Hands down! The best darn book on masturbation.

The Big Book of Masturbation from Angst to Zeal, by Martha Cornog. San Francisco: Down There Press, 2003, 335 pages. Paper, $22.00.

The Big Book of Masturbation from Angst to Zeal is an interesting, informative, and highly readable text that will be enjoyed by professionals and the general public alike. The entire book is excellent, yet there are several chapters that make this book a must-have for all who are interested in the subject. I will highlight them below.

Chapter 1, "Language: Meanings and Words for Masturbation," has a very humorous and detailed glossary of both English and non-English phrases and words colloquially used as synonyms for masturbation. This section would be useful for educators who wanted to highlight the gender differences in the number of synonyms for male versus female masturbation, cultural differences in the number and quality of masturbation synonyms, and the apparent need we have to create such a large list of euphemisms for the act of masturbation.

Chapter 2, "Masturbation Through the Centuries," gives an overview of the history of masturbation from B.C.E. to contemporary times. It provides a concise overview of the belief systems that have shaped our current attitudes and understanding about the physical, mental, and moral implication of masturbatory behavior. This chapter might serve as a nice introduction to the topic for individuals who do not have the time for, or interest in, doing extensive research on masturbation or as a brief introduction to the topic in a human sexuality course offered at the collegiate level.

Chapter 4, "Sociology: Who Masturbates, How They Do It, and What People Think," touches on some of the empirical research on masturbation. Specifically, the author describes some research that speculates on the reasons why there may be gender differences in masturbatory behavior between and among males and females. This chapter is particularly interesting and would likely foster some lively classroom discussion about the perceived appropriateness of masturbation for men as opposed to the perceived appropriateness for women. Chapter 4 also has an interesting "how-to" section for professionals and the lay public seeking details regarding some of the myriad ways people actually go about the business of self-loving. This section might help reassure people that their technique, whatever it may be, is not strange or abnormal and that other people have devised creative ways to masturbate as well. Clinicians may find this section useful as a resource for clients who may be experiencing guilt or shame associated with the perceived "abnormality" of their masturbatory behavior.

Chapter 5, "Anthropology: Masturbation Cross-Culturally," contains an interesting compilation of anthropological data about masturbation from different cultures and a variety of historical periods. Many of us who focus on the psychosocial facets of masturbation may not go outside our discipline to find information about masturbation. Cornog makes it easy to gain a multidisciplinary understanding of the subject from alternate perspectives.

Chapter 8, "Psychology and Psychiatry: Masturbation and Mental Health," is a particularly relevant chapter detailing the evolution of thought about masturbation in the mental health community. The chapter also focuses on how the ideas of Freud, Stekel, Fenichel, and Ellis continue to influence contemporary beliefs about masturbation. It's also a useful read for students and interested non-professionals to help clarify why we have such a difficult legacy of "masturbation taboo" to overcome.

Chapter 9, "Law: Legal codes, Regulations, and Masturbation," is a very enlightening chapter about the U.S. legal system and some of the state laws that affect masturbation indirectly via the control of the sale and use of sex toys and other devices that might be used for masturbatory purposes. The chapter details the 6 states that currently have "anti-sex toy laws" in place (GA, MS, OH, TX, VA, AL) and the legal challenges these laws face. This chapter would most certainly spark lively discussion about the government's role in regulating sexuality and sexual expression.

Chapters 11-12 deal with the issue of masturbation and religion. These chapters are illustrative of the history of masturbation in Jewish, Christian, Islamic, Buddhist, and Hindu traditions. They also demonstrate the lack of consensus about masturbation within various religious traditions and the inconsistency in belief systems across time. These chapters also detail contemporary Christian teachings about masturbation and its role in relationships between men and women and in an individual's relationship with Christ.

The last section I would like to highlight is the section on masturbation and literature, which focuses on how masturbation is depicted in fictional works, poems, jokes, limericks, and other forms of creative literary expression. As a person trained in the behavioral sciences, I was unaware of the myriad references to masturbation that could be found in the humanities. It was as humorous as it was enlightening and would be an interesting alternative for educators looking for some unusual or infrequently referenced sources to stimulate classroom discussion, or at the very least, a robust chuckle.

Overall, The Big Book of Masturbation from Angst to Zeal is very well-written and highly enjoyable to read. If there were anything that might be considered a weakness, it may be the perceived absence of peer-reviewed psychosocial and medical literature. Throughout the text, there are occasional references to peer reviewed journal articles; however the author seems to have underutilized them in the chapters pertaining to the psychosocial implications of masturbation and people's interpretations and understandings of what masturbation means. However, this issue is a minor one and does not detract from the book's overall quality. I heartily recommend this book to professionals and the lay public looking for an entertaining study of masturbation that highlights the social, cultural, psychological, medical, religious, and literary history of masturbation.

Reviewed by Christina Clark, M.A., Youth Opportunity Center, 3700 West Kilgore Avenue, Muncie, IN, 47304; e-mail: [e-mail].