Book Reviews by Ashley Lister

• Red Hot Erotica Edited by Alison Tyler
• Luscious (stories of anal eroticism) Edited by Alison Tyler
• Slave to Love (sexy tales of erotic restraint) Edited by Alison Tyler
• The Ultimate Guide to Anal Sex for Women by Tristan Taormino

Warm up the mulled wine, haul out your stockings, and let’s find a jolly fat man with a bulging sack. I am aware that the festive season is a long way off but, having just received three great titles from Alison Tyler, and The Ultimate Guide to Anal Sex for Women by Tristan Taormino it feels like Christmas to me.

My first taste of an Alison Tyler anthology was a collection of short stories under the title Heatwave. At the time I recall thinking the content was hot stuff well written, very exciting and packed with an imaginative blend of erotic tales. I also remember thinking "You can’t get much hotter than this."

Red Hot Erotica has proved me wrong. Starting with That Summer by the Pool from Marilyn Jaye Lewis—a story of the frustration suffered by a woman who has everything—the anthology showcases the talents of many masters and mistresses of the erotic genre.

The theme of heat follows with the lazy climate of an English summer where Saskia Walker shows an inventive use for croquet hoops in her fun tale It’s Just Not Cricket. The sweltering excitement continues with contributions from N T Morley, Thomas Roche, Rachel Kramer Bussel, Dominic Santi and many other legends of erotic fiction. For those who want erotica that sizzles, Red Hot Erotica is a title that is suited to the sultriest summer weather.

Luscious - stories of anal eroticism includes a foreword by Tristan Taormino where she tries to explain our cultural obsession with most things related to the anus. Tristan is an intelligent lady, and an authority on this subject, and her eloquent explanation puts forward some viable theories. However, if she had really wanted to help us analyse the erotic appeal of anal sex, she need only have said read these stories.

The thing that leaps from the pages of these stories is the sense of fun involved. Tristan Taormino is correct in her assertion that anal sex does "challenge societal norms…[and] …test the limits of the body." But the stories in this collection remind us the act is most often performed between consenting adults because it’s extremely enjoyable.

Attitudes, expectations and approach differ greatly. Bryn Haniver introduces a pair of cheeky protagonists in Sometimes it’s Better to Give, while Alison Tyler’s curious heroine, Gina, goes on a path of discovery to find out if the forbidden act is Worth It. Saskia Walker (who writes her narrative with a smutty grin on her lips) recounts the deliciously enjoyable details of Edward’s Experiments.

Luscious combines an eclectic blend of sexual preferences and brings them neatly together in this exciting and innovative anthology. With a cast list that includes Kate Dominic, Ayre Riley, Greg Wharton, Sage Vivant and Jean Roberta (amongst many others) it’s an ASS-ET for anyone’s collection.

Slave to Love (sexy tales of erotic restraint) was the third Alison Tyler anthology I was lucky enough to read this month and, again, it’s been nothing but pleasure.

The intelligence in all of these anthologies is stimulating. Jean Roberta, Down Below, gives an interesting interpretation of The Cask of Amontillado, providing a more satisfying climax than was ever executed by Poe. Cate Robertson, Sonnet, shows Shakespeare’s poetry in an exceptionally erotic light.

Yet, aside from intelligence, the authors of these stories prove that restraint can easily be balanced with affection. Michelle Houston, Cowboy’s Dungeon, blends tenderness with her trademark zeal for satisfaction. And, with her enviably sleek style, Debra Hyde, Ever on Edge, portrays a very loving couple in an extremely punishing relationship.

In all three of the above anthologies the sexual encounters are eclectic, torrid and written for the connoisseur of powerful erotica. Any one of these titles would make a perfect companion for the bedside bookshelf. All three could make a reader believe that Christmas came early.

In truth, I had always grinned knowingly when listening to that joke and believed it contained a kernel of truth. But, in The Ultimate Guide to Anal Sex for Women, Tristan Taormino puts forward a very convincing argument against this notion as she elaborates on her statement "people who get buttfucked can have healthier asses than those who don’t!"

Tristan Taormino knows her stuff. An advocate, enthusiast and educator on the subject of anal sex, her words are supported by a list of impressive and authoritative credentials. She is an award-winning and best-selling author, an editor, columnist and teacher of relationship workshops. Considering her prolific output and busy schedule it’s a wonder she has time for anal sex, let alone the time to write about it.

And yet, she found time to write The Ultimate Guide to Anal Sex for Women and the revised second edition is a complete update of the original version. The second edition includes answers to questions that have occurred at Tristan’s workshops, as well as expanded chapters on power play and fisting. Also, new for the second edition, is a section on male anal eroticism.

The illustrations, provided by the talented illustrator and tattoo artist Fish, are simple, clean and delightfully appropriate for each subject.

But, the most important thing about this book is it’s fun.

Tristan writes in an easy style, condensing the technicalities of complicated topics into accessible information. Considering the material involved, which is usually shrouded in medical terms and ambiguous references, this is no mean feat. But, with its honest approach to the medical considerations, physical practicalities and every other factor, it is no small wonder that salon.com called this book, "The bible of female anal sex."

Anal sex is still something of a taboo subject and, consequently, there is little sense written about the topic and even less that can be considered helpful or informative. Fortunately, Tristan Taormino’s book is available and can shed light and illumination on an area where the sun doesn’t usually shine.

Ashley Lister
July 2006

______
"Ashley Lister Submits" © 2006 Ashley Lister. All rights reserved.

About the Author:  Ashley Lister is a UK author responsible for more than two-dozen erotic novels written under a variety of pseudonyms. His most recent work, Swingers: True Confessions from Today's Modern Swinging Scene (Virgin Books; ISBN: 0753511355), a non-fiction book recounting the exploits of UK swingers, is his first title published under his own name.
Ashley’s non-fiction has appeared in a variety of magazines, including Forum, Chapter & Verse and The International Journal of Erotica.  Nexus, Chimera and Silver Moon have published his full-length fiction, with shorter stories appearing in anthologies edited by Maxim Jakubowski, Rachel Kramer Bussel and Mitzi Szereto.  He is very proud to be a regular contributor to ERWA.
Email: Ashley Lister
Website: www.ashleylister.co.uk

  E-mail this page

Copyright © 1996 and on, Erotica Readers Association, Inc.
All Rights Reserved World Wide. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or
medium without express written permission is prohibited.