Rating: Summary: For Beginners Only Review: My first and only complaint: this book is subtitled "A Commonsense Guide to Kinky Sex" and there is very little information on kinky sex to be found outside of the BDSM arena. Frankly, in my opinion, Bondage & Domination is probably the LEAST kinky sex there is. That said, this little book should come in handy for beginners who think they are freaks for wanting to be spanked. There's plenty of commonsense information about the practical side of tying people up and what to do once they are tied. Lots of questions from "real" people and lots of anecdotal evidence. Overall, it's a fine little book for helping people get on the right side of their alternate sexuality. Along with some clever marketing (a too cute cover) and a charming title, this will probably be the book that people select over a more clinical-sounding book, like "The Bondage Handbook", or something. The information is no different, no better and no more insightful; Gloria Brame just has a better friend in the publicity department.
Rating: Summary: I've read better Review: There is some good information in this book and if this book had been published ten years ago it would have been very valuable. However there are now already at least half a dozen good intro-to-BDSM books in print and given that fact this book does not convince me that it needs to be there too. There is some general discussion of basic topics such as negotiation and consent, and some safety tips. There isn't even a single illustration other than the cartoons on the cover. There is also a long chapter on cross-dressing which is pretty good but I don't quite understand what its doing in a BDSM book. The information in it is pretty good but the book seems to lack an overall sense of direction and organization. I don't think its entirely clear on what kind of book its trying to be. Still there is some good information in here. In my opinion better introduction to BDSM books have been written by Philip Miller and Molly Devon, Jay Wiseman, Pat Califia, John Warren, Lady Green and Race Bannon.
Rating: Summary: Excellent Kinky handbook! Review: This book is a must for those who are either in the BDSM lifestyle or those who yearn for the answer to that burning question...how can I explore my kinky side? Dr. Brame's informative and witty style brings you close enough to kink and fetishes to smell the leather and feel the sting of the whip. I was astounded by the wide variety of fetishes! Another incredible book from the most talented Dr. Brame.
Rating: Summary: Written to a SHARP Point! Review: This is a great book about a lot of aspects of kink. I found it very helpful and straightforward, and it touches on a lot of subjects. It's very easy to read, and it's something I recommend for anyone who's at all interested in the subject matter. The book is more of a handbook, and that's what I really liked about it -- it's very easy to stop and start if you want to try things out, or to sit and read through to see what appeals to you.
Rating: Summary: Very useful and I loved it! Review: This is a great book about a lot of aspects of kink. I found it very helpful and straightforward, and it touches on a lot of subjects. It's very easy to read, and it's something I recommend for anyone who's at all interested in the subject matter. The book is more of a handbook, and that's what I really liked about it -- it's very easy to stop and start if you want to try things out, or to sit and read through to see what appeals to you.
Rating: Summary: Only for beginners Review: This is a truly mediocre book, form someone who ought to be able to do better. Ms Brame has been active in the SM scene for years; she ought to have rid herself of the stereotypes years ago, especially since this is so clearly a book intended for people so new to the scene that they don't even know if they are dominant or submissive. And Ms Brame ought to be able to help them with that without resorting to silly, "Cosmo" style quizzes that really only provide limited amusement and less real information. The amount of cutesy tripe that puffs up this book is especially annoying because there are some sections that have the potential to be of great help to the newcomer, but can barely be found, buried, as they are, under trite in-jokes. Perhaps Ms Brame figured that actually providing information wasn't so important, as her readers had probably already read the other, really good books that have been introducing newcomers to the scene for many years.
Rating: Summary: A good book that rings true Review: This is the first book on the subject that i've actually managed to read cover-to-cover, without wanting to skip around. It also rings true with my personal experiences so far, particularly her section on "types of people to watch out for". Browsing that section in the bookstore is what convinced me to look at the book in more depth and to buy it. Upon reading the entire book i'm glad I did. I particularly like her inclusive nature, and her stressing of (nearly, she has reservations about medically dangerous stuff) everything being ok, as long as it involves people capable of consent, who know what they are getting into. It seems there are so many other sources which have an idea of "the one true way" to do it, and anything else is somehow wrong, or not "real BDSM". This book was a refreshing breath of air. I found the writing style to be very comfortable and readable, and not stuffy or dry. I found her discussions of the social stigmas associated with various practices very interesting. Also, the discussions of the emotional and mental aspects; this is more than just another "how-to" book. This is a book I would not be afraid to give to someone who may be questioning their "vanilla-ness". Its a gentle opening of the eyes, instead of a drop-kick into the middle of the ocean. I wish I had read this before an encounter with a "one-true-way" type who nearly drove me away forever. Fortunately, I realized that not all players are that way, and this book really helps to make that clear. For instance, its perfectly ok to be a dominant masochist, or a hedonist, one just needs to find compatible partners, and they are out there somewhere. I think it also helps make clear just how common kink must be, in spite of appearances (after all, at the icecream shop, how many flavors are vanilla, and how many aren't? 8) The world will be a much better place once people are actually allowed to be who they are; this book is a step in helping that to come about. The book loses a star (I would have given it 4.5, if that were an option) due to an occasional bias in examples toward what must be the author's personal preferences, although I suppose its good to use what you know. Fortunately this detracts very little from the overall content and message. I think the book would be good for anyone, no matter which of the GLBTS (s is for straight) letters apply to them. Unlike a previous review I found the trans(gender/sexual/vestite) discussion to be very enlightening and appropriate, in its place in the book, particularly in helping to understand the differences in the various categories. Trans people can certainly be into BDSM as much as anyone else, and some people use trans as a form of BDSM. I suspect many people tend to always lump "the other" into one group and don't want to realize that the topics are more complex than that. This book helps to dispel that for a number of topics related to sex in some way.
Rating: Summary: Please, Mistress, May I Have Another? Review: When beer companies and fashion designers begin basing advertising campaigns on high-gloss photographs of men licking the feet of models wearing black stilettos, you know pop culture has truly become obsessed with all things leather and kinky. It's a far cry from 1993 when Dr. Gloria Brame was the lead writer of "Different Loving," the ground-breaking book on sexual dominance and submission. The book was so controversial it almost didn't get published; it's now considered the Bible of the BDSM movement and one of the driving forces behind kink going mainstream. "Come Hither" is Brame's long-waited follow-up, a perfect companion to that first book. If "Different Loving" was a scholarly and detached overview of an exciting and unexplored new world, then "Come Hither" is like finding a chatty and knowledgeable tour guide who knows all the best spots in town. This is a book for both the curious and the experienced. Fearful of sharing your fantasies of being tied up to your partner? "Come Hither" offers clear and smart advice. Wondering about the proper use of a Butterfly Board or a Neuro-Wheel? "Come Hither" has detailed descriptions of dozens of kinky toys and devices. Brame not only is one of the world's foremost experts on BDSM, she's also an engaging writer who is able to convey her passion and knowledge in a conversational style. She never takes herself, or her topic, too seriously. So much of society's perception of BDSM is cloaked in danger and darkness. Brame shows the human side: the intimacy and the warmth and the humor. "Will heavy makeup make me look cheap?" she asks in a chapter delving into cross-dressing. "Of course," she replies, with a wink and a nod. "Isn't that the fun part of it?" You'll find a lot of those kinds of moments in "Come Hither." You'll also find solid and fascinating information and tips by the woman who, literally, wrote "the book" on BDSM.
Rating: Summary: Marginally good SM book Review: While there were several sections of the book that were quite good (such as Transgenderism, descriptions of Dominants/submissives, Bondage, and a good resources section), there were several chapters that seemed to cover the same topics that other books for SM novices have already covered. While these are important topics to cover, it seems the author made these topics a bit too simplistic. In the first half of the book, I found my mind wandering often. The second half of the book (where most of the above information is located) was better. However, Gloria's mention of "Old Guard" practices is slightly off. There never was one true Old Guard (possibly variations on it), and she makes it seem as if there was. I also noticed in the Resource section that no mention is made of the book SM101 by Jay Wiseman, which IMO is also an excellent introductory SM book.
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