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Ultimate Guide to Solo Sex: All You Need to Know About Masterbation
Masturbation is a many-splendored thing but even here, all of us can get into a comfortable rut. Take what can be really good to really great with Jenny Block's guide to getting in on with yourself. Whether you are happily coupled, on your own, poly, or demonstrating for your lover(s) your solo skills, Block has the very best advice on how to pleasure yourself masterfully and share the love. Replete with thorough research, Block's book covers the science of sex, wild and wonderful ideas for upping the ante, and lots of suggestions for use of toys. There are only one or two truly good books on the market about "sex for one" and those are years and even decades old. The Ultimate Guide to Solo Sex is sure to become the new classic that will show readers how to go from mundane to mind-blowing!
244 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 9, 2016
29 people are currently reading
98 people want to read
About the author
Jenny Block
17 books33 followersJenny Block writes for a variety of regional and national publications as well as for various anthologies. The inspiration for her new book, "Open: Love, Sex, and Life in an Open Marriage" stems from her piece, “Portrait of an Open Marriage” which ran in Tango, and was reprinted by Cosmopolitan Germany and The Huffington Post.
Jenny holds both her Bachelor’s and her Master’s in English from Virginia Commonwealth University, where she taught composition for nearly ten years. She also spent time teaching at the University of Richmond as well as at Strayer University and wrote and lectured about teaching and learning for Newsweek Magazine and Addison Wesley Longman Publishing.
Jenny holds both her Bachelor’s and her Master’s in English from Virginia Commonwealth University, where she taught composition for nearly ten years. She also spent time teaching at the University of Richmond as well as at Strayer University and wrote and lectured about teaching and learning for Newsweek Magazine and Addison Wesley Longman Publishing.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 4, 2022
You can jerk yourself off, you can't give yourself a handjob. A handjob is a job for another person.
—Kyle in I'M SORRY
—Kyle in I'M SORRY
August 5, 2017
* Let’s start with what I didn’t like about this book
For the love of ____, WHY? Like the anal book I read this year, it’s hard to justify why I’m spending time reading sex manuals. I mean who really needs to feel the grating burden of never getting enough?
Orgasms beget more orgasms. If you spend time reading about sex, doesn’t it take away the time from doing other more honorable things, like washing dishes or writing reviews on high-literature?
It's a book about masturbation. Much, much worse is to find out that, technically, there is nothing new under the sheets. Everybody’s got their own preferences. Everybody is struggling with a balance between pleasure and duty. And that everyone likes the occasional cookie, uptight or not.
* Now, about what I did like.
It’s a light, quick book that can be read in one sitting. Or one inspired recline. *smirk*
* And what I didn’t expect but turn out to like very, very much.
A woman’s voice.
At their best, women are communal. Tribal. Nurturing. When that said woman is happy, you can expect to enjoy what she has to say. And when she’s sexually happy, you can bet your money that you’ll probably be sexually hopeful too, whether or not you follow through her suggestions and advice.
By the way, it’s easier to follow advice from a woman about womanly sexuality. It’s easier than, say, hearing it from a hierarchy-obsessed authority, or category-oriented textbook (how many ranks are there in heaven and in hell?).
Easier still finding out from another woman’s experience that using battery operated devices does not desensitize or break the feminine erogenous zones.
(And if you’re going to follow through her advice about technology, take mine too: get a high-end, waterproof and longlasting gadget.)
The best part: I love the reaffirmations.
A huge chunk of the book consists of comments and interview responses. Which makes it an unreliable statistic sample, a messy conversation, and a generally encouraging one.
This is exactly why we tell each other stories: To empower. To help. To enlighten.
Imagine the light being shed on the most secret pathways. Light on pathways that VIPs consider too low beneath them. Pathways that could actually lead to our happiest (and consequently) most productive selves.
Imagine having not just one source of light, but many. Instead of a single sun, you have a sprinkle of fireflies and fairies. Each one in the form of a snippet of a story about how she took her pleasure, or lost it. About how her partner felt, and how the force of her desire undulated through childbirth, divorce, and menopause.
Imagine that light following your mind’s eye long after you’ve closed the solo sex manual. Imagine it guiding you through the crevasses of your secret tunnels, the excitement of your bashful purchases, and protecting you still, in the afterglow of your well-deserved happiness.
Hi. I’m Alia and I love reading sex manuals for women, written by women, then talk about those books so that maybe you’d want to try them out too for a size.
For the love of ____, WHY? Like the anal book I read this year, it’s hard to justify why I’m spending time reading sex manuals. I mean who really needs to feel the grating burden of never getting enough?
Orgasms beget more orgasms. If you spend time reading about sex, doesn’t it take away the time from doing other more honorable things, like washing dishes or writing reviews on high-literature?
It's a book about masturbation. Much, much worse is to find out that, technically, there is nothing new under the sheets. Everybody’s got their own preferences. Everybody is struggling with a balance between pleasure and duty. And that everyone likes the occasional cookie, uptight or not.
* Now, about what I did like.
It’s a light, quick book that can be read in one sitting. Or one inspired recline. *smirk*
* And what I didn’t expect but turn out to like very, very much.
A woman’s voice.
At their best, women are communal. Tribal. Nurturing. When that said woman is happy, you can expect to enjoy what she has to say. And when she’s sexually happy, you can bet your money that you’ll probably be sexually hopeful too, whether or not you follow through her suggestions and advice.
By the way, it’s easier to follow advice from a woman about womanly sexuality. It’s easier than, say, hearing it from a hierarchy-obsessed authority, or category-oriented textbook (how many ranks are there in heaven and in hell?).
Easier still finding out from another woman’s experience that using battery operated devices does not desensitize or break the feminine erogenous zones.
(And if you’re going to follow through her advice about technology, take mine too: get a high-end, waterproof and longlasting gadget.)
The best part: I love the reaffirmations.
A huge chunk of the book consists of comments and interview responses. Which makes it an unreliable statistic sample, a messy conversation, and a generally encouraging one.
This is exactly why we tell each other stories: To empower. To help. To enlighten.
Imagine the light being shed on the most secret pathways. Light on pathways that VIPs consider too low beneath them. Pathways that could actually lead to our happiest (and consequently) most productive selves.
Imagine having not just one source of light, but many. Instead of a single sun, you have a sprinkle of fireflies and fairies. Each one in the form of a snippet of a story about how she took her pleasure, or lost it. About how her partner felt, and how the force of her desire undulated through childbirth, divorce, and menopause.
Imagine that light following your mind’s eye long after you’ve closed the solo sex manual. Imagine it guiding you through the crevasses of your secret tunnels, the excitement of your bashful purchases, and protecting you still, in the afterglow of your well-deserved happiness.
Hi. I’m Alia and I love reading sex manuals for women, written by women, then talk about those books so that maybe you’d want to try them out too for a size.
March 12, 2020
Solid fundamentals on self gratification. Can’t help feeling a little sad about how basic this is. Tips like : don’t let other people or institutions tell you masterbating is wrong, and no, masterbating is not cheating on your partner, etc. Mainly I felt like this book’s objective was to reduce stigma around women’s orgasm, pleasure, and masterbation by offering up basic info and stories from many women. A small portion was instruction and tips. The main thing I took away for myself personally was to focus on the feeling of masturbation, not the end result of orgasm, and to make sure your pleasure and oxytocin isn’t dependent on anyone but yourself, that will ensure you don’t get roped into bad, unfulfilling relationships.
July 20, 2020
Buy it, read it, DO IT!
Great advice 👍 If you practice, you will find that practice makes perfect. Practice Solo and with your husband. Life is good!
Great advice 👍 If you practice, you will find that practice makes perfect. Practice Solo and with your husband. Life is good!
June 30, 2018
Reviewed by Amy W
Book provided by publisher
Originally posted at Romancing the Book
This is one of those books where the title says it all. As noted in the foreward, author Jenny Block has written a basic how-to guide in The Ultimate Guide to Solo Sex. Whether it’s called “physical and sexual consciousness raising” or simply masturbation, the author extols the virtues of female self-pleasure. She then points out several reason why it’s important, along with the multiple learning opportunities created by self-pleasure.
In approaching the topic, the author first sets the foundation for the reader by debunking the myths that surround female pleasure. She uses a no-nonsense approach to ensure readers remain engaged, but intersperses the factual information with humor. I was quite impressed with her collection of female masturbation slang expressions.
The author’s goal is to convey the message that self-pleasure is normal rather than taboo. Incorporating survey responses provides an interesting look at how differently women learn about the topic. Much of the “meat” of the book consists of shared experiences. It’s not until Chapter 7 that the author addresses methods and accessories. Once again, the language is clear and easy to understand.
The question/answer section in Chapter 9 seemed particularly interesting because of the variety of topics. So many women have a negative impression of their bodies that it is refreshing to read about self appreciation. I was also impressed with the large number of resources offered by the author. This book has all the intellectual qualities of a textbook without any of the stuffiness.
Book provided by publisher
Originally posted at Romancing the Book
This is one of those books where the title says it all. As noted in the foreward, author Jenny Block has written a basic how-to guide in The Ultimate Guide to Solo Sex. Whether it’s called “physical and sexual consciousness raising” or simply masturbation, the author extols the virtues of female self-pleasure. She then points out several reason why it’s important, along with the multiple learning opportunities created by self-pleasure.
In approaching the topic, the author first sets the foundation for the reader by debunking the myths that surround female pleasure. She uses a no-nonsense approach to ensure readers remain engaged, but intersperses the factual information with humor. I was quite impressed with her collection of female masturbation slang expressions.
The author’s goal is to convey the message that self-pleasure is normal rather than taboo. Incorporating survey responses provides an interesting look at how differently women learn about the topic. Much of the “meat” of the book consists of shared experiences. It’s not until Chapter 7 that the author addresses methods and accessories. Once again, the language is clear and easy to understand.
The question/answer section in Chapter 9 seemed particularly interesting because of the variety of topics. So many women have a negative impression of their bodies that it is refreshing to read about self appreciation. I was also impressed with the large number of resources offered by the author. This book has all the intellectual qualities of a textbook without any of the stuffiness.
September 13, 2023
Heavy emphasis on de-stigmatizing masturbation.
May 10, 2016
I'm a little torn about this one. I found it very informative, and I very much liked the author's knowledge as to the history of self gratification, and how women have been treated through out the years - for example, in the early 20th Century, women being diagnosed as "hysterical" and the treatment was (essentially) the doctor giving her an orgasm. I also loved her enthusiasm not just for the subject matter, but for, in my opinion, female empowerment.
As a person who has no issues with masturbation and it's part in my life, and who has no trouble discussing it with friends as well as men I may be intimate with, the book offered nothing to me outside of the history. I felt that the author relied too much on the comments she received from the people who took her survey - pages and pages of people telling their tales of when they first masturbated, how, getting caught, etc. Plus, some of the things she said was very repetitive.
However, this book is probably just the thing for anyone (specifically women) who has any kind of "hangup" about masturbation or is possibly someone who has never used self gratification. If you've been told it's something dirty, if a man has been offended because you should be getting that satisfaction from him, if you've been told you will "go to hell" - then this is definitely the book for you.
ARC received for honest review.
As a person who has no issues with masturbation and it's part in my life, and who has no trouble discussing it with friends as well as men I may be intimate with, the book offered nothing to me outside of the history. I felt that the author relied too much on the comments she received from the people who took her survey - pages and pages of people telling their tales of when they first masturbated, how, getting caught, etc. Plus, some of the things she said was very repetitive.
However, this book is probably just the thing for anyone (specifically women) who has any kind of "hangup" about masturbation or is possibly someone who has never used self gratification. If you've been told it's something dirty, if a man has been offended because you should be getting that satisfaction from him, if you've been told you will "go to hell" - then this is definitely the book for you.
ARC received for honest review.
March 18, 2021
At some point while reading this I had a moment where I just stopped and asked "What is this beautiful thing?" (No I wasn't trying anything I really was just reading.) I'm pretty sure that was around page two.
This book gets to the point and makes sure it hits.
It's filled with things I feel like I should have already known, and maybe thought I did, but that needed to be reiterated.
I can't say I've ever had a problem with the topic of masturbation, but really it's not a topic that comes up too often. Although I will admit to hesitating on "going there" here on the blog. Then I finished reading the book, suddenly it was like" "Yeah I'm going there! Say it loud say it proud."
Well more like: "Who cares what people think!?" I am me I'm going to do what I want to do. My body is my own and not anyone else's.
That last bit was the part I assumed I was already aware of but apparently I needed to have it confirmed. There was something really nice about be told all this.
There's a lot of great background and history on the subject, plus the ridiculousness that is everyone's negative views on it. But there's also a lot of stories from women sharing their experiences that I loved reading, I think it has been a while since I've bonded so much with a person in a book.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review
This book gets to the point and makes sure it hits.
It's filled with things I feel like I should have already known, and maybe thought I did, but that needed to be reiterated.
I can't say I've ever had a problem with the topic of masturbation, but really it's not a topic that comes up too often. Although I will admit to hesitating on "going there" here on the blog. Then I finished reading the book, suddenly it was like" "Yeah I'm going there! Say it loud say it proud."
Well more like: "Who cares what people think!?" I am me I'm going to do what I want to do. My body is my own and not anyone else's.
That last bit was the part I assumed I was already aware of but apparently I needed to have it confirmed. There was something really nice about be told all this.
There's a lot of great background and history on the subject, plus the ridiculousness that is everyone's negative views on it. But there's also a lot of stories from women sharing their experiences that I loved reading, I think it has been a while since I've bonded so much with a person in a book.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review
October 26, 2016
I want to thank Jenny Block for writing this book. I agree with her. Women must overcome their socialization and embrace their sexuality on a deeper level. Actively and consciously learning about the physiology and anatomy of pleasure. Making solo sex a priority. Moving beyond the passive superficial sex appeal expected of women and splashed across the media. A real sense of self awareness and empowerment can be achieved though having the knowledge of how to create pleasure for ourselves.
This book was well written and easy to read. I enjoyed the style of Ms. Block's writing. I also appreciate how she went straight to the source,women, to get her data. Not basing her ideas on opinion alone. She provides real life experiences of her own and other women to demonstrate her points.
This book was well written and easy to read. I enjoyed the style of Ms. Block's writing. I also appreciate how she went straight to the source,women, to get her data. Not basing her ideas on opinion alone. She provides real life experiences of her own and other women to demonstrate her points.
May 18, 2016
This book was not what I expected. Was more along the lines of a history of self-gratification. I found parts of it informative, but others had me turning the pages to get to another section. I believe a reader who struggles with finding self-gratification or thinks it is taboo would probably benefit from this, might make them more comfortable with the idea that it is alright.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews