The Ultimate Guide to Anal Sex for Women - guides to a better sex by Cleis Press Inc. - review by BurritoBabe

Tristan Taormino: author, editor, columnist, sex educator, adult film producer and exclusive director for Vivid entertainment, this woman knows sex. Information about Tristan, her work and all seven of her books, including the awards she has won for them, is available on her website www.puckerup.com. With so much experience under her belt, the author takes a very personal approach to her writing, sharing things that others might keep as their own dirty little secrets.

About 150 pages cover a variety of topics relating to anal sex. Some chapter titles include: 12 Myths About Anal Sex, Anal Anatomy, Safer Sex, Lubricant, Anal Sex Toys, Anal Masturbation, Analingus, and Anal Health. The final chapter acts as a resource guide for products, authors and studies mentioned in the book. The writing style is easy to read and understand and is not at all conservative. Tristan writes freely and openly about her own experiences and does not hold back, rather throwing in wittiness and a sort of 'dirty girl charm.' For those who may be squeamish on the topic, you may find the way content is addressed to be too brazen. For example, Chapter Two's proper title is "Our Asses, Ourselves: Anal Anatomy."

This book is put together well, and each chapter builds upon the one before, making it logically and clearly organized. Throughout, you will find cartoon drawings of couples engaging in different positions or using different toys, etc. What is interesting to note about these cartoons is that they do reflect a pretty wide cross section of society- lesbian couples, hetero couples, skinny women, large women, black women, white women- all are represented in these humorous line drawings. It should be noted, however, that these seem to be more of an artistic addition than an informative one meant to assist readers in coming up with positions.

What makes this book so valuable is that it covers everything related to engaging in anal play. You will learn basic hygiene tips, grooming, the use of enemas and detailed information about lubricants. For those of you who have previously researched anal sex, you may not find a lot of new information, but for those who are new to the topic, it will be an excellent addition to your library.

Tristan made my first experience with anal play a more enjoyable one through what I learned in this book. I lost all shyness in grooming the area, learned what to look for in a lube, how to take it slow and, most importantly, how to do it safely and pleasurably. While I have not yet discovered how to overcome the feeling of needing to use the bathroom (covered in the book), I don't regret a moment. On a final note, I know most women, like myself, are so very worried about being "clean" enough for anal play- Tristan has you covered with all the tips you need.