Provocative Non-fiction

The following collection of provocative non-fiction books explore the sensual side of humanity—from the frivolous to the profound. Listed is an eclectic collection of books that deal with biographies, exotic places and people, sexual histories, trivia, philosophies and more.

Looking for provocative online pleasures? We recommend:

• Smut Network - Adult Videos on Demand when you rather watch than read
• Michelle7-Erotica - No fiction here, just intense truth in erotic photography
• Good Vibrations - Making the world a sexier place

Whip Smart: A Memoir by Melissa Febos
Thomas Dunne Books, March 2010; ISBN-10: 0312561024

Whip Smart is a dark, wild, powerful memoir about a young woman’s transformation from college student to professional dominatrix.

While a college student at The New School, Melissa Febos spent four years working as a dominatrix in a midtown dungeon. In poetic, nuanced prose she charts how unchecked risk-taking eventually gave way to a course of self-destruction. But as she recounts crossing over the very boundaries that she set for her own safety, she never plays the victim. In fact, the glory of this memoir is Melissa’s ability to illuminate the strange and powerful truths that she learned as she found her way out of a hell of her own making. Rest assured; the reader will emerge from the journey more or less unscathed.

“Melissa Febos takes us by the hand and leads us into a curious, disturbing, and funny world of a dominatrix, and she does so with often startlingly beautiful, expansive prose. That would be engaging enough. But what's even more gripping is Febos' fierce intelligence as she examines herself inside it. A must read for anyone interested in enlarging his or her understanding of sexual politics.” —Kerry Cohen, author of Loose Girl
Available at:  Amazon | Amazon UK

Best Sex Writing 2010 by Rachel Kramer Bussel (Editor)
Cleis Press (January 1, 2010); ISBN-10: 1573443786

From breastfeeding to swingers to underage sexting, the thinnest condom ever and sex work to the thrill of voyeurism and the story of X-rated Tijuana bibles, Best Sex Writing 2010 covers the latest, hottest topics from the world of sex.

Diana Joseph relives her slutty years while giving a mom’s perspective on her teenage son's description of girls in his yearbook, while Brian Alexander teaches us about sex surrogates, Tristan Taormino talks about pregnant sex, and Violet Blue offers a spirited defense of modern porn. The erotic elements of Twilight, adult sex ed, a visit to a BDSM porn set, the science behind penis size, a very special piece of ass, a cheating wife, and much more make it under the covers of Best Sex Writing 2010, culled from magazines, newspapers, blogs and websites by series editor Rachel Kramer Bussel.
Available at: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Pr0nnovation? Pornography and Technological Innovation
Re/Search Publications (August 1, 2009); ISBN-10: 1889307203

From the depiction of a vulva in a cave painting to the newest Internet porno, technology and sexuality have always been closely linked. So closely, in fact, that the development of emergent technologies—photograph, motion pictures, and the Internet—has been largely fueled and funded by pornography.

Immediately after producing his famous bible, Gutenberg used his press to print erotica. Photography was utilized just as quickly. And so the technological advances continue. No one can predict what the future will bring, but history indicates that sex will continue to play an essential role in technological development. Is it going too far to assume that research in nanotechnology and genetic engineering will be influenced by our sexual needs? The question is not whether these technologies alter humanity, but how they do so.

As J.G. Ballard once prophesied, "Sex times technology equals the future." In the spirit of Ballard's epiphany, an eclectic group of writers, theorists, artists, and philosophers gathered to speak at the 2007 Arse Elektronika, an annual conference hosted by the celebrated art-tech-philosophy collective monochrom—the talks are collected in PrOnnovation?

Lively and wide-ranging they explore the porn-tech connection historically and in the present day, covering topics such as sexual privacy in the online world, DIY pornography, the impact of digital effects on adult films, sex toys of Granny's day, and software interfaces for sexual interaction.

Contributors include Violet Blue, Carol Queen, Mark Dery, Thomas S. Roche, and Annalee Newitz. Timothy Archibald, author and photographer of the acclaimed Sex Machines, contributes color photographs.
Available at: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

In Praise Of Indecency by Paul Krassner
Cleis Press (June 1, 2009); ISBN-10: 1573443506

Paul Krassner's style of personal journalism constantly blurs the line between observer and participant. Nowhere is this more apparent than this collection of essays and interviews culled from his columns at AVN Online. Whether interviewing Susie Bright, imagining a conversation between busted masturbators Pee-Wee Herman and Pete Townshend, reminiscing about his friend Lenny Bruce (he edited Bruce's autobiography How To Talk Dirty and Influence People), or pondering the provenance of bizarre, sexually-oriented spam subject lines, Krassner shines his keen satirical mind on the so-called taboos of today’s society and breaks them down to show the utter hypocrisy of the world’s self-proclaimed “culture warriors.”

With a biting wit and tongue firmly planted in cheek, Krassner reveals the absurdity of our oppressive social mores in this stark, funny, and ultimately thought-provoking collection.

“The FBI was right; this man is dangerous—and funny, and necessary." —George Carlin

“He is an expert at ferreting out hypocrisy and absurdism from the
more solemn crannies of American culture.” —The New York Times
Available at: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Feisty First Ladies and Other Unforgettable White House Women by Autumn Stephens
Viva Editions (January 6, 2009); ISBN-10: 1573443565

Michelle Obama and author Autumn Stephens Celebrate Day 100! Obama-mania has been a buzz word since before the elections, but as the First Family celebrates their 100th day in the White House, even more attention is given to President Obama and First Lady Michelle. Autumn Stephens, author of Feisty First Ladies and Other Unforgettable White House Women, was interviewed by CNN.com for a featured article on Michelle Obama's first 100 days. Feisty First Ladies is the only book to include all the first ladies, including Michelle Obama!

Part irreverant portrait gallery, part exuberant exposé, Feisty First Ladies and Other Unforgettable White House Women introduces a remarkable array of wild women—from first First Lady Martha Washington to hot hostess Dolley Madison and Harvard-educated Michelle Obama. Author Autumn Stephens also dishes on daughters like Reagan rebel Patti Davis, Tricia Nixon, Susan Ford, and Mary Cheney, who were the tabloid fodder of their day.

Laugh out loud funny, and filled with amazing stranger-than-fiction facts from our American history, Feisty First Ladies and Other Unforgettable White House Women is a journey into the realm of the eclectic sisterhood whose outrageous words and deeds have rocked the fusty old foundations of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, and the nation!
Available at: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Dirty Words: A Literary Encyclopedia of Sex by Ellen Sussman
Bloomsbury USA (June 10, 2008); ISBN-10: 1596914742

This witty reference steps in where time-honored discussions of the birds and the bees typically fall short. All of the 100-some entries are formally defined and further explained through reflective and ribald definitions, essays, and stories by some of today’s most exciting writers.

Everything from celibacy to promiscuity, hand jobs to sex toys is tackled by everyone’s favorite writers including Steve Almond, Patricia Marx, Phillip Lopate, and Antonya Nelson. From sexual relationships (monogamy, one-night stand, ménage à trois) to sexual positions (doggie style, 69), from age-old practices (prostitution) to contemporary twists (cybersex), this alphabetical encyclopedia includes everything you need to know about the language of love and more.

A playful take on bedroom talk—a smart, funny encyclopedia with entries written by notable contemporary writers.
Available at: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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