Best of Best Lesbian Erotica - book discontinued by Cleis Press Inc. - review by Gabe

I should have known before even opening an anthology of erotica edited by Tristan Taormino that it would be a breath of fresh air. Taormino's porns (the Chemistry series, among others) have been pushing the envelope of what porn can and should be for years by showing actors and actresses having sex the way they want it, and challenging us to redefine what is sexy. And, indeed, this anthology is like Taormino's other work--not exactly what I expected, but entirely excellent.

The Best of the Best Lesbian Erotica is exactly what it sounds like: A hall of fame with stories from the past five anthologies of lesbian erotica. Now that we're done with the boring details, let's get on to the real content: sex.

Yes, this is a book of erotic stories. But not the kind you think, most likely. This anthology has smart smut. It's not asexual in nature, but it's also not all body parts and moaning. No, these stories are complex. They're hot moments, stolen gropes, longing gazes. Yes, there's some that involve explicit sexual contact, but there are others in which the build to that moment far outshines the contact itself.

The stories in this anthology are moments. No chapter books to be found here, these are short, 3-8 page (occasionally longer, but not usually) moments of torturous waiting, climax and the look on a lover's face after they've come. Taormino pitches them, in the introduction, better than I ever could. She writes, "As they rub up against one another, these erotic pieces boldly contemplate, demonstrate, and celebrate the complexity, uniqueness--the muff diving melange of lesbian sexuality." And, indeed, the anthology is incredibly diverse. It has stories of women of every color, every class background, every gender identity and gendered history, and many kinks represented.

But I don't want to suggest that there is nothing wrong with this book. In fact, it's the wrong book for any number of people. If you're looking for long pages of body part descriptions, you'll find it in some stories, but not in many. If you're looking for extended narratives, you'll need to look elsewhere. All in all, I think this is a fantastic anthology, but the reader must want what it has to offer.