The Fetish Fact Book

If you ever wanted the whys and wherefores behind your own personal bizzare turn-ons, you may find this an educational read behind the history and psychology of your kink. Needs more pictures though.

Most Americans haven't the faintest idea of how deeply fetishes have wormed their way into the popular culture. Leave it to a Brit to point out the obvious to those of us living in their former American Colony. After a brief definition of just what constitutes the sub-culture of "Fetishism," Scott provides a historical glimpse of various fetishes especially those practiced within the Christian Church almost since it's birth. In addition to the peculiar practices of some of the Saints, and in other ancient cultures, the author then examines Feudal Japan and the birth of Japanese Rope Art and bondage fetishes. From Japan the author visits the France of Louis XV and then switches to the world of the Marquis de Sade. He slowly works through modern history including the Weimar Republic to its portrayal in the movie "Cabaret." Other films with a strong "fetish twist" included "After Hours," "Alien," "Barbarella," "Belle de Jour," "Blue Velvet," "Cat People," "The Matrix," and "Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl." etc., etc. Masked Balls, T.E Lawrence, Biker Chic, Corsets, Man Ray, Betty Page, Liz Hurley, Angelina Jolie, Emma Peel, Madonna, Goths, Robert Mapplethorp, whips, flogging, humiliation, unusual and horrible public punishments of criminals, leather, latex rubber, stockings, garter belts and extremely high-heeled boots, spanking, and S & M are only a few of the topics discussed by the author. It's amazing how the subliminal messages of various fetishes have slipped into main street fashions, music, literature, television and the cinema. As some of the obvious examples of the influence of various fetishes were pointed out and documented by the author, this reader felt like he was undergoing an epiphany. "Of course, it's so logical and obvious, how could I have missed it," was my usual reaction to what I was reading. I definitely grew up in a very sheltered home environment. This brief review can't begin to convey all the fetish facts revealed by this book. Once a reader has studied it, the whole media world appears entirely different. My biggest criticism of this book was the fact that it was printed in such a small format size (less than 4" by 6") that it was difficult to read, especially since the print was a shade or two light for the small type used for the text. That was probably because darker print would have shown through the book's cheap paper stock. Despite the ultra-economic (Cheap Charlie) production of the book itself, once a person has read this tome, the everyday news of the world will take on a whole new meaning. Humanity is very, very kinky and it often doesn't even realize it.