Woody Allen said, “I don’t know the question, but sex is definitely the answer.” No doubt author Clive Peters would agree since he’s made it his mission to answer questions about intimacy, intercourse, and romance in his accessible, fact-filled, often personal and occasionally humorous book Exploring Sex, Love and Lust.
Peters promises in his introduction to teach readers to “understand what drives you, what drives your partner … and what’s most enjoyable…” Good news: Peters keeps that promise.
The author, who has worked as a technical writer for various industries, combines his interest in medical research and sexual relations to cover a wide swath of subjects from the anatomical (“The Penis,” “The Love Muscle,” “Breasts”) to the sexual (“Pornography,” “Fetish and Fantasy,”) to the psychological (“Problem Solving”).
No matter the topic, Peters manages to avoid titillation by talking to readers in a straightforward manner and, occasionally, by citing interesting statistics. For instance, when discussing masturbation, Peters writes: “I’ve read surveys that show 98 percent of men masturbate, and 68 percent of women masturbate as well.” On the subject of pornography, he notes: “Figures published in 2011 show pornography was viewed by 35.9 percent of Internet users in the UK.”
For those who want, or need visual aids, there are several basic illustrations in the “Position and Locations” chapter. Although graphic, they avoid being pornographic, and the accompanying prose is simple and direct: “Ladies, you can intensify your guy’s orgasms by massaging his perineum. Rub two fingers in a circular motion, about an inch behind his testicles, for 30 seconds before he orgasms.”
Most of the material is rather basic. So if you are already well-versed in biology and erotic pleasures, you might look to a more advanced manual. But if you’re yearning for straightforward sex information with a personal touch, get in bed with Peters’ book and you’ll be guaranteed satisfaction.
Also available in hardcover and ebook.
