Provocative Non-fiction

The following collection of provocative non-fiction books explore the sensual side of humanity. Listed is an eclectic collection of books that deal with biographies, exotic places and people, sexual histories, trivia, philosophies and more. Our Featured Books are new releases, titles we've recently discovered, or recommended by our website readers. In Enduring Favorites you'll find a list of nonfiction books that range from the frivolous to the profound.

Featured Book:

Who's Been Sleeping in Your Head: The Secret World of Sexual Fantasy by Brett Kahr
Perseus Books Group (February 4, 2008); ISBN-10: 0465037666

A renowned psychoanalyst offers a sneak peek into our sexual fantasies--and surprising revelations about the impact they have on our lives.

Based on the largest-ever survey of sexual fantasies, and drawing on the author's twenty-five years of clinical practice, this "anatomy of secret desire" does for sexual fantasy what Kinsey did for sexual behavior. However, unlike Kinsey's books, which were almost unreadably dense and data-driven, Who's Been Sleeping in Your Head? features narrative accounts of sexual fantasies and the author's own insightful interpretations of how those fantasies affect our lives. Kahr reveals the astonishing truth behind secrecy, shame and taboo, and demonstrates how sex fantasies exert a more powerful influence on our emotions, behavior, and relationships than we ever imagined.

Kahr's insights are liberating. He tells us the story of Margaret, who, in mining early sexual abuse for arousing and satisfying sexual fantasies: "succeeded brilliantly in turning a childhood trauma into an adult triumph." He explains how he helped a young man who couldn't get turned on by his beautiful girlfriend but only by dominatrix-themed porn, and how numerous men and women used fantasy to become more intimate with their partners--or to be unfaithful or even cruel to them instead. Ultimately, by unmasking the myths and destroying the guilt and ignorance surrounding sexual fantasy, Kahr offers readers a chance to lead richer and less conflicted lives.
Available at: Amazon.com  / Amazon UK

Enduring Favorites:

Filthy Shakespeare: Shakespeare's Most Outrageous Sexual Puns by Pauline Kiernan
Gotham (October 4, 2007); ISBN-10: 1592403271

Celebrating the Bard in all his bawdy glory, a hilarious and insightful look into the down-and-dirty sexual puns lurking in Shakespeares body of work

Londons Elizabethan theaters were located in the seedy part of town, close to whorehouses but never far from Puritanical scorn. In that climate, Shakespeare became a master of the double entendre, crafting lines and scenes that unfolded in a variety of meaningsthe wickedly funny, the suggestively erotic, and even hard-hitting send-ups of corrupt politicians and clerics.

From The Two Gentlemen of Verona to The Tempest and King Lear, the plays and poems pulsate with puns on body parts and what they do, and reveal shocking meanings beneath the brilliant codes.

Shakespeares genius lies in his matchless understanding of the human condition, but for centuries weve been deprived of the full extent of one of his most brilliant dramatic devices. Finally, acclaimed Shakespearean scholar Pauline Kiernan unlocks the meaning behind the coded words. FILTHY SHAKESPEARE presents more than 70 examples of the Bard at his raunchiest, with each passage translated into modern English and the hidden meanings of the original words explained. A fascinating introduction shows how Shakespeares amazing range of wordplay had its roots in the social and political reality of Elizabethan and Jacobean England.

Revealing and riotously funny, FILTHY SHAKESPEARE is the perfect gift for anyone who wants to rediscover the master of the sexual pun at his most inventive, and an intriguing look into the richness and complexity of Shakespeares language and his world.
Available at: Amazon.com  / Amazon UK

Best Sex Writing 2008 by Rachel Kramer Bussel
Cleis Press (November 28, 2007); ISBN-10: 1573443026

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.

Praise for Best Sex Writing: “A fun, nimble book that never loses its sense of humor about itself.” — Salon.com
Available at: Amazon.com  / Amazon UK

Cunt: A Declaration of Independence by Inga Muscio
Seal Press; (October 2002) ISBN 1580050751

An ancient title of respect for women, the word "cunt" long ago veered off this noble path.  Inga Muscio traces the road from honor to expletive, giving women the motivation and tools to claim "cunt" as a positive and powerful force in their lives. 

In this fully revised edition, she explores, with candidness and humor, such traditional feminist issues as birth control, sexuality, jealousy between women, and prostitution with a fresh attitude for a new generation of women.  Sending out a call for every woman to be the Cuntlovin' Ruler of Her Sexual Universe, Muscio stands convention on its head by embracing all things cunt-related.  This edition is fully revised with updated resources, a new foreword from sexual pioneer Betty Dodson, and a new afterword by the author.

"Bright, sharp, empowering, long-lasting, useful, sexy...."—San Francisco Chronicle
Available at: Amazon.com  / Amazon UK

The New InterCourses: An Aphrodisiac Cookbook by Martha Hopkins & Randall Lockridge
Terrace Publishing; 10th Anniversary Ed (February 1, 2007); ISBN-10: 0965327523

Forget Spanish fly or powdered rhino horn; if you want to get your lover in the mood, look no farther than your local supermarket. Strawberries, chocolate, asparagus—even coffee—have long been considered stimulants for the romantic appetite. For centuries, folk wisdom held that foods either rare or resembling a sexual organ had tremendous power over the libido. Modern science has since debunked that theory, but there's no denying that a meal lovingly prepared and properly presented with just the right ambience can precipitate the most passionate encounters. In Intercourses: An Aphrodisiac Cookbook, Martha Hopkins and Randall Lockridge appeal to all the senses as they offer up 85 heart-melting, temperature-raising dishes, along with an array of sensuous photographs that will make you look at food in a whole new light.

The book is divided into 17 sections, each one devoted to a particular food with aphrodisiac qualities, from chocolate and chilies to black beans and oysters. Following these are recipes for massage oils, seasonal dishes, and meals to appeal to every astrological sign and every stage of a relationship, from first date to golden anniversary. There's even a list of resources on subjects ranging from further reading on aphrodisiacs to locating aromatherapy candles. Just reading Intercourses is a sensual experience—imagine what eating from it will be!

"Slightly naughty photos are erotic enough to get more than your mouth watering - but tasteful enough for your coffee table." —Jay Marlowe (AVN September 2007)
Available at: Amazon.com  / Amazon UK

Working Stiff: The Misadventures of an Accidental Sexpert by Grant Stoddard
Harper Perennial (January 9, 2007); ISBN-10: 0060876123

A twenty-two-year-old perennial virgin, Englishman Grant Stoddard didn't know what to do with his life in America—until he won an X-rated online contest, the prize being intercourse with an infamous married sex columnist. He consequently wound up delivering mail at Nerve.com but accidentally found his calling as a gonzo sex reporter who would try any and every lurid activity his crafty coworkers devised—from offering himself up as man-bait at a hard-core gay bar to attending an elite orgy, to being a hapless participant in a sexual home invasion—all the while wishing he could be safely tucked in bed.

Working Stiff is the humble, hilarious, and delightfully salacious fish-into-water story of a young man who followed his heart—and other organs—into places where few would dare to venture.

About the Author: Grant Stoddard came to the United States in pursuit of true love. After eighteen months of couch-surfing, he was in danger of being deported when he discovered his true calling as New York's most intrepid sex columnist—despite having little experience in either sex or writing. He lives in New York City.
Available at: Amazon.com  / Amazon UK

Diary of a Sex Fiend: Girl with a One Track Mind by Abby Lee
Skyhorse Publishing (March 1, 2007); ISBN-10: 1602390150

A sensational bestseller in England, here is the revealing diary of a young woman honest enough to put all of her sexual thoughts and erotic emotions in print.

Who says men think about sex more than women do? Abby Lee is a smart, determined young woman who for almost three years has been writing an online journal about her sex life. Her writing is everything that writing about sex should be—frank, hysterical, provocative, and completely honest. Her website quickly attracted thousands of hits a day, with both men and women drawn to her observations about masturbation, one-night stands, and same-sex encounters.

Girl with a One Track Mind is a year-long diary of Abby’s desires, fantasies, and anxieties as she tries to answer the question: why do I always think about sex? Celebrating both her sensuality and her physical needs, Abby explores a swingers’ club and a Dominatrix dungeon, and even participates in a pre-arranged three-way (which ends without any satisfaction for her). In between her new experiences are run-ins with lifelong friends; potential romances; and long, frustrating nights when all she really wants is a "great shag." Whether she’s offering a girl’s guide to understanding date-speak or explaining to her parents why there’s a racy picture of her on their computer, Abby writes with a ribald eye and a fearless heart.
Available at: Amazon.com  / Amazon UK

America's War on Sex: The Attack on Law, Lust and Liberty by Marty Klein
Praeger Publishers (August 30, 2006); ISBN: 027598785X

President George W. Bush says that, "In our free society, people have the right to choose how they live their lives." But our government and the Religious Right are successfully: censoring what you read, hear, and see; limiting your access to contraception; legislating "good moral values;" brainwashing your kids that God hates premarital sex, and that it ruins lives. The Right has politicized private life, expanding the zone of "public" sexuality. This guarantees policies that will worsen social problems and increase personal anxiety, providing "proof" that sexuality is fundamentally negative--so citizens demand more sex-negative policies.

With examples ripped from today's headlines, with brutal honesty and a wicked sense of humor, Marty Klein names names, challenges political hypocrisy, and shows the financial connections between government and conservative religious groups that are systematically taking away your rights. And, in the process, changing American society--forever.
Available at: Amazon.com  / Amazon UK

Heloise & Abelard: A New Biography by James Burge
HarperSanFrancisco (November 30, 2004); ISBN: 0060736631

The heart-rending love story of Abelard and Heloise was one of the most talked about relationships in the Middle Ages, and is one of the greatest love stories of all time. Peter Abelard was arguably the greatest poet, philosopher, and religious teacher in all of twelfth-century Europe. In an age when women were rarely educated, Heloise was his most gifted young student. As master of the cathedral school at Notre Dame in Paris, Abelard was expected to be celibate; his career would be destroyed by marrying. In spite of this, Abelard and Heloise's private tutoring sessions inevitably turned to passionate romance, and their moments apart were spent writing love letters.

When Heloise became pregnant, her possessive guardian and uncle, Fulbert, angrily insisted that they marry. The ceremony was held in secret, but the rumor spread through Paris. Enemies confronted Heloise, who publicly denied the marriage in order to protect Abelard's career. Fearing for her safety, Abelard slipped Heloise out of the city and sent her to a convent. Robbed of his niece and his family's honor, Fulbert took revenge by having Abelard brutally castrated. Abelard retreated to a monastery, and the famous lovers now lived separate lives behind cloistered walls — but their love, and their letters, continued.

For a long time, the only letters known to have survived dated from the later period of their separation. Then, astoundingly, a few years ago a young scholar identified 113 new letters between the pair. Lost for almost nine hundred years, these fresh missives provide an intriguing snapshot of the couple's clandestine passion that is erotic, poignant, and at times even funny.

James Burge is the firstbiographer to combine these astonishing new discoveries with the latest scholarship, resulting in a more complete biography; one that paints a fuller picture of Heloise as a woman who tested the cultural constraints of her time. Burge also addresses Abelard's theological disputes with other teachers, including Bernard of Clairvaux, which led to Abelard's eventual trial for heresy. But Heloise & Abelard is much more than a biography. It opens a window onto the enormous and exciting changes that took place in medieval Europe, even as it presents us with the richest telling yet of one of history's greatest love stories.
Available at: Amazon.com  / Amazon UK

Swingers: True confessions From The Modern Swinging Scene by Ashley Lister
Virgin Books (June 27, 2006); ISBN 0753511355

The very first exposé of the long standing, enormous recreational sex scene. Through exhaustive research and hundreds of interviews, Ashley Lister has compiled a host of thrilling true stories from wife swappers and swingers. Presenting the motives, experiences and aspirations of a variety of genuine couples and singles, the book gives insight into the lives of those who participate in this extremely popular activity. Candid revelations will present detailed stories about what occurs in bedrooms, private parties, adult clubs and even public car parks. Most importantly those people who participate will tell the story.

The author, Ashley Lister, is one of the UK’s premier erotic writers and critics with over ten novels to his pen name, Lisette Ashton.
Available at: Amazon.com  / Amazon UK

Sex Machines: Photographs and Interviews by Timothy Archibald
Daniel 13/Process (October 22, 2005); ISBN: 0976082233

Through astonishing images and the surprisingly touching words of its subjects, Sex Machines: Photographs and Interviews explores the new sex machine underground in America and the homespun inventors and users who propel it.

After contacting an active but intensely private Internet community of sex machine inventors, photographer Timothy Archibald eventually won their trust and was invited into workshops and homes. The resulting book is a powerful document that is by turns thought provoking, humorous, and always fascinating.

Sex Machines celebrates the American spirit of invention while exploring the desires and confusions that exist between men and women in our changing culture. Many of the inventors seen within these pages are otherwise ordinary family men who were inspired to help repair strained relationships or simply enhance their wives' sexual pleasure. Some inventors have expanded their hobby into thriving cottage industries, selling their creations on eBay and adult stores online.

Archibald covers the broad spectrum of the makers-from the elusive creator of the Sybian, the forefather of sex machines, to lesser-known inventors like Paul Gaertner, who, laid off from his job in the high-tech industry, founded a new business by transforming a thrift store pasta maker into a high-powered sexual appliance. After receiving an apocalyptic vision of a future without men, Louis Walker constructs a sex machine prototype for the women survivors. Eric Reynolds credits his apparatus for saving his marriage, and Jon Traven uses his sex device as a form of Christian-based marriage counseling.

Like the work of Bill Owens, Studs Terkel, and Diane Arbus, Archibald's photographs and interviews find unexpected beauty and mystery among the lives of regular people-this time, as they engender a new form of "marriage enhancement" and sexual liberation in the suburbs and small towns across America.
Available at: Amazon.com  / Amazon UK

A Mind of Its Own: A Cultural History of the Penis by David M. Friedman
Penguin Books (January 1, 2003); ISBN 0142002593

Setting out to "make intellectual and emotional sense of a man's relationship with his defining organ," David Friedman moves from highbrow to lowbrow in this lighthearted but substantive cultural history.

Successively viewed as a life source, a symbol of a sacred covenant with God, an emblem of shame, an instrument of domination, a mere prop for the pharmaceutical companies, and finally, as simply a means of penetration - the penis has always been at the core of Western man's (and woman's) cultural evolution. With such luminaries as Leonardo da Vinci, Sigmund Freud, Walt Whitman, and Norman Mailer marking their territory on the subject, A Mind of Its Own is an intelligent and often hilarious account of man's complicated bond with his closest friend.
Available at: Amazon.com  / Amazon UK

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