Before reading The Sex Bible, I had no idea what to expect from the author, Susan Crain Bakos. After reading through the book, it was very clear that she is quite knowledgeable about all things sex. To me, her writing seemed professional and well informed, and yet it also had slightly sterile quality hiding away in the background. She never really wandered too far off point and seemed confident that her research is sound and that her methods get results. And yet, despite the fact that she seems more than qualified to write a book of this kind, I never really got the sense that writing this book was fun for her. At times, she is too serious, too academic. One gets the impression that while immensely capable of coaching others to have life altering orgasms, she has yet to experience one herself. That said, she is an excellent author. By no means do I intend to speak maliciously of her writing, I merely felt that something was missing.

The sex bible is very intercourse heavy. Think of it as a sort of supplementary resource to the Kama Sutra. While the book contains sections on a wide spectrum of topics, arranged in the traditional order: seduction, foreplay, oral, intercourse, orgasm, and the list goes on, it quickly becomes clear that this book was written for the purpose and pleasure of heterosexual couples. Gay and lesbian couples should be advised that, despite containing some universally useful tips, this is a book targeting a very specific audience that will likely disappoint.

The information in this book is sound. It contains good tips on how to be a more than capable lover. Unfortunately, this information is also available in every other sex book out on the market. If this was to be the only book you ever buy on sex, or if sex is still a new and unexplored world for you, than this would be a good choice. However, if you are looking for something more, something that arouses hidden carnality and creativity, than look elsewhere. This book barely lifts the lid on the box, let alone thinks outside of it.

Besides the more traditional topics that dominate roughly the first two thirds of the book, the Sex Bible also contains sections on masturbation, tantric sex and kama sutra, sex toys, and tips to increase intimacy and "spice up the bedroom". These sections are very informative, and contain a few ideas that even I hadn't already thought of. And yet, I still wasn't that impressed. I felt like this book was trying to be bad, but the best it can do is make mischief.

Perhaps the raciest parts of this book are the squarely named "Real Talk" and "A Couple's Story" sections. These are short blurbs and testimonials that are supposedly written by real people and relate real experiences. Although some of these are cheesy and remind me of tame Penthouse Forum letters, there are some that seem quite earnest, and yes, some might even make you horny.

The book itself is beautiful. It is large, about 10" x 10" and 1 inch thick. It contains many large and erotic photos of young modern couples getting it on in new and urban apartment setting. It contains nudity, but no money shots. All in all it a very clean and tasteful book. A great choice for newlyweds or twenty somethings with somewhat tepid, nonthreatening taste. But for the rest of us, the real bedroom is probably a more truthful, colorful, and not to mention exciting environment then this book can portray.