Sex For One: The Joy of Selfloving by Three Rivers Press

Ms. Dodson is an inspiring woman who has done amazing work helping people to be comfortable with their bodies and to view them as sacred. In this book she includes chapters on, of course, techniques in making love alone, masturbation as meditation, fantasy, orgasm, raising sexual consciousness, as well as her progression through the years as a sexual being and sex educator.

This was the first book I bought about masturbation. It was a transformative guide that was instrumental in accepting my body, viewing it as beautiful, and appreciating its gifts.

I love the artwork in this book. She showed unabashed models pleasing themselves. I found the images to be striking, inspiring, erotic, and lovely. The Chapter on genital imagery was eye opening, in that I came to see beauty in the variations of women's genitals. She addressed the notiona that some people have to have plastic surgery performed on their genitals and gave a strong opinion against it. This book would be amazing with simply the images, as a coffee table display book.

Ms. Dodson's style is welcoming to all sexual orientations, and her own sexuality is fluid, which is apparent throughout her writing. As I absorbed her writing, I found my own sexuality becoming more free and open, and less repressed. She spoke about taking pleasure in sex with herself, with men, and with women.

It was nice to read about the author's history and journey towards sexual liberation, and to read some of the stories submitted to her by others who had overcome repression. As someone who grew up in a religion that has very rigid standards for sexuality, this book was transformative for me. The parts of the Sex For One book that describe group experiences with other women were, at first, quite shocking to me. They soon became quite erotic and I sought them out as experiences I'd like for myself. Ms. Dodson has been an invaluable author and pioneer towards liberating sexuality.

The most beneficial thing that I left this book with was a strong drive to purchase a Hitachi Magic Wand. Ms. Dodson is a strong advocate for this toy. Prior to reading her book, I was anorgasmic. After purchasing the Magic Wand, I was orgasmic that day. I still have the same Magic Wand ten years later, and cannot imagine going without mind-blowing, earth-shattering, multiple orgasms that cause me to ejaculate and wet down the bed sheets. Life would be quite different.

This book is still on my shelf, but not because I read it. I adore Betty Dodson as a trailblazer for women and in pursuit of their pleasure. The sketches are very erotic. Someday I will find a sexually repressed woman (or one who has never had an orgasm) to give this book to.