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Rating: 
Summary: How can the LDS Church allow such misogynic drivel?
Review: As a man, I was offended by the tone this book takes towards women and sexual relationships in general. The book professes to be a guide, a help for married couples, but in truth the book could not possibly be a help to any except the most tragically naive and repressed couple. The book constantly harps on how bad it is to be selfish in the bedroom - which is the last thing most LDS couples, and LDS women in particular, need to hear. The book equates honestly asking your partner for certain acts to be done with selfishness - and as most LDS guys are clueless when it comes to what a woman wants done to them, a woman's sexual desires will therefore be left unsaid. Comments in the book such as (paraphrased) "you should never touch yourself during sex to stimulate yourself (as this is selfish and evil masturbation) are completely unjust to many women who find that self-stimulation during mutual sex is necessary to achieve orgasm - or at least feelings highly pleasurable - to both partners. To not say even ONE word about oral sex is just ridiculous in a book about intimate sexual relations - and the reference in the index for that practice to the section within the book on "unnatural acts" is not only completely against LDS doctrine, but highly injurious to those couples that enjoy it or could enjoy it with some helpful encouragment from unbiased authors. What the LDS married population need is a real sex book from an LDS perspective, perhaps even published by the LDS Church. The Deseret Book stamp of approval had this book flying off the shelves for months - which shows the need for such a book as none other existed prior to this, but the harm done to good marriages by this one book may take years of struggling for many couples to overcome. As great alternatives for LDS couples, I would recommend "Magic of Sex," by Miriam Stoppard, and a new book, "Satisfaction: The Art of the Female Orgasm," by Kim Cattrall and her husband. Don't waste your time or money or marriage on this book. Shame on the authors.
Rating: 
Summary: Let's talk some more about birth control...
Review: As an LDS convert, wife, and mother, I was disappointed by this book. I'd listened to some tapes by Douglas Brinley that I thought were quite good, and was looking forward to a book addressing marital intimacy co-authored by him. but the medical information in the book- or lack thereof- is flabbergasting. Dr. Lamb recommends that every LDS woman should go in for a pelvic before marriage. This is not only absurd, it's IMO perverse! Because a teeny-weeny percentage of women have a thicker than average hymen, we should all get poked by the gynecologist? I don't think so!! If you are an LDS woman and have ever had a pelvic, you know that with your feet in the stirrups is the last place you feel the spirit. If I was saving myself for marriage, I wouldn't want a rubber gloved doctor fingering me- male or female, LDS or no! Dr. Lamb recommends birth control. He recommends getting a prescription for birth control before marriage. He knows, one would assume, about the covenants that are going to be made in the Temple. He should know that while the Church does not condemn, it certainly doesn't support knee-jerk birth control. And he MUST know, as a doctor, that the IUD is abortifacient in nature. (That's right, look it up. IUD's cause spontaneous abortions, that's how they work.) Many forms of "the pill" can act as an abortifacient as well. But most MD's won't share this with you, unless they're Catholic. I certainly expected more from a priesthood holder. I simply can't believe he's ignorant of these facts. He's a gynecologist- it's his job to know these things! Not only does he mislead women into sharing their sacred bodies with strangers unneccesarily, and supports birth control through spontaneous abortion with devices like the IUD or with drugs- but he doesn't mention a form of birth control with no side effects that is empowering to women and their husbands- natural family planning. NFP done right (just like you have to take your pill every day ladies,) has a success rate as high or higher than the pill. And NFP increases a woman's awareness of her body- and conceiving is much simpler when you know when you're fertile. NFP can be used safely while breastfeeding without side effects (unlike hormonal forms of birth control.)NFP, like the pill, would need to be started before marriage if the couple desired birth control.
NFP is a form of birth control, and as such it should only be used prayerfully. You can learn more about NFP at (...) If you put all the medical info aside, the book has some good parts. However, I'm a convert and how many million other members are too? This book is written for an LDS couple who've never strayed physically, never watched a soap opera or PG-13 movie. Someone who has never read a Seventeen magazine, a Vogue or a Cosmo. I certainly wouldn't do these things now- but anyone who has done any of these things in the past, and bought this book looking for guidance would be sorely disappointed. Specifically- Nowhere in this book is oral sex mentioned other than the index. Any adult who isn't living with their heads in a hole in Utah has heard of oral sex! Mentioning it certainly wouldn't be putting ideas into someone's head. If a priesthood holder like Brinley has doctrinal information on this matter, I'd expect them to share it in a book like this. Afterall, this is a book about marital intimacy!! Yet there is no direct mention of it, no quotes from the prophet, nothing. A search of LDS.org also fails to turn up doctrinal info. Yet Brinley mentions and supposedly quotes from a letter from the First Presidency on the tapes that I have- and condemns oral sex. What motivation could he possibly have in not sharing doctrine?
If this letter was later rescinded- why is oral sex in the index reference sections on crossing the line and immoral practices in this book? I simply can't reccommend this book, or for that matter, anything else by these two men. They have lost their credibility by refusing to present the whole truth.
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Summary: Read President Hinckley's book
Review: For all of you complaining about oral sex and what has been said 30 to 40 years ago, read Pres. Hinckley in "Teachings of President Hinckley" to find out what he says NOW.
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Summary: A wonderful book
Review: I had heard from several people about this book was and I admit to feeling a little intrigued. Although I think my marriage is quite good, I know that it can always get better. After reading the book, there was one thought that kept coming back to me: "I wish I had read this book before I got married!" The authors have done such an excellent job of discussing a sensitive topic in an appropriate manner--with the gospel taking the forefront. Since it had actual examples from real people and quotes from church leaders, I always felt that I was getting very good advice and information. Since intimacy is such a huge part of marriage, I recommend it to anyone who is getting married, or is already married. This book will definitely help.
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Summary: Poor, outdated information.
Review: It's hard to imagine a book about intimacy that eschews any frank discussion of sex, is devoid of pictures or even drawings, and ignores biology. As someone who has taught college level classes in this area, this book is full of misinformation and a sexist view of marriage and intimacy. Given the authors' view of marital relations, perhaps this book should be called "The Job of Sex."
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