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The Erotica Writer's Husband & Other Stories
Sensual yet comic, the love child of Anaïs Nin and David Sedaris might have penned these fourteen tales of lust and laughter, collected from the pages of Best American Erotica, Mammoth Book of Best New Erotica, Best Women’s Erotica, Best of Literary Mama, Clean Sheets, Zyzzyva, and others. Erotic, humorous, and poignant stories about real-life challenges and their impact on the libido. A candid and often whimsical look at sex and the sexes.
169 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
About the author
Jennifer D. Munro
12 books10 followersJennifer D. Munro’s essays and stories have been published in over sixty anthologies and literary journals, including Best of Best American Erotica; six editions of Mammoth Book of Best New Erotica; The Bigger the Better the Tighter the Sweater: 21 Funny Women on Beauty and Body Image; Secrets and Confidences: The Complicated Truth About Women's Friendships; and Literary Mama: Reading for the Maternally Inclined. Whether fiction or nonfiction, J.D. offers a candid yet often humorous exploration of sex and the sexes, with a quirky yet earthy take on topics such as body image, infertility, gender roles, and marriage. J.D.'s humorous stories about sex are collected in The Erotica Writer’s Husband & Other Stories.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 5, 2012
4.5 stars. This book was laugh out loud funny, starting with the first line of the first story, “Holy Moly, what a penny whistle. I’m talking cherubic.” I still crack up laughing at what comes next. The story this one came from, 'Small Minded' ends up being quite touching and sets up the reading experience for the rest of the book. Not since Marguerite Duras’s 'The Lover' have I had that same sad hitch after finishing a book.
When I talk about books that handle sex in a realistic, human way, this is one I will continue to recommend. Munro’s descriptions of men and their parts, physical and emotional, as well as all the situations we women find ourselves in with them were incredible. She handles it all with intelligence and humor and gave insights into problems I have never had, but now feel I have a much keener understanding of. Isn’t literature supposed to make us feel more connected, and help us to understand each other?
In one way the title serves the book very well, as the content is often erotic; one of my favorite stories in the book, 'The Prince & the Soda Popper' is fun and everything one would expect from a story labeled erotica. 'The Erotica Writer’s Husband' was another one of those great stories that gives insight into a place I hadn’t thought to look and by the time I was through I felt like I was a better person for it. I hope readers won’t disregard the book because “erotica” is in the title. The word erotica, depending on individual prejudices may call up images of whips, chains, satin sheets and body oil. Not what you will find in this book at all...well, almost. One story featured a sex toy in a scene that can only be described as priceless.
The only reason I didn’t give the book five stars was because there were a few times the metaphors—while always funny and added to the voice—when they appeared one after the other sometimes felt over the top. Since this is a collection of stories that first appeared separately, I imagine that if I had read each story on its own, as would happen if I read these in the various anthologies and magazines they appeared in, I probably would not have noticed this at all.
So far I have bought this book for two of my friends and will likely do so again. This is a rare book, I highly recommend it and look forward to the next book from Ms. Munro.
When I talk about books that handle sex in a realistic, human way, this is one I will continue to recommend. Munro’s descriptions of men and their parts, physical and emotional, as well as all the situations we women find ourselves in with them were incredible. She handles it all with intelligence and humor and gave insights into problems I have never had, but now feel I have a much keener understanding of. Isn’t literature supposed to make us feel more connected, and help us to understand each other?
In one way the title serves the book very well, as the content is often erotic; one of my favorite stories in the book, 'The Prince & the Soda Popper' is fun and everything one would expect from a story labeled erotica. 'The Erotica Writer’s Husband' was another one of those great stories that gives insight into a place I hadn’t thought to look and by the time I was through I felt like I was a better person for it. I hope readers won’t disregard the book because “erotica” is in the title. The word erotica, depending on individual prejudices may call up images of whips, chains, satin sheets and body oil. Not what you will find in this book at all...well, almost. One story featured a sex toy in a scene that can only be described as priceless.
The only reason I didn’t give the book five stars was because there were a few times the metaphors—while always funny and added to the voice—when they appeared one after the other sometimes felt over the top. Since this is a collection of stories that first appeared separately, I imagine that if I had read each story on its own, as would happen if I read these in the various anthologies and magazines they appeared in, I probably would not have noticed this at all.
So far I have bought this book for two of my friends and will likely do so again. This is a rare book, I highly recommend it and look forward to the next book from Ms. Munro.
December 31, 2011
Boy have my dreams changed since I started reading these stories (plus my language regarding my body). Jennifer is a local writer and gave me a copy of her book for our "lending library" when I claimed it couldn't be as crude as that of our colleague Jay Craig (the Scottish Buddhist Cookbook). Where his stories involving fornication (his word) are crude, the stories in "The Erotica Writer's Husband & Other Stories" are more what I'd call bawdy, earthy and heartbreaking. Given that the movie "Bridesmaids" is on many top ten lists for 2011 I think this collection speaks to the voice of women that hasn't always been mainstream. But look at Chaucer's Tales. Lust, sex, comparison of male genitals, not new but Jennifer hooks me with her blend of rawness and humor. Nobody ever spoke of a miscarriage to me until I had one. She breaks what still seems to be existing taboos even among close women friends about what gets discussed. I sense that in her writing she could break my heart.
January 30, 2012
To label Jennifer Munro's writing "erotica" is "small minded" and a disservice to its potential audience.
You could read it in bed to your partner, but you'd more likely end up laughing, crying, or in deep discussion rather than in the throes of passion. Her work is literary, smart, witty, and real.
Author Ted Chiang once said that novels are about people and short stories are about ideas. Munro's short stories manage to be about ideas AND people. People like you and me: dysfuntional, imperfect, and wounded. She writes about the messiness of relationships, dealing with fetish as well as infertility, lust as well as insecurity. Yes, there is plenty of sex, but I find myself caring more about the characters than the climax.
You could read it in bed to your partner, but you'd more likely end up laughing, crying, or in deep discussion rather than in the throes of passion. Her work is literary, smart, witty, and real.
Author Ted Chiang once said that novels are about people and short stories are about ideas. Munro's short stories manage to be about ideas AND people. People like you and me: dysfuntional, imperfect, and wounded. She writes about the messiness of relationships, dealing with fetish as well as infertility, lust as well as insecurity. Yes, there is plenty of sex, but I find myself caring more about the characters than the climax.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews