Blindingly sexplicit offerings

Press, 26 May 1984, Page 20

Blindingly sexplicit offerings

Sex and the Brain. By J. DurdenSmith and D. de Simone. Pan. 1983. 254 pp. $8.95 (paperback). How to Make Love to a Woman. By M. Morgenstern. Pan, 1983. 150 pp. $6.95 (paperback). The Complete Book of Love and Sex. By P. Cauthery, A. Stanway, and P. Stanway.' Century, 1983. 448 pp. Illustrations. $36.95. Woman’s Experience of Sex. By S. Kitzinger. Collins, 1983. 320 pp. Illustrations. $24.95. (Reviewed by Ken Strongman) Why do people buy books about sex? To' put themselves in a better position. To find out whether or not some essential part of their paraphernalia should be that size, shape or hue. To see things they have never seen with the lights on. To gain comfort about an outbreak of awkwardly placed pimples. To experience the titillation of licensed porn. In other words, sex books can help to dispel myths and innocence, and to evoke a similar set of reassurances and terrors as may result from poking about in a “home doctor”. And for the prurient, they are just another source of legitimate stimulation. How do these four books measure up? “Sex and the Brain” is scarcely worth buying for any of the reasons. Disappointingly, it is about differences in gender, and not much about sex. It is a layperson’s analysis of what is currently known about differences between males and females, with the usual interplay between arguments based on possible biological patterns and social learning. While one can muster an interest in the changing role of women (and, for that matter, of men), actual differences in capacities and abilities between the sexes are essentially trivial and boring. Who cares? At least “Sex and the Brain” is authentic and does not insult the reader. Morgenstern’s “How to Make Love to a Woman” has the sexual authenticity of a locker room conversation and spits in the eye of intelligence. It is a mixture of common sense and one man’s speculation. Some men might buy it because of the title. Chapter headings such as “What

women find sexy in a man" and “Seduction and arousal" might keep them at it. But the chances are that those who do not already possess the necessary common sense, would not have the common sense to read about it. Meanwhile, in an entirely anerotic way, it will get right under the skin of feminists, and rightly so. “Love and Sex” is unexceptional. It is the “home doctor” type of book, full of information from childhood sexuality through to sex in old age. with ' everything in between. Photographically, diagrammaticallv. and verbally, it peers at things from most angles. It has the clout of being written by three medical doctors, but goes much further than things physical. It is matter-of-factual, very thorough, gives no advice, but makes it obvious what to do, what not to do. and when, and where, and how. and even why. So for all the reasons mentioned at the start of this review, “Love and Sex" will be bought. Finally, there is Sheila Kitzinger’s much heralded “Woman’s Experience of Sex”. It seems to me to be a good book, interesting at least to one male. A certain lady of my acquaintance (who should have been doing the housework, or reviewing, or something) appeared to be interested in it as well. Anyway, it was hard enough getting it back to review. It is an honest, direct book which forces one to chew the unpallateable, from the death of a baby to celibacy. Like “Love and Sex”, “Womans Experience of Sex” is sensible and straightforward. Both of these books are buyable for all the worthy reasons. But they also contain enough photographs to interest the lascivious. This is a pity, but in these honest, explicit days, unavoidable. Where do they find the people who are willing to be photographed in mid-copulation or mid-masturbation? Judging from their faces, they seem to be perfectly ordinary. Perhaps it is fotographic phetishism. In the end, these sex manuals may have to contain a chapter dealing with the sexual problems that develop in those who read them. No, no, it’s a myth; reading books about sex does not make one go blind. But I’m worried about my eyebrows becoming hairier.