I wanted to like this book, I really did. I had never squirted before when I got it, and I had high hopes that it would help me to learn how. Turns out, everything you can really say about the mechanics how to squirt can be summed up in a few paragraphs. Though it's simple, the advice it gives is accurate. It really all boils down to firm g-spot stimulation.

Deborah Sundahl begins her book with a discussion of the medical and cultural understanding of female ejaculation throughout history. It turns out that a lot of cultures have had some idea about the experience. She uses examples from literature from such diverse cultures as Indian, Japanese, Greek, and Roman. Some of her quotes come from as early as the 17th century.

There is also a frank discussion of the anatomical and medical aspects of female ejaculation. Unfortunately, the topic is still somewhat taboo in medical circles, so the author doesn't have a lot to work with, but she does do a good job of rounding up and summarizing the few studies that have been done on the subject. She does a lot to dispel the "female ejaculate is only urine" myth that is still so prevalent. As I write this, I'm reminded of a recent medical "discovery" that I read about in the news. A scientist claimed that in his study, he found no evidence supporting the existence of the g-spot. This kind of "science" really says more about the sex life of the (male) researcher than it does about medical facts. It really just goes to show how little people know about the sexuality, even in these supposedly enlightened age. But fortunately, since you're reading this review, you're probably already at least a little aware of the power of the g-spot.

I found the section on anatomy to be very interesting. It's not like you can see a lot of the physical body parts that produce ejaculate, so it was good to understand them by reading about them. I only wish the anatomical illustrations had been as good as the text. Most looked as if they could have been drawn by a 12-year old. Many were a cros-section view of the body, with out any external reference points, making them even harder to understand. Calling them "abstract" would be too kind.

You might think that reading about history and anatomy would be boring, but I found it to be quite fascinating. Sundahl writes in a friendly and accessible style that makes even factual information highly engaging.

After the anatomical and historical information, Sundahl gets down to the part we've all been waiting for—instructions on how to ejaculate. The instructions themselves aren't very complicated. The good news is that all women have the necessary anatomy to be able to ejaculate. It all comes down to technique and practice....at least in theory. Speaking for myself, I'm still getting the hang of it. It seems to me that some people are probably just naturally more adept at this sort of thing than others. Even though I understand the necessary steps, there's still a gap between understanding it conceptually and being able to do it consistently on my own. Of course, this probably has more to do with me personally than with the book, but I wish the author had offered some helpful tips for getting over this gap.

This book is primarily written for the woman who is trying to ejaculate on her own. Ejaculating with a partner is also discussed, but the author focuses more on educating women directly. Heteronormative alert—when the author talks about involving a partner, she generally uses the male pronoun. One of the chapters directly adresses the male readers: "Men's Role in Female Ejaculation." However, the author does acknowledge this bias, and makes an effort to include some material based on queer experiences.

Overall, this is a very casual book, filled with pop-science factoids and anecdotes. This is reflected in the design of the book itself. It's a fun, non-intimidating book to pick up and flip through. It's not huge, and it's not overly weighty, either in form or in content. But be aware, it might not be the most discreet book to leave lying around. The cover isn't especially explicit, though it does depict a woman with her head thrown back in ecstasy. Look closely, and you'll see that there's a man in the upper right corner doing... something to her, apparently. Some books, you can judge by their covers, and this one makes no effort to hide what it's about. The title and subheading "not your mother's orgasm book!" are clearly printed on the cover, as well as blurbs describing what the book will help you to do.

I did appreciate a lot of the information in the book, but unfortunately the rest of it just felt like filler. This is really a shame, because the book isn't particularly long, at under 200 pages. But as for the filler...here's the throw-away material that bothered me most: most chapters begin with fictional first-person accounts of women who are trying to attain ejaculation. I suppose these cutesy stories are intended to make the book more relatable, but ultimately, they just sound forced and contrived. They're not real people. They don't sound like real people. And they're certainly not as titillating as was intended. An example: "He came hard and fast with slippery wetness all around, while she seemed to crave every thrust of his penis. His dreams of finding a woman who would ejaculate for him had come true, and he couldn't stop smiling afterward." By contrast, the author also includes personal anecdotes and interviews with real people, and I found these factual stories to be quite a bit more valuable than the made up ones. I just wish there had been less fluff mixed in with the good stuff.

Even though I was personally disappointed in this book, after I read it, I was lucky enough to find a partner who already knew all about female ejaculation, and it was something I was able to attain with him. If anything, the book was useful in preparing me for the experience. If you can find Female Ejaculation and the G-Spot in your library, it's definitely worth checking out. It's certainly an important subject that is often misunderstood, and it's one that more women should know about.