100 Best Human Sexuality Books of All Time

We've researched and ranked the best human sexuality books in the world, based on recommendations from world experts, sales data, and millions of reader ratings. Learn more

Featuring recommendations from Barack Obama, Reese Witherspoon, Bill Gates, and 51 other experts.
1

Sex at Dawn

The Prehistoric Origins of Modern Sexuality

Sex at Dawn challenges conventional wisdom about sex in a big way. By examining the prehistoric origins of human sexual behavior the authors are able to expose the fallacies and weaknesses of standard theories proposed by most experts. This is a provocative, entertaining, and pioneering book. I learned a lot from it and recommend it highly.” — Andrew Weil, M.D.

 “Sex at Dawn irrefutably shows that what is obvious—that human beings, both male and female, are lustful—is true, and has always been so…. The more dubious its evidentiary basis and lack of connection...
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Noah KaganA few months ago, I was drinking a Noah’s Mill whiskey (cute) with my good buddy Brian Balfour and talking about life... During the conversation, we got on the topic of books that changed our lives. I want to share them with you. I judge a book's success if a year later I'm still using at least 1 thing from the book. (Source)

Esther Perel[Esther Perel recommended this book as an answer to "What are some [resources] for couples who want to explore having a more “monogamish” relationship?"] (Source)

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2
Esther Perel takes on tough questions, grappling with the obstacles and anxieties that arise when our quest for secure love conflicts with our pursuit of passion. She invites us to explore the paradoxical union of domesticity and sexual desire, and explains what it takes to bring lust home.

In her 20 years of clinical experience, Perel has treated hundreds of couples whose home lives are empty of passion. They describe relationships that are open and loving, yet sexually dull. What is going on?

In this explosively original book, Perel explains that our cultural penchant...
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Recommended by Dan Engle, and 1 others.

Dan EngleSuch a good book about just deconstructing the whole idea of success in relationships. (Source)

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3
An essential exploration of why and how women’s sexuality works—based on groundbreaking research and brain science—that will radically transform your sex life into one filled with confidence and joy.

Researchers have spent the last decade trying to develop a “pink pill” for women to function like Viagra does for men. So where is it? Well, for reasons this book makes crystal clear, that pill will never exist—but as a result of the research that’s gone into it, scientists in the last few years have learned more about how women’s sexuality works than we ever thought possible, and...
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Recommended by Susan Quilliam, and 1 others.

Susan QuilliamIt’s one of the best books ever written, in my view, for guiding women in particular through the minefield of their sexuality in today’s world. (Source)

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4
The Ethical Slut is credited with raising awareness of the possibility of consensual non-monogamy as a lifestyle, and providing practical guidance on how such long-term relationships work and are put into practice.

The Ethical Slut discusses how to live an active life with multiple concurrent sexual relationships in a fair and honest way. Discussion topics include how to deal with the practical difficulties and opportunities in finding and keeping partners, maintaining relationships with others, and strategies for personal growth.

It contains chapters...
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5
Referring to Lewis Carroll's Red Queen from Through the Looking-Glass, a character who has to keep running to stay in the same place, Matt Ridley demonstrates why sex is humanity's best strategy for outwitting its constantly mutating internal predators. The Red Queen answers dozens of other riddles of human nature and culture -- including why men propose marriage, the method behind our maddening notions of beauty, and the disquieting fact that a woman is more likely to conceive a child by an adulterous lover than by her husband. Brilliantly written, The Red... more

Naval RavikantGetting into the more evolution, science kind of books, I really highly, highly recommend picking up [...] The Red Queen. (Source)

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6
In Bonk, the best-selling author of Stiff turns her outrageous curiosity and insight on the most alluring scientific subject of all: sex. Can a person think herself to orgasm? Why doesn't Viagra help women-or, for that matter, pandas? Can a dead man get an erection? Is vaginal orgasm a myth? Mary Roach shows us how and why sexual arousal and orgasm-two of the most complex, delightful, and amazing scientific phenomena on earth-can be so hard to achieve and what science is doing to make the bedroom a more satisfying place. less

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7

Middlesex

"I was born twice: first, as a baby girl, on a remarkably smogless Detroit day of January 1960; and then again, as a teenage boy, in an emergency room near Petoskey, Michigan, in August of l974. . . My birth certificate lists my name as Calliope Helen Stephanides. My most recent driver's license...records my first name simply as Cal."

So begins the breathtaking story of Calliope Stephanides and three generations of the Greek-American Stephanides family who travel from a tiny village overlooking Mount Olympus in Asia Minor to Prohibition-era Detroit, witnessing its glory days...
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Recommended by Lisa Feldman Barrett, Alex Stojkovic, and 2 others.

Lisa Feldman BarrettEugenides does a really nice job of illustrating the complexity of emotional life, the emotional life that doesn’t necessarily fall into neat categories. (Source)

Alex StojkovicI don’t. But I would. Books love to be used up. (Related: Middlesex is the best book I read in 2019. If you’re look… (Source)

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8
Ian Kerner offers a radical new philosophy for pleasuring women in She Comes First—an essential guidebook to oral sex from the author of Be Honest—You’re Not That Into Him Either. The New York Times praises Kerner’s “cool sense of humor and an obsessive desire to inform,” as he “encourages men through an act that many find mystifying.” An indispensable aid to a healthier, more fulfilling sex life for her and him, She Comes First offers techniques and philosophy that have already earned raves from the likes of bestselling author and Loveline... more

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10
Relationship expert and bestselling author Tristan Taormino offers a bold new strategy for creating loving, lasting relationships. Drawing on in-depth interviews with over a hundred women and men, Opening Up explores the real-life benefits and challenges of all styles of open relationships -- from partnered non-monogamy to solo polyamory. With her refreshingly down-to-earth style and sharp wit, Taormino offers solutions for making an open relationship work, including tips on dealing with jealousy, negotiating boundaries, finding community, parenting and time management. Opening... more

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Don't have time to read the top Human Sexuality books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

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  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
11

Three Women

Journalist Taddeo reports on the risks women take to fulfill their sexual desires. The result of eight years and thousands of hours of interviews, the book describes how each of her three subjects is undone by an intimate relationship that eventually damaged her.

Maggie, a troubled 23-year-old in Fargo, N.Dak., recalls how her high school English teacher seduced her at 17 after learning she'd slept with a man twice her age. When he's named statewide teacher of the year five years later, she reports their affair to the police; townspeople quickly label her "a freaky slut."
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Gwyneth PaltrowI literally could not put it down. An unflinching dissection of female desire so poetically described, I forgot it was nonfiction. Lisa Taddeo makes a gorgeous, unabashed debut. Wow. (Source)

Elizabeth GilbertI can’t remember the last time a book affected me as profoundly as Three Women. Lisa Taddeo is a tireless reporter, a brilliant writer, and a storyteller possessed of almost supernatural humanity. As far as I’m concerned, this is a nonfiction literary masterpiece at the same level as In Cold Blood—and just as suspenseful, bone-chilling, and harrowing, in its own way. I know already that I will... (Source)

Esther PerelThree Women offers a fascinating excavation of the intricacies of love and desire, where they conspire and where they conflict. Read this book. You will forever rethink the erotics of women. (Source)

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12
When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too—but on his own terms.
 
Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success—his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his...
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Recommended by Aubrey Marcus, and 1 others.

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13
What is a retrograde?  

A retrograde calculates, night and day, how to return the world to:
 the Old Order of moral and sexual decency,
classical masculinity,
national sovereignty and national borders,
faith and hope and charity,
goodness and beauty and truth,
Christian civic liberty, 
and most importantly, the social kingship of Christ. 
 
In the words of Shakespeare, a retrograde is one of God’s spies.
 
The retrograde has the unique capacity for understanding the stark chasm between the degenerate,...
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14

Tipping the Velvet

Nan King, an oyster girl, is captivated by the music hall phenomenon Kitty Butler, a male impersonator extraordinaire treading the boards in Canterbury. Through a friend at the box office, Nan manages to visit all her shows and finally meet her heroine. Soon after, she becomes Kitty's dresser and the two head for the bright lights of Leicester Square where they begin a glittering career as music-hall stars in an all-singing and dancing double act. At the same time, behind closed doors, they admit their attraction to each other and their affair begins. less
Recommended by Vanora Bennett, and 1 others.

Vanora BennettIt is. It’s about a girl named Nan who goes off to the Pantomime Theatre, which is on the South Coast of England, and sees a girl named Kitty, who is a male impersonator, on the stage and falls in love with her. You’re not sure if it’s a sexual love or a girlish crush but she does go off to London with her and it does turn into a love affair. They begin living together but it becomes complicated... (Source)

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15
Challenging accepted theories about what makes for terrific sex, The Erotic Mind is a breakthrough exploration of the least understood dimensions of human sexuality—the psychology of desire, arousal, and fulfillment. Nationally known sex therapist Dr. Jack Morin offers a bold new perspective that celebrates the joys of Eros without denying its risks.

Based on an in-depth analysis of over 1,000 provocative stories of peak sexual experiences, The Erotic Mind offers clear, accessible guidance on how anyone can utilize his or her own peak encounters and fantasies as...
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Recommended by Esther Perel, and 1 others.

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16

The Joy of Sex

An international bestseller since it was first published in 1972, this updated edition brings this imaginative, uninhibited guide to lovemaking and sex to a whole new generation. It has been revised in such a way to retain Dr Comfort's original, revelatory advice while making it appropriate for the 21st century. less

Tyler CowenHonorable mentions: Jonathan Livingston Seagull, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, and The Joy of Sex, all given to me by my mother. I believe they helped inculcate some of the 1960s-70s ethos of individual freedom into my thinking. (Source)

Kate FigesIt seems so innocent really now, all those daring explanations of S and M and positions, but it was before Aids and people were so optimistic. It was as though we’d discovered sex and free love. (Source)

Susan QuilliamThis was a seminal book. It not only reflected but created the sexual revolution. Even now, people who haven’t read it know what it’s about. (Source)

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17
“As a sex writer, Jesse Bering is fearless—and peerless.” Dan Savage

“You are a sexual deviant. A pervert, through and through.” We may not want to admit it, but as the award-winning columnist and psychologist Jesse Bering reveals in Perv, there is a spectrum of perversion along which we all sit. Whether it’s voyeurism, exhibitionism, or your run-of-the-mill foot fetish, we all possess a suite of sexual tastes as unique as our fingerprints—and as secret as the rest of the skeletons we’ve hidden in our closets.

Combining cutting-edge studies...
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18
A breathtaking exploration of the lives of young black women in the early twentieth century.

In Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments, Saidiya Hartman examines the revolution of black intimate life that unfolded in Philadelphia and New York at the beginning of the twentieth century. Free love, common-law and transient marriages, serial partners, cohabitation outside of wedlock, queer relations, and single motherhood were among the sweeping changes that altered the character of everyday life and challenged traditional Victorian beliefs about courtship, love, and...
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19

A Curious History of Sex

This is not a comprehensive study of every sexual quirk, kink and ritual across all cultures throughout time, as that would entail writing an encyclopaedia. Rather, this is a drop in the ocean, a paddle in the shallow end of sex history, but I hope you will get pleasantly wet nonetheless.

The act of sex has not changed since people first worked out what went where, but the ways in which society dictates how sex is culturally understood and performed have varied significantly through the ages. Humans are the only creatures that stigmatise particular sexual practices, and sex remains...
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Recommended by Sarah Parcak, and 1 others.

Sarah ParcakYou MUST order this book. I have learned and continue to learn so much from Dr Lister...and she makes scrolling a risky activity as you *never* know what content you’ll get on WoY 😲😳 https://t.co/PI6FecL24E (Source)

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20
From the expert team behind IT'S PERFECTLY NORMAL and IT'S SO AMAZING! comes a book for younger children about their bodies — a resource that parents, teachers, librarians, health care providers, and clergy can use with ease and confidence.

Young children are curious about almost everything, especially their bodies. And young children are not afraid to ask questions. What makes me a girl? What makes me a boy? Why are some parts of girls' and boys' bodies the same and why are some parts different? How was I made? Where do babies come from? Is it true that a stork brings...
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Don't have time to read the top Human Sexuality books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

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  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
21
Screw the Roses, Send Me the Thorns will tell you all about sadomasochism. We made it light-hearted and fun to read because SM is fun to do. That's why we do it. But fun is only SM's overture; for those who grasp its message, SM is sexual magic. The right blend of trust, fantasy, and sensuality creates an intensely erotic and deeply intimate stew. We take away our lovers' freedom and lead them to profound liberty. We peer into the dark together, transforming it to light. In these pages you will find clear explanations for the curious, and solid advice, safety measures and steamy... more

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22
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

A Time Top 10 Book of the Year  •  A San Francisco Chronicle Book of the Year

The author of the New York Times bestseller Cinderella Ate My Daughter offers a clear-eyed picture of the new sexual landscape girls face in the post-princess stage—high school through college—and reveals how they are negotiating it.

A...
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23
Practicing health educators, students, and other professionals who work with teens and young adults will discover arich selection of activities and lessons. This authoritative guide is based on the most current version of the National Health Education Standards' new National Sexuality Education Standards, and Sex Information and Education Council of the United States guidelines. It provides educators with teacher-friendly interactive activities that engage students' thinking and decision making skills in and out of the classroom. The book covers a broad range of issues related to human... more

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24

Guide to Getting It On!

This guide replaces taboos with techniques and provides safe, practical advice for improving your sexual relationships. It all comes down to communication and this is one book that has no problem with telling it how it is. less

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25
"An outstanding book. . . . Meets the needs of those in-between or curious kids who are not ready, developmentally or emotionally, for It’s Perfectly Normal."Booklist (starred review)

How does a baby begin? What makes a baby male or female? How is a baby born? Children have plenty of questions about reproduction and babies—and about sex and sexuality, too. It’s So Amazing! provides the answers—with fun, accurate, comic-book-style artwork and a clear, lively text that reflects the interests of children age seven and up in how things work, while...
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26
Whether enemy or ally, demon or god, the penis is much more than a body part. Here, in an enlightening and entertaining cultural study, is a book that puts into context the central role of the penis within Western civilization. Deified by ancient pagan cultures and demonized by the early Roman church, the penis was later secularized by pioneering anatomists such as Leonardo da Vinci. After being measured 'scientifically' in an effort to subjugate some races while elevating others, the organ was psychoanalysed by Sigmund Freud. Now, after being politicized by feminism and exploited in... more

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27

44 Chapters About 4 Men

NETFLIX NEWS! The 44 CHAPTERS ABOUT 4 MEN series is being adapted into a steamy Netflix dramedy series called SEX/LIFE, coming soon!

Now a Top 100 Amazon Bestseller and winner of the After Dark Book Lovers Shortie Award for Best Debut of 2016.

School psychologists aren’t supposed to write books about sex. Doing so would be considered “unethical” and “a fireable offense.” Lucky for you, ethics was never my strong suit.

After spending years trying to spice up my sex life, I gave up and took to my journal. Perhaps my gorgeous, cold, number crunching husband...
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28

Handbook of Gender and Sexuality in Psychological Assessment

Handbook of Gender and Sexuality in Psychological Assessment brings together two interrelated realms: psychological assessment with gender and sexuality. This handbook aids in expanding the psychological assessors' knowledge and skill when considering how gender and sexuality shapes the client's and the assessor's experiences. Throughout the six sections, gender and sexuality are discussed in their relation to different psychological methods of assessment; various psychological disorders; special considerations for children, adolescents, and older adults; important training and... more

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29

Human Sexuality (Paper)

ALERT: Before you purchase, check with your instructor or review your course syllabus to ensure that youselect the correct ISBN. Several versions of Pearson's MyLab & Mastering products exist for each title, including customized versions for individual schools, and registrations are not transferable. In addition, you may need a CourseID, provided by your instructor, to register for and use Pearson's MyLab & Mastering products. Packages Access codes for Pearson's MyLab & Mastering products may not be included when purchasing or renting from companies other than Pearson; check with... more

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30

The New Topping Book

Tens of thousands learned the emotional and ethical skills of BDSM topping from the first `Topping Book.` Now, in addition to the sage advice and good humor that made the first edition a classic, the authors tackle some of the issues that have come up for tops in the last six years: on-line domination, the challenges and rewards of `lifestyle` relationships, ensuring our own and our partners` safety, and more. less

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Don't have time to read the top Human Sexuality books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
31
The definitive book about puberty and sexual health for today’s kids and teens, now fully updated for its twentieth anniversary.

For two decades, this universally acclaimed book on sexuality has been the most trusted and accessible resource for kids, parents, teachers, librarians, and anyone else who cares about the well-being of tweens and teens. Now, in honor of its anniversary, It’s Perfectly Normal has been updated with information on subjects such as safe and savvy Internet use, gender identity, emergency contraception, and more. Providing accurate and...
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32
Call it what you like - bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, sadomasochism. More and more people are experimenting with this exciting , consensual form of erotic play. SM 101 is your basic guidebook to safe rewarding SM. This book includes: finding partners, negotiating the scene you want, bondage techniques, spanking and whipping, erotic torture, role playing, related practices, physical and emotional safety. Must read book. less

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33

Sex in History

SEX IN HISTORY chronicles the pleasures- and perils- of the flesh from the time of mankind's distant ancestors to the modern day; from a sexual act which was bried, crude and purposeful, to the myriad varieties of contemporary sexual mores. Reay Tannahill's scholarly, yet accessible study ranges from the earliest form of contraception (one Egyptian concoction included crocodile dung) to some latter- day misconceptions about it- like the men who joined their lovers in taking the pill 'just to be on the safe side.' It surveys all manner of sexual practice, preference and position (the acrobatic... more

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34

Discovering Human Sexuality, Fourth Edition

An evidence-based, accessible introduction to the study of sexuality and the diverse ways in which it brings joys and challenges to our lives. Now in its fourth edition, Discovering Human Sexuality has established itself as a popular and widely praised text that respects diversity both in the sexual world and among the students who read it. The backgrounds of the authors--in biology, sociology, teaching, and writing--have made possible a text that is multidisciplinary, authoritative, sex-positive, and a delight to read.

The scope of Discovering Human Sexuality...
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35
The issues that make monogamous dating daunting for people of color—shaming and exclusion by white partners, being fetishized, having realities of everyday racism ignored—occur in polyamorous relationships too, and trying “not to see race” only makes it worse. To make polyamorous communities inclusive, we must all acknowledge our part in perpetuating racism and listen to people of color. Love's Not Color Blind puts forward the framework—through research, anecdotal testimony, and analogy—for understanding, identifying, and confronting racism within polyamorous communities. less

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36
"Slut" is a great word. It just sounds perfect-so sharp and clear and beautiful. It's one of those satisfying four letter words, like cunt and fuck. Slut also happens to be an anagram for lust, which is one of those divine coincidences that makes you wonder if God actually exists.

We're lucky that slut is such a great word, because it's safe to say that almost every woman will be called a slut at least once in her lifetime. Despite a slowly shifting sexual double standard, it's still taboo to be a woman who's openly sexual-let alone one who sleeps around. Now Vogue columnist...
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37
Meet Olive. Olive is your average New York City gal who hasn’t had sex in 5 years, 1 month, 3 days . . . and counting. Despite some decent dates over the years and even a boyfriend or two, when she finds herself in the middle of a bona fide sex rut, she knows it's time to take action. Challenged by a friend to "say yes" to experiences that she might normally shy away from, Olive embarks on a series of adventures to jumpstart her love life.

From BDSM classes, orgasmic meditation sessions, and "furry" parties to platonic tickling, interviews with porn stars, and lessons from a...
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Recommended by Becky Berardi, and 1 others.

Becky BerardiCalling all FOOT lovers & avid readers! Our #BadAssBabe & talented author Olive Persimmon just released her 2nd book yesterday & it even FEETures a chapter about me!! Be sure to give it a read :) https://t.co/Sumc8ybRjz https://t.co/Ib99fV8O2j #footfetish #feet #books #author https://t.co/HMti8RROp0 (Source)

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38
In this groundbreaking new look at rape edited by writer and activist Jaclyn Friedman and Full Frontal Feminism and He’s A Stud, She’s A Slut author Jessica Valenti, the way we view rape in our culture is finally dismantled and replaced with a genuine understanding and respect for female sexual pleasure. Feminist, political, and activist writers alike will present their ideas for a paradigm shift from the “No Means No” model—an approach that while necessary for where we were in 1974, needs an overhaul today.

Yes Means Yes will bring to the table a dazzling...
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39
Winner of the 2013 AASECT Professional Book Award!

New Directions in Sex Therapy: Innovations and Alternatives focuses on cutting-edge, therapy paradigms as alternatives to conventional clinical strategies. With each passing year, the treatment of sexual problems seems to emphasize more medical and pharmacological interventions. There is correspondingly less interest in the experiences of the individuals or couples involved. This book expands the definition of our field.

Part I highlights the major problems and criticisms facing sex therapy and...
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40

The New Male Sexuality

The New Male Sexuality addresses the most urgent questions of men today--and of the women who love them.  Bernie Zilbergeld reports findings from his twenty years as a psychologist specializing in human sexuality, as well as those other experts in the field, and shares his own and his clients' experiences.  the result is the most comprehensive guide ever to enhancing desire and arousal, focusing on pleasure rather than performance, and keeping sex exciting and fulfilling.

Clear, comprehensive, witty, and refreshingly realistic, The New Male Sexuality is destined to be...
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Don't have time to read the top Human Sexuality books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

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  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
41
Like the typewriter and the light bulb, the heterosexual was invented in the 1860s and swiftly transformed Western culture. The idea of “the heterosexual” was unprecedented. After all, men and women had been having sex, marrying, building families, and sometimes even falling in love for millennia without having any special name for their emotions or acts. Yet, within half a century, “heterosexual” had become a byword for “normal,” enshrined in law, medicine, psychiatry, and the media as a new gold standard for human experience. With an eclectic scope and fascinating detail, Straight... more

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42

Story of O (Story of O #1)

The Story of O relates the progressive willful debasement of a young and beautiful Parisian fashion photographer, O, who wants nothing more than to be a slave to her lover, René. The test is severe—sexual in method, psychological in substance… The artistic interest here has precisely to do with the use not only of erotic materials but also erotic methods, the deliberate stimulation of the reader as a part of and means to a total, authentic literary experience.

—Eliot Fremont-Smith, The New York Times
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43

Beauty, Order, and Mystery

A Christian Vision of Human Sexuality

Humans are sexual creatures.

Our sexuality can be a beautiful and mysterious expression of what it means to be human. But it can also become distorted and sinful.

Perhaps no issue is as urgent for the church today, or confronts it with as many questions, as human sexuality: What does it mean to fulfill God’s will through our sexuality? To what extent should our sexuality define who we are? How can we navigate cultural trends around sexuality while being faithful to Scripture?

The Center for Pastor Theologians (CPT) seeks to assist pastors in the study and...
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44
Two maverick neuroscientists use the world's largest psychology experiment-the Internet-to study the private activities of millions of men and women around the world, unveiling a revolutionary and shocking new vision of human desire that overturns conventional thinking.

For his groundbreaking sexual research, Alfred Kinsey and his team interviewed 18,000 people, relying on them to honestly report their most intimate experiences. Using the Internet, the neuroscientists Ogas and Gaddam quietly observed the raw sexual behaviors of half a billion people. By combining...
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Recommended by Elad Yom-Tov, and 1 others.

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45
A personal and culture-driven exploration of the most pressing questions facing the transgender community today, from a leading activist, musician, and academic
In Trans Like Me, CN Lester takes readers on a measured, thoughtful, intelligent yet approachable tour through the most important and high-profile narratives around the trans community, turning them inside out and examining where we really are in terms of progress. From the impact of the media's wording in covering trans people and issues, to the way parenting gender variant children is portrayed, Lester brings...
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46

Human Sexuality

From Cells to Society

Using humor and a contemporary voice, HUMAN SEXUALITY FROM CELLS TO SOCIETY, 1E engages readers to acquire a greater knowledge of their bodies, their values, and their relationships with others. This concise, comprehensive, and up-to-date book emphasizes critical thinking--in both human sexuality research as well as readers' own sexual lives--and is geared to help readers understand the diverse foundations of sexuality, as well as provide skills to evaluate current research and data. Working from a multidisciplinary perspective, the author's approach is accessible to anyone, even without a... more

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47
Are You a Dirty, Nasty Slut? Or a Sexually Repressed Nightmare?

Regardless of your background or bedroom resume, someone or something has probably made you feel that way at some point. This was what Corinne Fisher and Krystyna Hutchinson discovered when they created the wildly popular Guys We Fucked: The Anti Slut-Shaming Podcast. What started as an outlet to interview—

You guessed it!—guys they'd fucked, quickly evolved into an enormous community of Fuckers around the world, and a place to share stories of kinks gone wild, trauma, assault, and the...
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49
Figuring out how to build and maintain healthy relationships - with your family, friends, romantically and with yourself - is a crucial part of being a teen. It's not easy though, particularly in a digital age where information and advice are so forthcoming it can be hard to know who or what to believe or trust. Porn is everywhere, sexting is the norm and messages about body image are highly mixed. Hannah combats this by tackling subjects ranging from masturbation and puberty to slut shaming and consent in an accessible, relatable and extremely honest way. She is unembarrassed about bringing... more

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50
Why did big-brained Homo sapiens suddenly emerge some 150,000 years ago? The key, according to Leonard Shlain, is female sexuality. Drawing on an awesome breadth of research, he shows how, long ago, the narrowness of the newly bipedal human female's pelvis and the increasing size of infants' heads precipitated a crisis for the species.

Natural selection allowed for the adaptation of the human female to this environmental stress by reconfiguring her hormonal cycles, entraining them with the periodicity of the moon. The results, however, did much more than ensure our...
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Don't have time to read the top Human Sexuality books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
51
Here is an intelligent and comprehensive guide to alternative to monogamy offering relationship advice that might change your ideas about sex, love, and relationships.

This practical guidebook will help women break free of the mold of traditional monogamy, without the constraints of jealousy, possessiveness, insecurity, and competition. The Smart Girl's Guide to Polyamory incorporates interviews and real-world advice from women of all ages in nontraditional relationships, as well as exercises for building self-awareness, confidence in communication, and strategies for...
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52
Witch, Slut, Feminist: these contested identities are informing millennial women as they counter a tortuous history of misogyny with empowerment. This innovative primer highlights sexual liberation as it traces the lineage of “witch feminism.” Juxtaposing scholarly research on the demonization of women and female sexuality that has continued since the witch hunts of the early modern era with pop occulture analyses and interviews with activists, artists, scholars, and practitioners of witchcraft, this book enriches our contemporary conversations about reproductive rights, sexual pleasure,... more

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53

The Psychology of Women and Gender

Half the Human Experience +

With clear, comprehensive, and cutting-edge coverage, The Psychology of Women and Gender: Half the Human Experience + delivers an authoritative analysis of classical and up-to-the-minute research from a feminist, psychological viewpoint. Authors Nicole M. Else-Quest and Janet Shibley Hyde examine the cultural and biological similarities and differences between genders, noting how they are often a result of inequality. The Ninth Edition emphasizes rigorous methodology and reviewing and evaluating empirical evidence, helping demystify the scientific process in... more

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54
Whether you're a trembling novice or a jaded expert, there's always something new to be discovered in the endlessly changing, complex and titillating world of kink. While there are plenty of other books out there that explain how to give a spanking or tie a half-hitch, Playing Well With Others is the first book that explains kink *culture* -- the munches, parties, leather bars, conferences, workshops, fetish nights, exploratoriums and all the other gatherings of kinksters that turn BDSM and leather from a bedroom predilection to a lifestyle and a community.

You'll learn...
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55
What causes a child to grow up gay or straight? In this book, neuroscientist Simon LeVay summarizes a wealth of scientific evidence that points to one inescapable conclusion: Sexual orientation results primarily from an interaction between genes, sex hormones, and the cells of the developing body and brain. LeVay helped create this field in 1991 with a much-publicized study in Science, where he reported on a difference in the brain structure between gay and straight men. Since then, an entire scientific discipline has sprung up around the quest for a biological explanation of sexual... more

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56
'Funny, kind, generous and smart - I could have done with the wisdom of Flo Perry far sooner' Dolly Alderton

We talk about feminism in the workplace and we talk about dating after #MeToo, but women's own patriarchal conditioning can be the hardest enemy to defeat. When it comes to our sex lives, few of us are free of niggling fears and body image insecurities. Rather than enjoying and exploring our bodies uninhibited, we worry about our bikini lines, bulging tummies and whether we're doing it 'right'.

Flo broaches everything from faking it to consent, stress to...
more
Recommended by Grayson Perry, and 1 others.

Grayson PerryEveryone has to go and buy this v funny and brilliant book by @FloPerry . I learnt a lot. Especially good for younger adults https://t.co/xI6qXQDS4M (Source)

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57
Since the publication of Sex Trafficking in 2007, Siddharth Kara has continued to travel across countries and continents, documenting the local factors and economic forces that support sexual slavery worldwide. His riveting encounters with victims and traffickers informed his screenplay for Trafficked (2016), now a major motion picture. The film features familiar figures from Sex Trafficking and the shocking conditions of their exploitation. It also includes cases Kara has uncovered since his book debuted.

This new paperback edition of Sex Trafficking...
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58
Stephen Baskerville's new work is essential to understanding the impact of the ideology of sex not only on the family and other social institutions, but also on government, the criminal justice system, and the global political environment. He goes behind slogans of left and right to examine the trends that media and scholars frequently ignore. less

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59
“I learned about the mechanics of female sexual pleasure in my sex ed class.”
“I am able to have a difficult conversation with my partner about our relationship.”
“I can boldly and openly carry a tampon to the restroom in public.”
“I am totally comfortable being naked in front of a new partner.”

If you disagree with any of these statements (or all of them), you are not alone. You are one of many, many women who are feeling the effects of “sexual madness.” According to Jennifer Gunsaullus, PhD, sociologist and sex coach, it is time for women to break free from the...
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60

Human Sexuality Today

"Examines how human sexuality impacts students' lives today" ""Human Sexuality Today Plus NEW MyPsychLab with eText - Access Card Package, 8/e""," "is an appealing, readable, and humanistic guide to human sexuality, with a sound balance between facts and understanding. Through the authors' conversational writing style, readers will gain insight into human sexuality, helping them feel comfortable about themselves and their own sexuality. MyDevelopmentLab is an integral part of the King program. Engaging activities and assessments provide a teaching and learning system that helps measure... more

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61
In royal courts bristling with testosterone—swashbuckling generals, polished courtiers, and virile cardinals—how did repressed regal ladies find happiness?

Anne Boleyn flirted with courtiers; Catherine Howard slept with one. Henry VIII had both of them beheaded.

Catherine the Great had her idiot husband murdered and ruled the Russian empire with a long list of sexy young favorites.

Marie Antoinette fell in love with the handsome Swedish count Axel Fersen, who tried valiantly to rescue her from the guillotine.

Princess Diana gave up her palace...
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62

Gender

Ideas, Interactions, Institutions

The new gold standard for sociology of gender courses less

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63
Hop on the express train to sexual enlightenment with sex educator and self-avowed whore Dr. Carol Queen. Whether writing about the joys of being spanked into erotic bliss, performing in a red-light district peep show, partaking of the pleasures of the new safe sex clubs, or lobbying for the pro-pornography platform, Queen is an enthusiastic advocate for sexual pleasure. less

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64
If you think sexual and spiritual bliss can't be found in today's fast-paced world, you haven't experienced Urban Tantra. Celebrating the 10th anniversary of Urban Tantra, acclaimed sex educator Barbara Carrellas radically updates the ancient practice of Tantra for modern sexual explorers desiring to discover new frontiers. With a juicy mix of erotic how-to and heart-centered spiritual wisdom, this updated edition includes a brand-new introduction, up-to-date references and resources, a new take on the possibilities and responsibilities of Tantra in today's world, plus new and... more

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65
For American parents, teenage sex is something to be feared and forbidden: most would never consider allowing their children to have sex at home, and sex is a frequent source of family conflict. In the Netherlands, where teenage pregnancies are far less frequent than in the United States, parents aim above all for family cohesiveness, often permitting young couples to sleep together and providing them with contraceptives. Drawing on extensive interviews with parents and teens, Not Under My Roof offers an unprecedented, intimate account of the different ways that girls and boys in both... more

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66
Until yesterday, no society had seen marriage as anything other than a conjugal partnership: a male-female union. What Is Marriage? identifies and defends the reasons for this historic consensus and shows why redefining civil marriage is unnecessary, unreasonable, and contrary to the common good.

Originally published in the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy, this book’s core argument quickly became the year’s most widely read essay on the most prominent scholarly network in the social sciences. Since then, it has been cited and debated by scholars and activists...
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67
A parenting expert reveals the four biggest threats to girls' psychological growth and explains how parents can help their daughters develop a healthy sense of self.

In Girls on the Edge, psychologist and physician Leonard Sax argues that many girls today have a brittle sense of self-they may look confident and strong on the outside, but they're fragile within. Sax offers the tools we need to help them become independent and confident women, and provides parents with practical tips on everything from helping their daughter limit her time on social media, to choosing a...
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68

The Inner Circle

»Hör mal, ich wollte dich fragen, ob du dich vielleicht mit mir verloben möchtest... Du weißt schon, für diesen Kurs.«Es ist das Jahr 1939, und auf dem Campus der Universität Indiana ist eine Revolution ausgebrochen. Alfred Kinsey, ursprünglich Zoologe, beschäftigt sich mit dem Sexualverhalten von Männern und Frauen - und das rein empirisch. Unter dem harmlos klingenden Titel »Ehe und Familie« gibt er Aufklärungskurse, die durch die Präsentation von drastischen Dias Furore machen.John Milk, ein junger, ehrgeiziger, aber in sexuellen Dingen völlig unbedarfter Student, lernt Kinsey persönlich... more

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69
The Ultimate Guide to Sex and Disability is a long-overdue self-help sex guide for the millions of people living with disabilities and chronic pain and illness. For sufferers of ailments from chronic fatigue syndrome and spinal cord injury to multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, and others, the book provides encouragement, support, and expert information on sex positions, orgasm, and sex toys. It also features illustrations, a resource guide with hundreds of books, websites, and organizations. less

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70

The New Bottoming Book

Almost a decade ago, the first Bottoming Book taught tens of thousands of people that bottoming - being a submissive, masochist, slave, 'boy' or 'girl, ' or other BDSM recipient -- is as much an art as topping. Since then, the growing popularity of BDSM, and the blossoming of the Internet as a source of information and connection, have created a whole new universe of possibilities for players. Now, the completely updated revised New Bottoming Book gives even more insights and ideas, updated for a new millennium, about how to be a successful, popular bottom! less

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72
Taken from the original, uncensored journals of Anaïs Nin, Henry and June spans a single year in Nin's life when she discovers love and torment in one insatiable couple. From late 1931 to the end of 1932, Nin falls in love with Henry Miller's writing and his wife June's striking beauty. When June leaves Paris for New York, Henry and Anaïs begin a fiery affair that liberates her sexually and morally, but also undermines her marriage and eventually leads her into psychoanalysis. As she grapples with her own conscience, a single question dominates her thoughts: What will happen when June... more

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73
In the newest edition of this classic text, veteran authors Barry and Emily McCarthy explain how desire, pleasure, and satisfaction can enrich your relationship. As the premier book on the subject, Sexual Awareness focuses on factors that promote and subvert healthy couple sexuality. Reading this book and partaking in the psychosocial skill exercises it contains will help couples learn how to value sexuality as a positive and satisfying part of their lives. Couples at any stage of their relationship will learn how to enhance sexual awareness, communication, feelings, and function. The result... more

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74
The Savvy Ally: A Guide for Becoming a Skilled LGBTQ+ Advocate is an enjoyable, humorous, encouraging, easy to understand guidebook for being an ally to the LGBTQ+ communities. It is chock full of practical and useful tools for LGBTQ+ advocacy, including: -Current and relevant information on identities and LGBTQ+ language -Tips for what to say and what not to say when someone comes out to you -LGBTQ+ etiquette and techniques for respectful conversations -Common bloopers to avoid -Tools for effectively navigating difficult conversations -Suggestions for addressing common questions and concerns... more

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76

Moregasm

Babeland's Guide to Mind-Blowing Sex

The founders of Babeland, the nation's most popular sex-toy boutique, offers a real-world guide to getting satisfied, with frank answers to frequently asked questions-and lots of sexy color photographs of attractive real people

When Babeland opened its doors in 1993 in Seattle, it filled the need for a "toy store" that made customers feel comfortable, and a non- threatening environment for asking intimate questions about sex. Fast- forward to the twenty-first century: taboos continue to fade, and Babeland has opened new stores coast to coast and online. Thousands of...
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77
An award-winning human sexuality expert and author of the blog Sex and Psychology offers an unprecedented look at sexual fantasy based on the most comprehensive study ever conducted.
What do Americans really want when it comes to sex? And is it possible for us to get what we want? Justin J. Lehmiller, one of the country's leading experts on human sexuality and author of the popular blog Sex and Psychology, has made it his career's ambition to answer these questions. He recently concluded the largest and most comprehensive scientific survey of Americans' sexual...
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78

Handbook of Sexuality-Related Measures

This classic and invaluable reference Handbook, written for sex researchers and their students, has now been completely revised in a new edition complete with its own companion website. It remains the only easy and efficient way for researchers to learn about, evaluate, and compare instruments that have previously been used in sex research.

In this third edition of the Handbook, 218 scales, complete with full descriptions and psychometric data, are made available, with additional information provided at the companion website for this volume.
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79
From ornately decorative to excruciatingly stringent, Japanese rope bondage is an art which has developed over centuries of martial and erotic practice. Now, accomplished Japanese-born pro-domme and bondage practitioner Midori shows step by step how to achieve beautiful and exciting Japanese bondage on a variety of genders and body types.Each chapter starts with a spectacular, tasteful full-color photo of the finished bondage pose -- harnesses, hogties, standing and bent-over poses, and more -- then goes back and explains with text and line art how each rope and knot is placed to achieve the... more

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80

Vagina

A New Biography

An astonishing work of cutting-edge science and cultural history that radically reframes how we understand the vagina—and consequently, how we understand women—from one of our most respected cultural critics and thinkers, Naomi Wolf, author of the modern classic The Beauty Myth.

When an unexpected medical crisis sends Naomi Wolf on a deeply personal journey to tease out the intersections between sexuality and creativity, she discovers, much to her own astonishment, an increasing body of scientific evidence that suggests that the vagina is not merely flesh, but an intrinsic...
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81
Why are humans one of the few species to have sex in private? Why are human females the only mammals to go through menopause? Why is the human penis so unnecessarily large? There is no more knowledgeable authority than the award-winning author of The Third Chimpanzee to answer these intriguing questions. Here is a delightfully entertaining and enlightening look at the unique sex lives of humans. less

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82
Sex work was once thought to be anathema to women’s liberation. Now, to some, we represent the tenacity of women’s struggles under patriarchy and capitalism—that is, at least, the white, straight, cis, able-bodied sex workers who don’t engage in actual sex with clients. These are the workers who get the glossy media profiles and get touted as feminist icons. But the red umbrella is wide and covers so many: escorts, sugar babies, strippers, session wrestlers, cam performers, fetish models, DIY queer porn stars, and the full range of gender, race, and ability. Our work and our identities are as... more

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83

I Love Female Orgasm

An Extraordinary Orgasm Guide

Whether you’re celebrating your thousandth female orgasm, searching for your first, or cheering on your girlfriend or wife, women and men across the country agree: I Love Female Orgasm!I Love Female Orgasm is crammed with everything you want to know about the big O, including: How to have an orgasm during intercourse-and why most women don’t Directions on finding your way to the G-spot Detailed advice on how to have your first orgasm Advice for better oral sex Tips on surfing waves of multiple orgasms (even if you usually have just one) The truth about female ejaculation (yes,... more

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84

Little Birds

Evocative and superbly erotic, Little Birds is a powerful journey into the mysterious world of sex and sensuality. From the beach towns of Normandy to the streets of New Orleans, these thirteen vignettes introduce us to a covetous French painter, a sleepless wanderer of the night, a guitar-playing gypsy, and a host of others who yearn for and dive into the turbulent depths of romantic experience. less

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85
A quick, easy, and educational comic book guide that will help change the way we talk about sex and sexuality for all bodies. 

"This guide can help disabled people (and their partners) on their journey toward self-love, better communication, and confidence." –– Alice Wong, Founder and Director, Disability Visibility Project

All different kinds of bods want to connect with other bods, but lots of them get left out of the conversation when it comes to S-E-X. As explained by disabled cartoonist A. Andrews, this easy-to-read guide covers the basics of disability...
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86
"If you want your girl to know and understand what healthy sexuality really and truly is, it's up to you. The information in The Girls' Guide to Sex Education will make all the difference for you both."--AMY LANG, MA, Parenting & Sexuality Educator, founder of Birds & Bees & Kids(R)

When it comes to sex education, parents of adolescent girls often know just as little about where to start as girls themselves. Even the mention of sex education or puberty can make everyone feel uncomfortable, nervous, or insecure. In The Girls' Guide to Sex...
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87

The Loving Dominant

John Warren, known as "Mentor" to the many who have read his books or hearkened to his sage advice at his workshops and gatherings, brought his decades of BDSM experience to his classic manual "The Loving Dominant". Out of print for several years, this classic is now available once again, now in a revised and updated second edition in a quality trade binding.From its advice on "Stalking the Wild Submissive" to its extensive Resource Guide, "The Loving Dominant" offers perhaps the greatest breadth of subject of any basic BDSM guide available today -- including some basic toymaking patterns and... more

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88
The Sexual Revolution - and the breakdown of the Family - has brought misery to millions. In The Sexual State Jennifer Roback Morse shows that the Sexual Revolution did not just “happen” like a force of nature. Rather, it was deliberately created by “elites,” harnessing the power of the State, allowing them to inflict three false and calamitous ideologies – contraception, divorce, and gender – that have led to widespread and profound unhappiness, and worse.

The ideas of the Sexual Revolution did not emerge from the lived experiences of ordinary people, the government has been...
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89

Taking Sides

Clashing Views in Human Sexuality

The Taking Sides Collection on McGraw-Hill Create(TM) includes current controversial issues in a debate-style format designed to stimulate student interest and develop critical thinking skills. This Collection contains a multitude of current and classic issues to enhance and customize your course. You can browse the entire Taking Sides Collection on Create or you can search by topic, author, or keywords. Each Taking Sides issue is thoughtfully framed with Learning Outcomes, an Issue Summary, an Introduction, and an... more

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90
For ALL readers--women and men, heterosexual or lesbian, gay, or bisexual--this candid, upbeat guide offers expert advice on all aspects of sexuality:

• How to talk about sex and keep your relationships sizzling
• Orgasms--G-spot, female ejaculation, and multiple orgasms for both men and women
• "If you want the job done right, do it yourself"--Expanded section on masturbation
• NEW! Sex Over a Lifetime--Growing up, coming out, pregnancy, parenting, midlife cycles, and aging
• NEW! Teens Sexual Bill of Rights
• Real stories--Hundreds of real people talk...
more

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91
Sexual Intimacy for Women helps female couples examine the emotional, physical, and psychological aspects of their relationships, with the goal of creating more intimacy. Exercises and client-based anecdotes from Dr. Corwin’s years of experience with same-sex couples help women overcome common issues around orgasm, body image, identity, aging, and parenthood. Dr. Corwin dispels myths, examines the intricacies of female desire, and gives advice to help couples achieve long-lasting, healthy, and fulfilling relationships. less

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92
Offering invaluable insights for students, parents, and educators, Lisa Wade analyzes the mixed messages of hookup culture on today’s college campuses within the history of sexuality, the evolution of higher education, and the unfinished feminist revolution. She draws on broad, original, insightful research to explore a challenging emotional landscape, full of opportunities for self-definition but also the risks of isolation, unequal pleasure, competition for status, and sexual violence.


Accessible and open-minded, compassionate and honest, American Hookup explains where we...
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93

Radical Ecstasy

SM Journeys to Transcendence

For millennia, seekers have used physical and emotional extremes to achieve transcendence and exaltation. Today, many BDSM and leather practitioners are discovering the potential of these practices to reach personal, interpersonal, and spiritual goals.

With trademark frankness and humor, these popular BDSM/sexuality authors document their journey into the realm of transcendent kink and radical ecstasy. Here, they share techniques that join BDSM with tantric sex practices to create a state of transcendence during sexual practice.
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94
With his one-of-a kind blend of autobiography, pop culture, and plainspoken Buddhism, Brad Warner explores an A-to-Z of sexual topics — from masturbation to dating, gender identity to pornography. In addition to approaching sexuality from a Buddhist perspective, he looks at Buddhism — emptiness, compassion, karma — from a sexual vantage. Throughout, he stares down the tough questions: Can prostitution be a right livelihood? Can a good spiritual master also be really, really bad? And ultimately, what's love got to do with any of it? While no puritan when it comes to non-vanilla sexuality,... more

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95

Sexuality Now

Embracing Diversity

Sex is undoubtedly on your mind. So don't you want a human sexuality text that reflects your life situation and answers your questions? Loaded with information that students like you want and need to learn, this text hits the mark as it addresses concerns that students have about themselves with scientific fact, sensitivity, and humor. Going beyond simply providing a foundation in sexuality's biology and psychology, SEXUALITY NOW: EMBRACING DIVERSITY connects with you by exploring contemporary issues, changing sexual practices and behaviors, and their impact on your life. Complemented by... more

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96

Everyone Loves Sex

So Why Wait?

More than 100 million acts of sex occur every day in our world. If we are going to engage this arising generation, we need to rethink how we frame the sexual faithfulness conversation.

And that’s exactly what this book does! Instead of the tired “Don’t— because the Bible says so” rhetoric, Everyone Loves Sex uncovers what psychology and sociology reveal—and the results may surprise you!

Sexual faithfulness is about committing to one’s future spouse—in spite of what one’s sexual life has looked like in the past. The future can be different! It is about making the change...
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97
Women in America experience far less sexual pleasure than men. What is to be done?

For every three orgasms an American man has, studies show, a woman has one. Up to 40 percent of American women experience the sexual malaise clinically known as low sexual desire. For too long, this deficit has been explained in terms of women's stress, age, or poor body image. In The Pleasure Gap, Katherine Rowland rejects the idea that women should settle for less. We should take inequality in the bedroom as seriously as we take it in the workplace and understand its causes and...
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98

Sexuality Counseling

Theory, Research, and Practice

Providing a comprehensive, research- and theory-based approach to sexuality counseling, Sexuality Counseling is grounded in an integrative, multi-level conceptual framework that addresses the various levels at which individuals experience sexuality. At each level (physiological, developmental, psychological, gender identity and sexual orientation, relational, cultural/contextual, and positive sexuality), authors Christine Murray, Amber Pope, and Ben Willis emphasize practical strategies for assessment and intervention. Interactive features, including case studies, application... more

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99
With a new preface by the author. In the tradition of Backlash and The Morning After, and in a political climate where Roe v. Wade is in serious jeopardy, a young activist reveals that the Pro-Life Movement's real agenda is a war on contraception, family planning, and sexual freedom. less
Recommended by Cecile Richards, and 1 others.

Cecile RichardsI obviously wanted to pick a book that was about the work I do now, and I just think Cristina Page did a great job in this book. It’s a very accessible book and so I’d like to put it in for folks who think this may not be the topic that they know a whole lot about. (Source)

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100

Discovering Human Sexuality

In this textbook, Simon LeVay and Janice Baldwin aim to help students understand the diversity of human sexual expression as well as the diversity of perspectives from which sexuality can be studied. Well-known for its high-quality presentation of biological aspects of sexuality, the book also devotes rich coverage to the insights gained from cognitive science, social psychology, sociology, feminism, and cross-cultural studies, along with both moral and political discourse on sexual themes. The Fourth Edition provides up-to-date coverage of all topics, ranging from gay marriage in New York to... more

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