Going Down?

The other day I got hold of a copy of The Ultimate Guide to Fellatio:How to Go Down on a Man and Give Him Mind-Blowing Pleasure by Violet Blue (Cleis Press, originally 2002, second edition 2010). My first thought was, do we really need almost 250 pages to explain this? Men are like automatic cum dispensers, right? Insert beer, yank the handle a few times (with your mouth) and get your prize...right?

Then I read Violet Blue's introduction. Men, it seems, have been given short shrift by sex writers up until now. When guys write for other guys about bjs, they do it with a homophobic-like distaste, as if typing with one hand while covering their eyes with the other. Men's anatomy is much more complicated than we realize on an average day. There's a wealth of knowledge women have gained by listening to gay men.

So, scanning over this hefty guidebook with fresh eyes, I found much to be admired. It's sex-positive. It doesn't discriminate against either sex or cater exclusively to hetero couples. It's comprehensive, even covering how genital piercings can affect oral sex. The drawings are cute. (I like the drawings with the piercings especially.) Best of all, it's spiced up with little fictional interludes by erotica author Alison Tyler. My favorite is "High Tea" (see previous post).

There's a reason why over 100,000 copies of this book have already been sold: this book is really helpful and informative. PLUS, the brunette couple on the front cover is cute.