Introduction to SM

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Because of the proliferation of books which provide introductions to BSDM / Leathersex / Power Exchange / Whatever you want to call it, we've broken our SM section in two. This is the "introduction" section; for books beyond these, check out our Leathersex Nonfiction page.
[RECOMMENDED!]

Bondage for Sex
Rose, Chanta
BDSM Press
Not since The Seductive Art of Japanese Bondage has there been such an informative, yet breathtakingly lovely, book on rope bondage. Bondage for Sex: Volume 1 is a full color (on glossy pages) instruction book on how to tie up your lover with rope, but the twist here (no pun intended) is that these positions are specifically designed to allow you to still have sex while tied up. From the Basic Spread Eagle to the rather advanced Open Leg Pile Driver, there's something here to spice up anyone's sex life. The pictures are professional, the models gorgeous, the setting sumptuous, the information sound and easy easy easy to follow. We can't recommend it highly enough. (2006, 138 pp.)

item MB-BSM-1323: $31.95 [Order]
b-bsm-1323


[RECOMMENDED!]

Consensual Sadomasochism: How to talk about it & How to do it safely
Henkin, William A., Ph.D., and Sybil Holiday, CCHT
Daedalus Publishing Company
This book is this reviewer's favorite intro-to-SM text. It's well-written, clearly organized, and exhaustively thorough, with detailed information about virtually every form of sadomasochism, dominance play and bondage known to humanity. Written for women and men, straight and queer, it gives accurate, comprehensive, non-judgmental information about both physical and emotional safety. Excellent, excellent, excellent. We can't recommend it highly enough. (2003, 281 pp.)

item MB-DLD-1134: $17.95 [Order]
b-dld-1134


Jay Wiseman's Erotic Bondage Handbook
Wiseman, Jay
Greenrey
A very thorough instructional manual, very specifically on bondage. Lots of SM how-to books discuss bondage, often at some length; but because they're dealing with a zillion other SM-related issues, they don't have the space to go into the extensive detail that this one particular -- and particularly popular -- activity deserves. So if binding or being bound is the thing you want to know about, here's the book you want. Written for both novices and experienced players, it explains lots and lots and lots of different bondage methods and techniques in thorough detail, with good, clear illustrations. And it addresses several issues about bondage in general, including extensive information about safety. The writing style is occasionally annoying, but is mostly okay. (2000, 323 pp.)

item MB-GRN-1799: $16.95 [Order]
b-grn-1799


The Kinky Girl's Guide to Dating
Grey, Luna
Greenery Press
If you're new to the world of kinky dating and need a good starting place, look no further. The Kinky Girl's Guide to Dating is an easy-to-read introduction, full of anecdotes and written mainly in a conversational style that makes it fun to read. Full of good advice on how to find and more-or-less safely immerse yourself in your local BDSM scene, this book will help those interested in exploring their naughtier nature feel more secure while doing so. Be warned that more experienced players will find some of this information both too obvious and too scant; the author relies heavily on general references to her Resource section, and we wish she'd at least give some specific pointers in the body of the book itself. Still, the book is such an interesting and comforting read that newer players will probably devour it cover to cover, making it an excellent place to begin your research. (2004, 166 pp.)

item MB-GRN-1138: $16.95 [Order]
b-grn-1138


[RECOMMENDED!]

The New Bottoming Book
Easton, Dossie & Janet W. Hardy
The revised and updated edition of an excellent and popular text! The authors take a funny, thoughtful and exciting look at submission, masochism and related activities from an insider's point of view. This book is ideal reading for that "Coming-Out-To-Yourself" period that so many of us go through around SM. Humorously illustrated by Fish. (2001, 173 pp.)

item MB-GRN-1899: $14.95 [Order]
b-grn-1899


[RECOMMENDED!]

The New Topping Book
Easton, Dossie & Janet W. Hardy
Greenery Press
The revised and updated edition of an excellent and popular text! SM educators Easton and Hardy do for tops what they did for bottoms in The New Bottoming Book. More than just a how-to book, it's a why-to book as well, and the insights will particularly help the raw novice as well as the jaded -- excuse us, experienced -- long time player. Somewhat to her surprise, our reviewer agrees with just about everything the authors have to say (and she loves to argue with books on topics that she knows -- or thinks she knows -- something about!). With illustrations by Fish, dyke cartoonist par excellence. (2003, 200 pp.)

item MB-GRN-1071: $14.95 [Order]
b-grn-1071


The Seductive Art of Japanese Bondage
Midori (with photographer Craig Morey)
This beautifully printed, well-illustrated coffee-table-size book (no, it's not as big as a coffee-table, you silly people) provides clear, thorough, step-by-step instructions on how to do Japanese rope bondage. (For those of you who aren't familiar with it, Japanese bondage is a centuries-old form of rope bondage, done with the goal of being both decorative and functional.) Written by sex educator Midori (a.k.a. FetishDiva Midori), The Seductive Art of Japanese Bondage introduces the reader to the history and general principles of the technique and gives thorough, step-by-step instructions on seven different basic forms/positions, accompanied by clear, detailed line drawings of each step in the process. Plus each position is illustrated with a full-color photo of the completed pose. Like Japanese rope bondage itself, the book is both lovely to look at and extremely functional. (2001, 175 pp.)

item MB-GRN-1860: $27.95 [Order]
b-grn-1860


Shibari You Can Use: Japanese Rope Bondage and Erotic Macrame
Harrington, Bridgett
This rope-bondage book is chock-full of instructions for really cool ties, corsets, gauntlets, chest harnesses and even dildo harnesses (which can be made for any size body!) that you can make out of rope! Starting with the basics (the kinds of rope, how tight you should bind, how to care for your rope, etc.), each chapter takes you one step further in the world of Shibari (Japanese decorative rope bondage): One Column Ties, Two Column Ties, Chest Harnesses, Combinations, Rope Corsets and Crotch Ropes. Not as glossy as Bondage for Sex (this one is all black-and-white inside), this book focuses more on wearable bondage (harnesses, wrist bondage, etc.) than on using rope to tie a person down for sex, though there is some overlap between the two. In other words, if you're looking for a book to teach you to make a very nice, all-rope outfit for your next sex party, this is the book you want. (2006, 155 pp.)

item MB-MYP-1322: $22.95 [Order]
b-myp-1322


Two Knotty Boys Showing You the Ropes
Two Knotty Boys, Larry Utley
Green Candy Press
Not just another rope bondage how-to book, Two Knotty Boys Showing You the Ropes is possibly the easiest to understand of all the easy-to-understand rope bondage books that have come out recently. It breaks down the steps so fine that often you get to see both the step in action ("pull the end all the way over the top") and what it looks like once that step is done ("you have two ropes hanging down"), which is way useful when you're trying to figure out if you're doing it right. The photography is black-and-white, but very clear and, we'll say it again, easy to follow. The whole thing is arranged in self-explanatory sections: The Knots (from square knots to trinity Celtic knots), Basic Bondage (Cat's Paw for Ankles, Rope Shackle, etc.), Decorative Bondage (Rope Corset, Trinity Knot Bra, Tortoise Shell Bodysuit, and so on), Dominance Bondage (Wrist Tie-Back, Quick Bit Gag, etc.), and Sex Bondage (from Table Tie-Down to Rope Strap-On). And it's seriously reasonably priced as well. What's knot to like? (2006, 80 pp.)

item MB-GCY-1367: $16.95 [Order]
b-gcy-1367


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