The Good Vibrations Guide to Sex is the first real “sex manual” I have ever owned, and while I have taken a peek in the classic Joy of Sex and a couple versions of the Kama Sutra I never stocked up my sex-oriented library the same way I stocked up my toy collection. But while the mind may be the most erotic part of the body so many sex books either cover territory all too easily found on the internet or explored individually. However, while the Good Vibrations Guide does not cover everything in depth, it is an overwhelmingly open-minded, sex-positive book with a lot of great suggestions and resources—in short, the guide is what it claims to be: “the most complete manual for sex ever written.”

Throughout its pages, the Good Vibrations Guide to Sex focuses on a holistic approach to a healthy and happy sex life. Rather than focusing specifically on orgasm as the goal for every sexual encounter, the guide explores erotic touch, play, and thought as a means of pure enjoyment and indulgence. The guide is adamant about connecting mental states to physical enjoyment and it works hard to dispel myths that certain people cannot enjoy sex or sexual contact. The guide also works hard to dispel myths that sexual play and thought—particularly masturbation, anal play, and sexual fantasies are something to be ashamed of.

While the Good Vibrations Guide to Sex lacks complete depth in some areas it not only provides a wealth of material for anyone—whether you are an experienced sexual enthusiast or curious newcomer - but it also provides the voices of many real people commenting on nearly every aspect of sex. It is not only interesting to read about a personal experience with masturbation or a particular sex toy, but it gives the guide the kind of depth that is hard to find in more encyclopedic resources - human knowledge. I found that on numerous occasions while the text of the book was highly informative, it was the quotes from individuals that really cemented an idea for me, or clicked with my own sexual experiences.

Overall the Good Vibrations Guide to Sex is an amazing resource and one that I am glad has started my “sex education” library. It is sex-positive and full of a sense of enthusiasm for personal growth and exploration. The information in the book is well-researched and interspersed with personal experiences and the illustrations throughout the book are representative of multiple races, ages, and sexual orientations. Where the book lacks in depth on a specific topic it points to outside resources, but in most cases this book cover everything with a positive, educational approach. After reading the whole manual there is essentially no complaint I can put against it, the Good Vibrations Guide to Sex is a complete manual and one that anyone can enjoy and learn from.

I really liked the section on massage, particularly since it was something my partner and I wanted to explore more. The guide had a couple good suggestions, but most of all it helped remind me that touch--in all forms--can create pleasure and that exploration can only produce a better knowledge of yourself and your partner's body!

A couple months later and this book still is a great reference. After reading through it once I picked up most of the information that the book had to offer but it is nice to occasionally go back and reference specific sections (for example: good suggestions for massage techniques) or better yet checking out some of the other resources and links provided in the back of the book. While I do not think that the Good Vibrations Guide to Sex has really changed the way that I think about or engage in sex it is a good read and it's comprehensive and full of great suggestions and experiences. I would still recommend this to just about anyone but I would say that this is probably most beneficial to someone just starting to explore their body. For the experienced, sex-positive people this book still has plenty of great references and it does combine a lot of practical (and fun) stuff down into an easy to read and reference book.