cutting-edge essays and articles.

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Product Details Paperback: 224 pages Publisher: Cleis Press (November 28, 2007) Language: English ISBN-10: 1573443026 ISBN-13: 978-1573443029 Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #364,729 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

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Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
pink ghetto, period porn, sexuality studies

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
United States, New York, Lexington Steele, Jolene Mullins, Long Island, Jake Steed, Jane Fowler, Jamey Gurman, Eighth Avenue, San Francisco, Erica Jong, Tom Liberti, Debra Lafave, North Carolina, New Jersey, Jamie Gillis, Harry Benjamin

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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

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Customer Reviews

8 Reviews 5 star:  (6) 4 star:  (1) 3 star:  (1) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 4.6 out of 5 stars (8 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 9 of 10 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Unexpected Aspects of Sex, February 22, 2008 By  R. Hardy "Rob Hardy" (Columbus, Mississippi USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)    "If I had my way," says a professor in the Human Sexuality Department at San Francisco State University, "sexuality studies would take over the entire university, because everything relates to sexuality." You might accuse her of special pleading coming from a particular professional viewpoint, but she is quoted within the book _Best Sex Writing 2008_ (Cleis Press), edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel. Bussel says in the introduction that the 21 chapters included here, all by different authors on different subjects, "... taken as a whole, give a broader view of sex than you've likely ever considered, dealing as they do with biology, gender, crime, politics, the environment, health, religion, race, and much more." Indeed, everything relates to sex! Be warned that this is a collection of sex reporting and essays; it may have an erotic black-and-white photo on the front involving high heels and a thong, but these aren't bawdy stories, and unless you have a sexual kink for expressive and well-written reportage, you will find little titillation here. What you will find is plenty to think about, and if some of your fun in sexual issues is thinking deeply about them, this will be a very satisfying book for you. Some of the reports here made me extremely uncomfortable. Take "Battle of the Sexless" by Ashlea Halpern. It starts with a description of how much blood a fellow lost the first time he tried to castrate himself. The first time. Further discomfort can be found in Kevin Keck's "Double Your Panic", wherein he describes how karma has returned for his adolescent fantasies of sexual liaisons with identical twins: his wife is now expecting twins. In "Dangerous Dildos", Tristan Taormino investigates the problem of the toxins called phthalates, often found in soft plastics, but banned from kids' toys or dogs' toys, not adults' toys. Trixie Fontaine in "Menstruation: Porn's Last Taboo" tells the difficulties of breaking boundaries by including menstrual blood in her on-line shows ("I'm just going to keep on offending in whatever ways sound like fun.") All is not darkness and fretting. Rachel Shukert has a funny chapter, "Big Mouth Strikes Again: An Oral Report", about society's view of the oral skills of Jewish women. Kelly Rouba in "Tough Love" reports good news for handicapped people who are interested in sex; a spinal injury doctor says, "There's always a way around the disability," and rehab centers are counting sexual needs as important. Especially remarkable is the chapter "Sex in Iran" by Pari Esfandiari and Richard Buskin, which has to do with fallout from a notorious celebrity sex tape released into that fundamentalist society. Non-procreative sex and the man's need to satisfy his sex drive are acknowledged by Islam, but the film shows a woman obviously enjoying herself. It has changed minds, has hit the governmental status quo, and has broken Iranian film profit records. Readers who look for good articles on sexual topics may recall some of these, as most are reprints from newspapers, magazines, or websites. It is a stimulating collection, however, with evaluations of unexpected aspects of sexuality that are surprising, shocking, and funny. 4 of 4 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Well-written, fascinating subject matter - Two Thumbs Up!, February 10, 2008 By  Kris Madison - See all my reviews I thoroughly enjoyed Rachel Kramer Bussel's collection of essays and other works that make up 2008's Best Sex Writing anthology, though it wasn't quite what I was expecting. With cover artwork displaying a black stiletto heel hooked around a thong pulled from a taut derriere, I was thinking Best Sex Writing 2008 would be more Penthouse Letters, only less...retarded. The subject matter is certainly diverse, running the gamut from the sexual appeal of twins to the behind closed (and veiled) door sex parties of Iranian youth to the politics of porn's messiest taboo, menstruation porn. While the writing is probing and stimulates my favorite sex organ, the brain, masturbation fodder this ain't. What you get instead is a well-researched, albeit brief, peek into a fascinating array of topics that your average sex book tends to ignore. I've worked in the sex industry for the past 5 years and consider myself pretty well-educated when it comes to sexuality. It was exciting to find myself voraciously reading with the joy of discovering something new. This book is an education in all walks of sexual life and left me wanting to research several topics further. Castration that doesn't involve gender reassignment? Hiring a professional submissive? As Rachel Kramer Bussel hoped for in the introduction, Best Sex Writing 2008 definitely succeeded in leaving me wanting more. 4 of 4 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars High-quality journalism on fascinating topics, January 26, 2008 By  D. F. Mudie (Auckland, New Zealand) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    Rachel Kramer Bussel has done an excellent job of bringing together articles that fall into the broad catergory of 'sex writing'. Covering such diverse topics as circumcision, phthalates in sex-toys, eunuchs, sexual stereotyping, celebrity sex scandals, and pay for sexual services, all 21 articles provide fascinating insights, and un-put-downable reading. The variety of articles provided in 'Best Sex Writing 2008' showcase a wide range of experiences and perceptions when it comes to sex - not only in America, but around the world. Touching on gender, race and religious issues along with sexuality, there is something for readers from all walks of life, and from any sexual orientation. The writing within is all to a very high standard, and well edited. 'Best Sex Writing 2008' is a book that is relevant today, will be interesting in a decade, and still be an insighful look into our culture fifty years from now.		Most Recent Customer Reviews 3.0 out of 5 stars About Almost Everything Else... The problem with "Best Sex Writing 2008" is that so little of it is about, well, sex. Gael Greene's essay about her affair with '70s porn star Jamie Gillis is hot and funny and... Read more Published 16 months ago by Lohr E. Miller 5.0 out of 5 stars Seriously, read this book Best Sex Writing 2008 is full of essays that will make you think, laugh, flinch, scratch your head, and want to share with your friends. Read more Published 18 months ago by Amber L. Rhea 5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent -- and much needed -- anthology It's difficult to find good, smart writing about sex -- let alone an entire book of it. Rachel Kramer Bussel's anthology is smart, thoughtful, and entertaining -- a must read for... Read more Published 18 months ago by Lux Nightmare 5.0 out of 5 stars quite smart sex compendium, fantastic sexuality-based articles This book was nothing like I thought it was going to be! (I know, can't judge a book by its cover... Read more Published 18 months ago by o-gal 4.0 out of 5 stars A Smart Compendium For those of you who don't have RSS feeds of 100 blogs about sex and sexuality or dozens and dozens of magazine subscriptions, anthologies like this are a great way to catch up... Read more Published 18 months ago by Jackson West Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Cleis Press (November 28, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1573443026
• ISBN-13: 978-1573443029
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #364,729 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unexpected Aspects of Sex, February 22, 2008

By	R. Hardy "Rob Hardy" (Columbus, Mississippi USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

"If I had my way," says a professor in the Human Sexuality Department at San Francisco State University, "sexuality studies would take over the entire university, because everything relates to sexuality." You might accuse her of special pleading coming from a particular professional viewpoint, but she is quoted within the book _Best Sex Writing 2008_ (Cleis Press), edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel. Bussel says in the introduction that the 21 chapters included here, all by different authors on different subjects, "... taken as a whole, give a broader view of sex than you've likely ever considered, dealing as they do with biology, gender, crime, politics, the environment, health, religion, race, and much more." Indeed, everything relates to sex! Be warned that this is a collection of sex reporting and essays; it may have an erotic black-and-white photo on the front involving high heels and a thong, but these aren't bawdy stories, and unless you have a sexual kink for expressive and well-written reportage, you will find little titillation here. What you will find is plenty to think about, and if some of your fun in sexual issues is thinking deeply about them, this will be a very satisfying book for you.

Some of the reports here made me extremely uncomfortable. Take "Battle of the Sexless" by Ashlea Halpern. It starts with a description of how much blood a fellow lost the first time he tried to castrate himself. The first time. Further discomfort can be found in Kevin Keck's "Double Your Panic", wherein he describes how karma has returned for his adolescent fantasies of sexual liaisons with identical twins: his wife is now expecting twins. In "Dangerous Dildos", Tristan Taormino investigates the problem of the toxins called phthalates, often found in soft plastics, but banned from kids' toys or dogs' toys, not adults' toys. Trixie Fontaine in "Menstruation: Porn's Last Taboo" tells the difficulties of breaking boundaries by including menstrual blood in her on-line shows ("I'm just going to keep on offending in whatever ways sound like fun.") All is not darkness and fretting. Rachel Shukert has a funny chapter, "Big Mouth Strikes Again: An Oral Report", about society's view of the oral skills of Jewish women. Kelly Rouba in "Tough Love" reports good news for handicapped people who are interested in sex; a spinal injury doctor says, "There's always a way around the disability," and rehab centers are counting sexual needs as important. Especially remarkable is the chapter "Sex in Iran" by Pari Esfandiari and Richard Buskin, which has to do with fallout from a notorious celebrity sex tape released into that fundamentalist society. Non-procreative sex and the man's need to satisfy his sex drive are acknowledged by Islam, but the film shows a woman obviously enjoying herself. It has changed minds, has hit the governmental status quo, and has broken Iranian film profit records.

Readers who look for good articles on sexual topics may recall some of these, as most are reprints from newspapers, magazines, or websites. It is a stimulating collection, however, with evaluations of unexpected aspects of sexuality that are surprising, shocking, and funny.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well-written, fascinating subject matter - Two Thumbs Up!, February 10, 2008

By	Kris Madison - See all my reviews

I thoroughly enjoyed Rachel Kramer Bussel's collection of essays and other works that make up 2008's Best Sex Writing anthology, though it wasn't quite what I was expecting. With cover artwork displaying a black stiletto heel hooked around a thong pulled from a taut derriere, I was thinking Best Sex Writing 2008 would be more Penthouse Letters, only less...retarded.

The subject matter is certainly diverse, running the gamut from the sexual appeal of twins to the behind closed (and veiled) door sex parties of Iranian youth to the politics of porn's messiest taboo, menstruation porn. While the writing is probing and stimulates my favorite sex organ, the brain, masturbation fodder this ain't. What you get instead is a well-researched, albeit brief, peek into a fascinating array of topics that your average sex book tends to ignore.

I've worked in the sex industry for the past 5 years and consider myself pretty well-educated when it comes to sexuality. It was exciting to find myself voraciously reading with the joy of discovering something new. This book is an education in all walks of sexual life and left me wanting to research several topics further. Castration that doesn't involve gender reassignment? Hiring a professional submissive? As Rachel Kramer Bussel hoped for in the introduction, Best Sex Writing 2008 definitely succeeded in leaving me wanting more.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars High-quality journalism on fascinating topics, January 26, 2008

By	D. F. Mudie (Auckland, New Zealand) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Rachel Kramer Bussel has done an excellent job of bringing together articles that fall into the broad catergory of 'sex writing'. Covering such diverse topics as circumcision, phthalates in sex-toys, eunuchs, sexual stereotyping, celebrity sex scandals, and pay for sexual services, all 21 articles provide fascinating insights, and un-put-downable reading.

The variety of articles provided in 'Best Sex Writing 2008' showcase a wide range of experiences and perceptions when it comes to sex - not only in America, but around the world. Touching on gender, race and religious issues along with sexuality, there is something for readers from all walks of life, and from any sexual orientation.

The writing within is all to a very high standard, and well edited. 'Best Sex Writing 2008' is a book that is relevant today, will be interesting in a decade, and still be an insighful look into our culture fifty years from now.