Satisfaction: The Art of the Female Orgasm
by Kim Cattrall, Mark Levinson

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Book Reviews of Satisfaction: The Art of the Female Orgasm

Book Review: like a slow-motion car crash
Summary: 1 Stars

Like most mass-market sex guides, the techniques and information are grouped in instant-gratification vignette descriptions, making the reasoning behind the techniques unclear and also giving the reader a clear message that each suggestion is a "magic button" to orgasm. The authors are unclear about specific parts of the anatomy they refer to, and leave out essential safety information. In fact, it's what's left out of the book that makes it problematic.

This book (and every line of text about sex techniques) is layered in assumptions about men, women, and sex. It assumes that men are the "do-ers," that they care most about penetration and being "finished," and that men will always have a reliable sex drive. What it assumes about sex is most egregious: that there is a "magic button" for orgasm in women, that women want to come "until they can't take it any more," that all women like the types of stimulation in this book, that intercourse is the goal in sex, and much more. These dated notions about sex are in direct contradiction to most other modern sex guides' anti-stereotype, non-judgmental, "some, many, and most," and self-determined, self-defined ethics about male and female sexuality. The instant-make-her-come stance the book takes, as we know, implies that a lack of success with the technique lies not in the technique, but in the woman it's supposed to "work" on. In another instance, the authors state that because men think linearly they prefer in-and-out stimulation, and because women think circularly, they like circular stimulation. How ridiculous.

This book begs the question: What are its assumptions, and are they correct? By means of what the authors are saying about sexuality as they describe sex techniques, they are suggesting that smaller truths are larger truths. Making this book worse than inaccurate; it's biased.

Lastly, the techniques, suggestions, and positions can be found in any sex guide, and it seriously lacks anything that makes it stand out from the pack -- other than the celebrity hook, of course. Use common sense when you buy a sex guide: look for something inclusive, informative, and not chock full of insult and assumptions like this book. The notions and techniques in "Satisfaction" are dated. Buy something else.

Summary of Satisfaction: The Art of the Female Orgasm

Simple concepts--open communication, trust, love, and a consistent interest in pleasing one another--are the ingredients for an enriching and fulfilling sex life that can bring two people ever closer, according to the text. The facts speak for themselves: when pressed, women will confess in droves that they are sexually frustrated. It's tricky to communicate one's carnal desires to one's lover, yet both parties must be open to this type of ongoing discussion for the formula to work.

Meanwhile, a little education for men can go a long way. The concepts are basic--anyone who isn't a virgin probably knows them. But the rub lies in the consistency, the selflessness, and the patience required of the man. Cattrall and Levinson ask their male readers how they'd feel if they experienced some physical pleasure during lovemaking but never got to climax; they would likely get frustrated after a while. So an abiding devotion to pleasing the woman is a basic assumption throughout, and one that isn't commonly pointed out in such an open way elsewhere. Some readers may think Cattrall and Levinson's approach offers nothing new or exciting, but this honest reminder of what it takes to be a sensitive and satisfying lover is just what the doctor ordered. --Teri Kieffer

Self-Help Books

• Subjects > Self-Help
• Health, Fitness & Dieting > Sex