Fun, But More Art Than Information

The Clitourist is a fun little book, filled with original artwork and information about a woman's "down there." It's a quick read, with more illustration than information. The writing style is informal and light, as if you were having a chat with with the author over wine and nibbles.

It starts out with a little history of how modern science has viewed the clitoris, followed by an anatomy lesson. The bulk of the book describes ways to stimulate the clit and surrounding areas, then ends with a bit of care-and-maintenance. There's even a brief mention of g-spot orgasms and how to achieve them. If you are looking for a detailed guide to clitoral stimulation, however, this is not the book for you. Anyone who's done a fair amount of exploring their (or their partner's) nether regions will have probably already tried the techniques described by the author: masturbation, oral, intercourse, water, and vibrating toys.

A good audience for this book would be a younger woman, or a woman who is just beginning to explore her sexual side. The author seeks to inspire the reader to become comfortable with addressing the concept of women's genitalia. The illustrations are not explicit, and the information is geared towards women who have not already become familiar with their own anatomy and potential for sexual pleasure. I could easily see this being a coming-of-age gift for a daughter or niece.

Cute, fresh, fun. Those were my first impressions of The Clitourist as I pulled it out of the box. It's a small-ish book that I could easily slip into a purse or back pack. A drawing of a young woman in a bikini and binoculars graced the front cover. Her bathing suit patterned like a road map, with the "You're here!" star smack-dab over her... subject of the book. The background was like pink stained wood grain and there's a mix of font styles, giving it a modern look.

I peeled off the plastic wrapping, opened the soft cover, and flipped through the pages. I was greeted by an abundance of original artwork. The colors were rich and soothing, and the illustrations clever. Sprinkled among the information-related drawings were fun representations of common slang for woman's genitalia. Everything from fluffy cotton candy to a beautifully rendered orchid caught my attention.

There's much more artwork than text in this book, and the illustrations are not so explicit that you couldn't leave it out on your bedside or coffee table. There is one detailed drawing of a vulva (Georgia O'Keefe's, to be exact), so you may want to opt for more discretion if you're in a children-friendly environment.

I enjoyed this book. I learned a bit about the recent history of the study of the clitoris, and chuckled over the cleverness of the illustrations. However, I wouldn't call it a "must read" for anyone who already has plenty of experience with the joys of clitoral stimulation.