Rating: 
Summary: For "frigid" girls who have considered celibacy ...
Review: ... when coupling wasn't enough.Although I'd purchased this book a year ago, I didn't get around to reading it until a friend loaned me Dodson's "Selfloving" video about her group workshops with women. Dodson was such an effective speaker that I dug out the book just to get more of the inside story. Those who call this a partial autobiography and a "why to" more than "how to" book are quite right -- for "how to," I'd suggest her video. However, like with other forms of sex, there can be a difference between getting off from masturbating and actually feeling like a worthwhile person during and afterwards. To my mind, that's what this book is about. Some of Dodson's ideas are indeed still controversial: she suggests non-monogomy, to the point of extra-marital affairs, as potential help for sexual problems; she suggests that people talk to each other, even to their parents, about masturbation; the medically researched link between masturbation and meditation/creativity was news to me. I don't think the era we live in will determine whether this book is still necessary -- I think it'll be whether anyone still reacts to it with wonder and relief.
Rating:
Summary: Positively Done!
Review: A very positive book. The author is giving you encouragement to be comfortable with your own body. If you love yourself and your body and are sexually confident then you don't seem to have trouble with physical or emotional issues of the content in this book. I think it seems to be more society and others who have trouble with masturbation. This was a very healthy and refreshing book and expresses permission to overcome any sexual inhibitions. A very interesting read.
Rating: 
Summary: Narcissism for One
Review: After reading this book, I came to the conclusion that this is probably a very useful "self-help manual" (pun intended) for one of two basic personality types: 1). Repressed prudes who grew up in Lynchburg, Va, who now need to get out from under religious fundamentalists' war against common sense and healthy sex, and; 2). Narcissists who are so self-obsessed that they make Prince and
Madonna look like John the Baptist and the real Madonna. For the former, this is indeed a liberating text. Run! -- don't walk -- to your nearest bookseller and buy this before it's too late! As you reach the unabashed pleasure of your first self-imposed orgasm, you will thank Betty Dodson, shouting "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God almighty, I'm free at last!" For the latter, this is more of the fawning adulation and psychological reinforcement you've come to expect as your birthright, a daily affirmation for your right to love yourself above all others. It must be nice living life with nothing but mirrors around you, and Ms. Dodson fashions quite the looking glass with this book. However, for those who don't need an authority figure to say it's "okay" to fondle ourselves, and for those who don't think this world revolves around ourselves, this book leaves some pretty slim pickins. And this is the main problem with the book. I don't know about women: Their good looks and curvaceous figures may be adequate for self-arousal. But for any guy (who isn't a narcissist) who masturbates, we all know that masturbation is hardly an act of self *love.* More often than not, it's something we do when there's not a female companion available, or because we are fantasizing about some other woman (or women). That is to say, masturbation is more a form of altruistic devotion to the women of our dreams and fantasies than it is an act of self worship. Masturbation is thus not *self* love, but worship at the altar of Woman. If this reader had to rely on his own carnal being as a source for sexual inspiration and arousal, he'd *never* masturbate. Fortunately, though, there's the pornography business. And there's
always the hope that the lover of our dreams will walk into our lives someday. Hence, masturbation, because that so seldom happens. C'est la vie. To sum up: I agree with the crux of Ms. Dodson's argument, that
masturbation is healthy and natural. It is. However, I disagree that it should be *preferred* to sex with a loving partner. It's sort of like buying one of those fake Rolex watches from the guy standing on the street corner of 48th and Broadway. It satisfies our need to tell time, but falls far short of our need to bask in real opulence. Same with masturbation. There's no subsitute for the real thing. On second thought, while I agree with Dodson that masturbation is
healthy and natural, I wish she would back off from all that liberal moral relativity talk about masturbation not being dirty and shameful; Please, don't take away our sinful pleasures, Betty! Sex is *always* more fun when it's dirty, just as drinking was more pleasureable during Prohibition, when it was illegal.
Rating:
Summary: The Godmother of Self love speaks!
Review: From a male's perspective, I found this book to be nothing more than the poor man's version of "Prince Of Tides." Sure I was able to climax with the help of this book, but heck, I can do that even with a strong wind from the south. My advice, buy a dildo, vaseline and Jack Daniels and call it a night.
Rating:
Summary: A must read!
Review: From Joan Mazza, author of Dreaming Your Real Self and Dream Back Your Life: Betty Dodson's positive attitude and comfort with her body permeates every aspect of this book. With encouragement and clarity, she offers women the permission and direction so long overdue. It's about time an act so human and life-affirming has gotten the validation it deserves. I recommend it regularly to my psychotherapy clients, male and female. Thank you, Betty.
Rating:
Summary: More than meets the eye
Review: I first read this book nearly five years ago, and as a man I can honestly agree the autobiographical info was a bit dull. And the mechanical information didn't seem that earth-shaking either. But somehow tucked into this little book is a very simple yet powerful combination of permission and basic vibrator know-how that allows pre-orgasmic women to finally "get it." I should know, my wife of 12 years finally after trying everything we could think of, felt something. And that something quickly turned to orgasm, and in short order she was reliably orgasmic. There is nothing so joyous as the smile on a lover's face the very first time she cums. I'm a believer and Betty rules! Only thing better than the book are her videos.
Rating: 
Summary: A Table for One, Please
Review: Self love. Where does one start? And, importantly, how does one stop? In this indulgent (what else would you expect?) treatise on the love that dare not leave the loo, the author takes us by the hand, guides us to the closet, turns off the light and then directs us to the nearest basin for a quick rinse. A soup to nuts (can you say that on network TV?) compendium on the world's oldest profession's natural enemy that is polished, buffed and turgid. I particularly appreciated the free page holder that allowed for one-handed reading. A lauditory addition to the complete masturbator's library.
Rating:
Summary: eye-opening and empowering
Review: Sex for One is the latest version of a book that Betty originally self-published as "Liberating Masturbation," in the early 1970s. I own all three revisions of this book, and treasure tham all. This is a very important book to read if you seek to understand your sexuality. I discovered it in the early 1980s, and was deeply moved by Betty's honesty and open attitude about sex. As a young man coming of age in the turbulent 60s, I was listening to feminists to try and understand what women wanted and where I fit in with that. Betty is a sex-positive feminist, and her rational, non-judgemental approach to sexuality really helped me come to terms with my own sexual energy. It was so refreshing to hear a woman talk so openly about her wants, needs and desires, and to see that women were indeed sexual creatures, too. Nowadays, we have Susie Bright, Carol Queen, Annie Sprinkle and many others who are sex-positive women speaking out, but Betty was an early and vital groundbreaker for this kind of material. She struck such a strong resonance with me that I wrote to her and we have been penpals ever since. I am therefore a bit biased, being a friend and fan of hers. The book tells of her experiences with her own sexuality and the workshops she led for women to discover orgasm for themselves and open exchanges with other women. It has some of her own beautiful artwork of couples and single people, including drawings of female genitalia (some of which demonstrate the origins of the Valentine Heart), to illustrate the material she discusses in the text. It is very tastefully done, and educational for those who are not familiar with the bodies and behaviors of others. It is not an extensive encyclopedia of human sexuality, but rather a guidebook for learning about your own sexuality and becoming okay with how you express that. It is geared primarily for women, but men can benefit from it as well. Masturbation is a very touchy subject (pun intended), and one that causes a great deal of anguish. (Just ask Jocelyn Elders. The woman should have gotten a medal, not been fired.) My view is this: sex can be seen to be much like food - it is a primary survival drive, and if we do not express that energy openly, it will leak out in other, negative behaviors, such as violence. Whether we eat alone or with others, we need to eat, and sex is the same. Masturbation is like eating alone. Not every meal is supposed to be a banquet with others. We need to eat to survive, and to practice our table manners for when we do dine with others. Masturbation is also a sexual act we can share with partners to help open up our understanding of each other, the wide range of sexual expression, and the true power and beauty of our sexual energy. It also has a place in the practice of other religious and spiritual systems not represented by the mainstream. The tendency to focus on heterosexual genital intercourse as the only "proper" sex people are supposed to practice greatly distorts the true nature of our sexual energy, and deprives us of our spiritual birthright. Sexual energy is a vital part of our spiritual and physical makeup, and too often we are unfortunately burdened by religious oppression which seeks to distort and control our personal sexual energy. The reasons why religions seek to suppress sexual expression have much to do with property and the historical campaign of the Aryan-derived, violent, monotheistic, patriarchal religions to destroy all the tribal, matriarchal and matrilineal nature-based religions. Incredible violence and bloodshed has happened over the last 3000 years because of this. Liberating one's sexual energy is a primary key to any real spiritual liberation, and heavily structured organizations like religions hate people who are spiritually liberated - they are difficult, if not impossible, to manipulate. There is a great book by Merlin Stone, "When God Was a Woman," that deals very well with the whole subject of how our present religions came to be what they are. The truth will shock and anger you. The real story is quite different than we have been led to believe. Learning to understand and control one's own sexual energy is a vital part of being a free person, which is the whole purpose of our country and its ideals. This book can be one step on the road to a greater understanding of one's sexual nature, and a respect for that of others. I recommend it for all those who seek such understanding. There are also many good books and websites on Sacred Sex, Tantra, Taoist sex practices, and Western Sex Magick that will take one further along the road to understanding the connection between sex and spirit. There is far more to sex than you have been told.
Rating:
Summary: A classic in the field by a great lady
Review: Surely someone should find an appropriate category to nominate Betty Dodson for a Nobel Prize. Unfortunately, they do not give them out for pleasure (which tells you why the world needs Betty Dodson). She reminds us that our brains, our hearts and our sexual organs all exist to give us pleasure and we can engage one, two or all of these as we please. Three is no compulsion here, how it should be done, or that a "relationship" must be paramount for a woman, or that political correctness should guide a woman's hand. I can attest that Betty Dodson's works have, over the years, helped grannies, mommies, lawyers and innocent teenagers.
Rating:
Summary: A "must read" for any woman living alone !!
Review: The author uses her own personal, sometimes funny, experiences as examples. She, being a gifted artist, also includes wonderful charcoal sketches to enrich her teachings. I plan to read her other books and hope they are this interesting, useful, and unique as "Sex for One".
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