Product Description

Lonnie Barbach was among the first sex educators to break the taboo on women's erotic writing at a time when erotica was written by men, for men, and therefore did not adequately represent the sexual tastes of women. The Erotic Edge, her first book of arousing fiction for and by both men and women, is designed to bring couples together, enhance their sexual pleasure and deepen their mutual understanding of intimacy.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #80245 in Books
• Published on: 1996-02-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Barbach, editor of two previous compilations of erotica written by women, here assembles a collection of 22 stories authored by both sexes. While this volume certainly does not contain something for everyone (only one entry--pseudonymous Anna Nymus's "The Wager"--even touches on a gay relationship; domination/submission is dealt with once in the oddly moving "The Language of Desire," written by a couple identified only as Khafre and Patrice), it does offer up a veritable smorgasbord of spicy fantasies. Barbach has divided the tales according to theme--Very Male and Very Female; Common Themes; The Perfect Match --each prefaced by an introduction. She observes the differences between male and female erotic writing: "stories written by men concentrate on the details of the lovemaking scenes" while "women's stories emphasize seduction, desire and the mental foreplay that builds up to the sexual encounter." The more successful tales include Kim Chernin's "The Sacred Harlot," an account of ancient erotic forces called up at an academic conference; Marsha Power's graphic depiction of a female-initiated one-night stand in "11:30 P.M.--Saturday Night"; Clark Sevill Demorest's flip wish-fulfillment fantasy, "A Matter of Attitude"; and B. J. Simmons's "Unconditional Positive Regard," in which a couple make a first effort at "swinging." The level of prose is uneven in the collection as a whole, however; many of the stories are rather amateurishly written and feature cliched, wooden dialogue. Author tour.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
This collection of 22 short stories has been compiled as a tool for heterosexual couples to explore men's and women's perspectives on sex and to act as a catalyst for dialog about the subject. Barbach ( Going the Distance: Secrets of Lifelong Love, LJ 9/1/91) has selected erotic short fiction from both male and female writers that illustrates what each gender finds appealing about the sexual union. The collection subtly amplifies the general notion that men's erotic images are more visual and visceral and that women tend to find erotic content in the emotional development of the relationship. Although many of the stories have very explicit descriptions of copulation, the editor has not included stories featuring rape or anything more potentially objectionable than adultery and "swinging" fantasies. All the characters are willing participants, and even profanity is kept to a minimum. Recommended for larger public library collections.
- A. Arro Smith, San Marcos P.L., Tex.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews
An anthology of 22 erotic short stories selected by psychologist Barbach, whose interests in monogamy and women's sexuality come together in this book designed to help monogamous couples enhance their sex lives. The present collection differs from Barbach's earlier ones (Erotic Interludes, 1986, etc.) in that those were written by women for women, while this one is intended for both sexes. An interesting difference in male and female erotic writing styles soon becomes apparent: Stories written by men tend to be more visual and explicit, while those by women tend to emphasize feelings and the total relationship. The volume is divided into three parts, each with an introduction by Barbach. The tales in Part One, each with a distinctively male or female flavor, have varied themes: sex with a ghost, acting out fantasies, group sex, seduction. Part Two features three themes: unrequited love (a favorite with women), anonymous sex (more popular with men), and sexual affairs (both sexes write about this but handle it differently). Stories in the third section were written by couples, thus each event is seen from both a male and a female perspective. According to Barbach, who calls this final part ``The Perfect Match,'' these tales illustrate the dramatic variety of successful sexual relationships. She suggests that the stories be read as an aphrodisiac before or during lovemaking, and that solitary readers can use them as a substitute for an absent lover. For best effects, use sparingly. A surfeit of supple mouths, jutting nipples, and bare buttocks begins to pall, and when the erotic value of these tales fades, there's not much left to recommend them. -- Copyright ©1994, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Customer Reviews

Mediocre book with bad, non-erotic stories
My husband and I did not bother finishing this book. We skipped around to different chapters, as the editors suggest, in hopes of finding something erotic. The editors clearly had lofty aspirations for this book, but their intentions fell short of what they managed to achieve. Unfortunately, most of the stories were poorly written and laughably ridiculous; a bad combination. You can get mediocre erotica on the 'net for free. Don't waste your money.

A gag gift at best
This book is midly amusing and not at all sexy. It contains lines such as "Hi my name is Bob and I will be picking your pubic hair out of the filter..." I couldn't even begin to enjoy it.

I agree with the folks from Santa Monica
We found the stories a joke. Lisa and I LOL ed at the ha haaaa, see, twist in the 5 or 6 stories we read. I believe a person could buy any of the romance novels at the supermarket and get the same thing.