The Big Book of Porn: A Penetrating Look at the World of Dirty Movies

Great coffee-table books, this covers a bunch of stars and genres. Easy to read with fun picture, this will make a great gift for those who have everything.

The Big Book of Porn lives up to its subtitle--it is a penetrating look at the world of dirty movies. It is a glossy, high-quality paperback with screenshots, actor portraits, vintage advertising posters, and glittery sidebars. Publisher Quirk Books has been known to release some wacky joke books in the past, but this thorough examination of a hobby with more viewers than sporting events (yes, it's true) is well worth the $20 cover price and a place on your history/anthropology bookshelf. The book opens with a timeline of the invention of still and motion pictures, the ratings administered by the MPAA, the history of obscenity rulings by the Supreme Court, and the evolution of the stag film, peep show, dirty movie theater, and home video. The author is thorough in his examination of history, from the printing press to dime store novels to VHS to the Internet and on to...virtual reality? Grahams-Smith alleges that all the high-falutin' academic research in virtual reality is founded in a desire to invent the Holy Grail of porn. He decries our prudishness about "wardrobe malfunctions" and celebrates the mainstream influence of Madonna, men's magazine Maxim, and the rise of S & M-inspired fashion. For anyone looking to advance their porn education, the author has a list of 20 all-time classics (Taboo, The Opening of Misty Beethoven, Insatiable, Alice in Wonderland, and more). The list explores the cultural and cinematic significance of each entry. Other lists include five modern classics and the two weirdest classics of all time (my lips are sealed, so pick up the book to find out the titles). The top list of leading ladies is impenetrable (who can argue with Annette Haven at #1?). Sidebars explore the magic formula for determining your porn name, the classic crossover actors, the international perspective, 20 sacred porn movie rules, and who's who in upcoming stars. Includes a glossary.

This is a great book written in a humorous and witty style. It will entertain you as well as educate you. It reveals a lot of real names of porn actors and actresses. Also, it is packed, and I mean packed with pictures. This book is a page turner, and hard (no pun intended) to put down. I would highly recommend.

Remember when you used to ride the bus to school and there was that one tough kid who sat in the back seat who was wise beyond his years? He was the go-to guy when you wanted to know about where to buy fireworks, what beer tasted like, and most importantly: what does "S-E-X" mean? You could ask him anything, and though he may chide you a bit, you'll get your answers. Author Seth Grahame-Smith is THAT guy. The Big Book of Porn has the answers to all those questions you were too lazy to search the internet to find, and too embarassed to ask your friends at the poker game. With a sharp and humorous slant to his writing, Grahame-Smith plows through the decades to make the Big Book of Porn an overview that's not only informative, but laugh out loud funny. The Big Book of Porn isn't the end-all, be-all for the history of porn, but if you want a crash course in what was, is, and will be, it's a must-read primer. Before you know it, you'll be the tough kid everyone is coming to for answers.

There she was, sitting just beyond the creamer counter at Starbucks and she was reading the exact same page!?! It was kismet. We clicked immediately. I'm a porn history buff, but I had never known some of these amazing facts and true stories! Natalie loves the pictures and the do-it-yourself section. The book is written with a great deal of humor, having some fun with what is - too often - a very drab topic. Great interviews, brilliant insights by the author, and excellent descriptions consistantly make this book an everyday read for this critic. One word of advice though: DO NOT BORROW THIS BOOK FROM A FRIEND. Go out there and buy your own! It's a better idea! Oh...and by "clicked"? I meant had sex with each other.