Title: The Anal Sex Position Guide: The Best Positions for Easy, Exciting, Mind-Blowing Pleasure Author: Tristan Taormino Publisher: Quiver Books Publish Date: 2009 Pages: 176 Genres:: How-To Guide, Non-Fiction, Sexual Health/Men, Sexual Health/Women Reviewer: Kathryn Friedman

Rating:

Tristan Taormino’s The Anal Sex Position Guide is a comprehensive guide to anal sex that far exceeds the scope designated in the title. In addition to covering a wide range of positions and techniques for people of all levels of experience and comfort, The Guide includes instructions on how to communicate with a partner, how to prepare for anal sex both physically and mentally, and how to take proper health and hygiene precautions.

The photographs in the manual are erotic as well as instructive; they, in combination with short erotic narratives that are sprinkled throughout the book, could elicit anal sex fantasies in even the most tentative of readers. While the book has some organizational issues—stemming from the fact that health and psychological concerns are mixed together, rather than grouped into focused sections—what it lacks in order, it makes up for in terms of depth, breadth, and pertinence of the information covered.

Sensibly, the book opens with a section on genital and anal anatomy. Unfortunately, the descriptions are extremely confusing and there are no diagrams to help the reader visualize. If you were already well-versed in anatomy, the descriptions would be too elementary to offer any assistance, but if you didn’t know a frenulum from a fourchette, they would not conjure discernable impressions. Most confusing is the discussion of the relative positions of the external and internal sphincters, the anus, the anal canal, and the rectum. As anal sex is the focus of the book, the lack of illustrative diagrams is particularly problematic when it comes to explaining the locations of the prostate and G-spot. The redeeming factor in the anatomy section is the description of the various anatomical sources of pleasure for both men and women.

In her stellar section on preparation, Taormino talks about regulating bowel movements, having realistic expectations regarding cleanliness, and how to clean the anus and rectum. Her discussion of enemas includes useful tips on insertion, what types of enemas to steer clear of, and how far in advance of anal play an enema should be used. Her discussion of lubes includes a comparison of water-based, silicone-based, and oil-based lubes, concentrating on consistency, texture, and taste; application, longevity, and clean-up procedures; and, how vaginal fluids and spit alone are never sufficient. Most importantly, she reviews which types of lube are compatible with condoms and sex toys, which types can cause vaginal irritation and infection, and why you should absolutely not use lube that contains a numbing agent.
Taormino provides almost exhaustive coverage of the health topics relevant to anal sex: the dangers of transferring an object from the ass to the vagina; the widely misunderstood relationship between hemorrhoids and anal sex; and, the increased risk of STD transmission. It is surprising that she fails to mention the risk of acquiring parasites through anal contact and that lack of proper lubrication is one of the most common causes of condom breakage.

Taormino recognizes that, in addition to being an intense physical experience, anal sex is especially emotionally charged, due to the stigma surrounding the act and the physically vulnerable position in which it puts the receptive partner. A great amount of trust, responsibility, and patience is required to ensure that anal sex is physically pleasurable for both partners and does not leave either partner feeling bad, dirty, or like their needs have not been acknowledged.

For these reasons, she recommends sharing concerns, insecurities, and expectations before the experience begins as well as continuing to provide constant and honest updates throughout. She emphasizes the importance of the receiver calling the shots and the penetrator taking directions, and she even recommends position to facilitate free communication. Perhaps, her best advice is for the receiver to incorporate anal play into her masturbatory routine, so she can she can gradually explore her preferences and limitations in a pressure and judgment-free environment, before sharing with her partner. Taormino shines in her insistence that boundaries and intentions must be clear for an anal experience to be pleasurable and safe.
           
The communication coverage in Taormino’s book falls short where she evidences unrealistic expectations regarding how couples broach the topic of anal sex. She suggests that you initiate a conversation by taking a non-committal, disinterested stance to gauge your partner’s general response. She also suggests that you read your partner an erotic story, which might arouse the interest of some, but might seem hokey to others. Although these transparent tactics evade putting pressure on a partner who is not interested, if you are with a partner you trust, you might want to take a more direct and less contrived approach to satisfying your curiosities and desires.

Taormino introduces her section on positions and techniques by giving a “penetration primer,” in which she encourages exploring the anal entry with fingers and tongues before penetration is attempted. Offering useful tips, she assures that the initial penetration is the most difficult. She emphasizes that the more control the receiver has over the process and the more aroused she is before anal stimulation is introduced, the easier penetration will be.
           
The guide to positions and techniques starts with “beginner and basic positions” and progresses to “advanced positions.” An erotic and attractive photograph accompanies each position, prompting the book to exceed more traditional and sterile position guides. Some of the photographs are truncated or showcase the models in motion, obscuring appendages and blurring specifics. Each position has a verbal description featuring issues, such as body type and mobility; strength, flexibility, and stamina; amount of body contact and visual stimulation; angle and depth of entry; and, role playing dynamics. Taormino gives position-specific tips for maximizing pleasure, and she even notes which positions can accommodate well-endowed men and which ones can enhance small men. Taormino mentions that most of her positions can be adapted for homosexual couples, although she fails to note the obvious: Her book can double as a guide for vaginal sex.

Taormino’s section on toys for anal pleasure is well-rounded and inclusive, referencing sensation, safety, and personal preference. She compares toy materials on the basis of pliability, smoothness, and temperature conduction; hygiene and health issues; ease with which to clean and maintain; and, price range. She reviews the relative merits of anal bead, butt plugs, dildos, vibrating toys, and double penetration toys, assessing functionality and variety. The most important subject Taormino covers in this section is how objects can and will get lost in the ass, unlike the vagina, and how anything you enter into your ass must have a flared base or handle, if you wish to avoid an emergency room situation. Unfortunately, as she tacks this thoughtful discussion onto the end of her coverage of metal toys, casual readers are likely to miss this critical information.

She begins her discussion on anal pleasure in men by dispelling the stereotypes surrounding male anal stimulation: She assures that many straight men like anal stimulation and that assuming the role of receptor does not make someone less of a man. Then, she describes how to stimulate the prostate, the effects of prostate stimulation on erection and ejaculation, and the history and varieties of prostate toys. In her complete and comprehensible section on strap-ons, she explains what factors to consider when choosing equipment and which positions work particularly well for strap-on usage.

Near the end of The Guide, Taormino presents a summation of the issues to consider when choosing a position: comfort, communication, access, angle and depth, who’s on top, orgasm, and the overall dynamic. After reading her book, any reader should be well-prepared to approach each of these aspects with an educated perspective.

Despite its organizational issues and sparse omissions, The Anal Sex Position Guide provides a thorough, informative, and judgment-free account of both the psychological and physical issues relevant to a range of anal activities, including but not limited to anal sex, itself. The instructions are generally clear and detailed, the pros and cons are well laid out, and the illustrative photographs are enticing. I strongly recommend The Guide to beginners, seasoned veterans, and anyone else who is curious about what anal sex entails in terms of pleasure, preparation, and other considerations.