It is safe to say that Tristan Taormino has quite a bit of experience talking about sexual products and other topics of an adult nature, based on her background. She has written several other instructional books on sex topics, such as anal sex, open relationships, and pornography. She has also been featured in numerous publications, television shows, and radio shows. She has taught a variety of classes on sexuality, pornography, gender, and feminism at some of the top colleges in the United States, such as Columbia, University of California at Santa Barbara, Brown, and Yale.

Before reading this book, I had limited knowledge of sex toys. I didn't realize just how limited it was before purchasing this guide. I have been using toys for the past 3 years, but was apparently using the more unsafe materials, not using the right lubes, and not cleaning and caring for the products I owned correctly.

The Big Book of Sex Toys is a catch-all for everything related to using adult toys and products. Every common type of toy, brand of toy, lubricant, and material is included. There is additional information that will assist you in choosing the right toys for you and your partner. Cleaning and care for the toys is also mentioned. Taormino really leaves no stone unturned in this guide, yet it's all put together in an easy to read and reference format.

I especially enjoy the way that Taormino switches gears with each chapter. The first few offer an introduction as well as information on sex toys and the female anatomy. A chapter is also dedicated to choosing the proper sex toys for you. Some of the sex toy topics included in the rest of the chapters include vibrators, bullets, dildos, sex toys for men, anal toys, strap-ons, bondage toys, and sex furniture. One chapter is also dedicated to lubricants, which is essential information if you plan to become a sex toy user.

I believe The Big Book of Sex Toys is geared for a number of audiences. Those that are new to sex toys but want to start using them in the bedroom would definitely benefit from this manual. Likewise, advanced users of sexual products could probably also learn a thing or two. This book is great to have on hand if you ever need to quickly reference a brand, material information, or the various types of toys available.

The Big Book of Sex Toys comes in a hardback format, which will help protect its pages through years of use. The book is well put together, and stays open to a certain page easily. The cover offers a unique design, as it uses various sex toys for some of the letters in the title. The back cover provides a short summary on the book, along with a number of sex toys around the content. Needless to say, the cover is not at all discreet.

The layout of the material is superb in my opinion, as I can easily find exactly what I need without spending minutes flipping through the pages. Each chapter is dedicated to a different topic, so you can easily find what you need from the table of contents. With 23 chapters and sections for resources, acknowledgements, and information about the author, you think this would be a very thick book. However, all of the content is enclosed in less than 250 pages.

There are a number of photographs included in The Big Book of Sex Toys. One downside to the images is that they all show heterosexual couples using toys. Those of other sexual orientations may be offended by this.

The Big Book of Sex Toys is the first informational book that I have read on this subject, and I honestly do not think I will need another. Everything you need to know about sex toys is included in the pages of this guide. It has assisted me with choosing the right toys so that my husband and I can thoroughly enjoy our purchases.

It is not only great for new and advanced users of adult products, but works as a handy reference tool for sex toy reviewers. I am glad that I acquired this book before getting too in depth with reviewing, as I feel that it makes my reviews much more thorough and informative for others.