The ultimate guide to cunnilingus 2nd edition - guides to a better sex by Cleis Press Inc. - review by jc123

I ordered this book on a whim. I was predisposed to not liking it, due to my feelings toward some of Violet Blue's other work. Also, I've never performed cunnilingus nor do I anticipate doing so (as a hetero female). I was, however, strangely excited when I read the details about the book and I looked forward to receiving it.

First impression:
The book has a pretty generic picture on the cover- a dark-skinned (African American?) woman wrapped in a white blanket. The word "Cunnilingus" is featured in very large type on both the cover and the spine, so the book isn't terribly discreet. There are 178 numbered pages in the book, but it kind of feels like some term papers I wrote in college- the margins are huge, the font is strangely spaced, and there's a large and fairly useless appendix. I'm gonna say that the book would be about 80-100 pages if conventional typesetting was used.

The book was a quick read. I don't want to spoil it for you, so I'll describe the things I would want to know. Feel free to message me if you have additional questions about specific content.

The bad:
Violet Blue's personality comes through loud and clear. If you're not familiar with her work, she's a pretty out-there feminist (at least, compared to my tamer Midwestern values). To give you an example, the book is rife with conspiracy theories about tampon commercials being designed to make women feel badly about themselves and other similar commentary. Also, I feel she's a little less funny than she thinks she is. The term "cunning linguist" (predictably) is used throughout the book. Wasn't clever the first time, irritating by the twentieth or so.

The good:
Everything else. I told you about the bad things so that you could prepare yourself for those things and start preparing to block them out of your mind (if necessary) so you can read the book. This is by far the most useful book about sexuality, anatomy, and relationships that I've ever read. As somebody who considers myself incredibly experienced, I will admit that I learned a lot from this book. Violet Blue is incredibly knowledgable and she has a knack for breaking down complex physiology into terms that anybody could understand. Another good thing is that she promotes safe sex throughout the book.

The chapter breakdown:
1. One Act, Many Pleasures
2. How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Getting Head
3. Anatomy for Pleasure
4. Health Considerations
5. Tastes and Textures
6. Cunning Linguistics: Getting Started
7. Oral Seduction
8. As You Like It
9. Tricks or Treats: Advanced Techniques
10. Independent Study: Erotic Books and Videos