Behind the Bedroom Door : Women Write About Sex

The personal essay collection "Behind the Bedroom Door : Essays About Sex by Today’s Most Gifted Women Writers," had some striking pieces. The themes varied, from warm and amusing to deeply serious : illness, betrayal, the appeal of greasy leather-clad bad boys, infertility, craziness (in many senses of the word), children’s impact on love lives, and lots of sexuality intertwined with drug and alcohol use. Editor Paula Derrow selected essays that are not particularly explicit — what you would find in Cosmopolitan. Short bios of authors suggest follow-up reading and the website is exceptionally valuable.

If I had to pick a favorite, I’d go with "Turn Me On, Turn Me Off," by Bella Pollen. Its male character made me cringe with a sense of self-recognition, and Pollen has a prose style I like :

A woman’s desire is a fragile thing, blown this way and that by the winds of change. Our likes and dislikes flip-flop depending on where, exactly, we are on our personal evolutionary curve, what phase of life we are in. Women have far more roles to play than men, and each comes with its own emotional and physical wish list. We want to be held ! We want to be screwed ! We want security ! Danger ! Comfort ! Passion ! I don’t know a woman who isn’t constantly torn between the mutually exclusive needs for the intimacy of a long-term relationship and the thrill of a one-night stand. Frankly, we should consider ourselves lucky if we get enough of both. . . . Personally, I find it humbling that men are prepared to ride the roller coaster of women’s ever-changing emotional needs.

If you’re looking for a summer book that’ll make you smile, sigh and maybe even squirm deliciously on your towel at the pool, this is the collection to grab. Share it with someone you love and/or lust after.