How to Make Great Love to a Man

This self-help book is written clearly and seems to contain sensible advice.  It starts off with some general observations about male and female psychology, and warns against making any broad generalizations about men and women.  The authors point out that there is more variation within each sex than there is between the sexes, and most psychological surveys show that there are no major differences between the sexes.  Oddly enough, they go on to make broad generalizations about the differences between men and women, presumably expecting readers to interpret these with the understanding that they are only approximately true.  The book includes many panels and boxes with case histories of particular people, advice and short summaries of ideas that make the pages more visually interesting and make it easier to get information quickly.  Their information is based on scientific studies although they don't provide any detailed references or footnotes.

The book moves on to discussing dating and romance and the initial sex that goes along with that.  The next chapter is on long term relationships and the dynamics that are special to them.  It briefly addresses the issue of low and no sex relationships and whether this is a problem.  Following this is a chapter dealing with specific sexual problems suffered by men, viz., impotence, premature ejaculation and retarded ejaculation.  It provides a number of ways and exercises to address those problems.  A different sort of problem is lack of sex drive, to which the authors devote a whole chapter.  They also suggest a number of ways to increase libido. 

The remaining chapters of the book address ways to improve a normal sex life.  One chapter has a plan for seven nights of love, accompanied by some nude photographs and more explicit drawings.  Other chapters include discussion of masturbation, fantasy, and different kinds of sexual activity. 

How to Make Great Love to a Man is aimed at heterosexual men and women who are looking for non-judgmental discussion of sexuality in a straightforward and helpful way.  It does not go into great detail concerning any particular topic and it doesn't have any particular agenda.  Some might find it rather bland and obvious, but sometimes it can be helpful to have a book like that, especially if one wants to use it to bring up issues with a partner in a non-confrontational manner. 

© 2004 Christian Perring. All rights reserved.

Christian Perring, Ph.D., is Academic Chair of the Arts & Humanities Division and Chair of the Philosophy Department at Dowling College, Long Island. He is also editor of Metapsychology Online Review.  His main research is on philosophical issues in medicine, psychiatry and psychology.