Nina Hartley's Guide to Total Sex

Feminist, registered nurse, sex educator and star of more than 400 adult films, Hartley's sex guide is a thorough, level-headed and straightforward look at all things sexual. Eighteen witty, easy-to-read chapters cover subjects from foreplay and cunnilingus to fellatio, three-ways, domination, toys, bondage and spanking. Each chapter ends with a handy chart reviewing dos and don'ts for the acts explored in detail. Hartley's experienced and capable voice takes the mystery out of sex, viewing all manner of intercourse as healthy activity that often requires more communication and lubrication than partners realize.

Intended mainly for heterosexuals and the bi-curious, Hartley and Levine, her husband, emphasize the enlightened female perspective, though advice on technique and position is useful for anyone. Unlike many other sex guides, this one does not include illustrations or photos, which makes it a comfortable choice for more reserved or reticent readers; as Hartley puts it, this is the sex guide "I wish I had owned when I turned eighteen."