Altruistic perseverance or pornographic perpetuation? Psychoanalyst Paul Joannidies' third edition of "Guide to Getting It On!" is a book that raises eyebrows - well, in some cases, more than just eyebrows - of even the most dirty-minded (or sexually astute, depending on your perspective).
The book focuses on nearly every known type of sexually-related topic - from sex toys like vibrators and dildos, to adventurous sex on the interstate, to kinky foreplay. Explicit illustrations, personal accounts from previous "Guide" readers, as well as an in-depth glossary makes the "Guide" just about as engorged - oops, Freudian slip - as a book can get.
The book was written "to get people to look at sex in a different way than the way our culture looks at it." The book "doesn't pull any punches," author Joannidies said.
Indeed, the 698-page veritable sex encyclopedia, with chapter titles like "Oscillator, Generator, Vibrator, Dildo" and "Techno Breasts and Weenie Angst," does discuss issues in an off-color, humorous way, floating in the gray area between educational literature and pornography.
Needless to say, Joannidies has met with much controversy concerning his book - the only way he could get it published was to create his own publishing company, Goofy Foot Press, because every company he approached about publishing it turned him down.
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"They told me that no one would market it ... they said, 'We can't sell it,'" Joannidies said.
But sex never has trouble selling itself, right?
So who are the people buying this book? Do we really need a book to tell us how to do the nasty?
A book like this asks us to be candid about something most of us still feel naughty even thinking about.
"I don't see the typical American couple buying this book ... I don't see it as educational at all," first-year College student Jason Perkins said. He added that he felt the illustrations and sexual jokes were unnecessary and pornographic.
But this non-educational book is required reading in sexuality courses at more than 25 different colleges and universities throughout the United States, according to the Goofy Foot Press.
Joannidies thinks it is the ideal sex guide because it espouses sexual humor.
"If you have problems with sex, it really helps to have a sense of humor about it," he said.
Hmmm ... problems with sex, eh? Some people assume if you need or own a sex guide, it means you have difficulties, say, rising to the occasion. Or maybe you're just a pervert.
But this book simply is meant to be educational, according to Joannidies. It aims to help everyone - from novices to pros - in the ways of lovin' by making sex issues funny and open.
The illustrations have a cartoon-like quality and, much like an adult version of Looney Toons, pokes fun at nearly every sexual issue it discusses, featuring captions like "This young buck is taking his time," in reference to a man masturbating.
When The Cavalier Daily approached random University students, some thought the cartoon aspect was a bit too much.
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"It's kinda weird that it has a cartoonist ... it didn't seem serious at all," said a second-year Engineering student who wished to remain anonymous.
Nonetheless, the student found the information in the "Guide" useful.
"We can't make sex high and mighty," he said, explaining that he would find some of the information valuable.
When asked about specifics, however, he got flustered and looked around Pavillion XI nervously.
"I don't want to get into that," he said.
One more point chalked up to the "don't-talk-about-sex" proponents.
Now back to the issue of who needs a sex book. Many think intercourse is something any reasonably-intelligent person should be capable of.
"People have been doing this since the stone ages ... they don't need a sex guide," third-year College student Sabrina Bawuah said.
The "Guide" also has interjected pieces where readers write in to share their own sexual experiences.
"With all these readers' comments, the book seems like a pornographic 'Dear Abby,'" Perkins said.
"It's trash," said an anonymous second-year Engineering student. "I'll never look at vegetables the same way again when I go into the grocery store," he said, referring to a chapter that focuses on "Oral Sex: Popsicles and Penises."
Joannidies, however, was indignant.
"How is it pornographic? If you had a book on acting or biology that didn't excite you, would that be a good textbook? People see a book that does this, and I guess some think that we shouldn't be open about our sexuality," he said.
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