- From the heat of the first look to the importance of our erotic fantasies, Kim Cattrall explores both the physical chemistry and the emotional complexity of raw sexual desire. Is it possible to develop a sexual intelligence? Can we unravel the mysteries of desire and fantasy? In SEXUAL INTELLIGENCE, the actress (Sex and the City) and author (Satisfaction) who famously broadened our notions of m
Kim Cattrall, "Sex and the City"'s Samantha, slides between the sheets and shares her secrets on reaching the heights of pleasure. She teams up with her husband in this how-to-sex book, based on viewer feedback from the show and designed to help couples focus on achieving the female orgasm. 75 illustrations.Pleasing color sketches and simple diagrams adorn the pages of
Satisfaction: The Art of the Female Orgasm by famed
Sex and the City actor Kim Cattrall and her husband, jazz musician Ma! rk Levinson. The fact that Cattrall's character on the show, Samantha Jones, is a sexual giantess is likely to bump up sales a notch for this attractive, children's-size book, but nevertheless it's a very worthwhile read.
Simple concepts--open communication, trust, love, and a consistent interest in pleasing one another--are the ingredients for an enriching and fulfilling sex life that can bring two people ever closer, according to the text. The facts speak for themselves: when pressed, women will confess in droves that they are sexually frustrated. It's tricky to communicate one's carnal desires to one's lover, yet both parties must be open to this type of ongoing discussion for the formula to work.
Meanwhile, a little education for men can go a long way. The concepts are basic--anyone who isn't a virgin probably knows them. But the rub lies in the consistency, the selflessness, and the patience required of the man. Cattrall and Levinson ask their male readers! how they'd feel if they experienced some physical plea! sure dur ing lovemaking but never got to climax; they would likely get frustrated after a while. So an abiding devotion to pleasing the woman is a basic assumption throughout, and one that isn't commonly pointed out in such an open way elsewhere. Some readers may think Cattrall and Levinson's approach offers nothing new or exciting, but this honest reminder of what it takes to be a sensitive and satisfying lover is just what the doctor ordered. --Teri Kieffer Now in paperback--"Sex and the City" star Cattralls's provocatively illustrated exploration of the mysteries of sexual desire.This may well be the sexiest coffee table book ever created. A companion to the HBO documentary of the same name, Sexual Intelligence is a follow up title to Kim Cattrall's simpler, more technical Satisfaction: The Art of the Female Orgasm. Gorgeously sensual photos and a sprinkling of poetry cozy up to science, combining experts like Betty Dodson and Thomas Moore with Sappho and Geo! rgia O'Keefe; this time around, the goal is exploration, rather than instant delivery.
Specifically, all this lush intelligence directs itself towards education about why we want what we want. After poring over the five lovely chapters (Desire, Messaging, Arousal, Fantasy, and Release), you still might not have a definite answer, but the final pleasure far outweighs the impression of flightiness. Straightforward explanations of anatomy (a definite step up from school health class) intermingle with tales of ancient gods and goddesses that liven up facts, while the layer of glamour over all wraps the package in a big fluffy bow. Shots of classic paintings mix equally with shots of Kim, each providing eye candy that is tailored to please.
Six "average folks," ostensibly representing a wide sample of sexual interests and ideas, provide quotes throughout the text; sometimes offering a complex thought, other times simply throwing in something along the l! ines of, "I drive a nice Porsche so I can get chicks." While t! heir voi ces do help make the book more representative of the general population, it still feels like a book aimed mostly at straight women--which might make it a very handy title for straight men to keep in their living rooms.--Jill Lightner
Amazon.com Interview with Kim Cattral Amazon.com:Â Can you explain what you've got in mind by the phrase "sexual intelligence"?
Kim Cattrall:Â A person who knows what they like! And has some idea why. ! Intelligence is traditionally defined -- Webster's for example would define intelligence as success in coping with situations and solving problems. Intelligence can also mean a collection of useful insight and information that enriches understanding. I used the word "intelligence" in the title of the book and the documentary because it reflects my desire to gather whatever insights, inspirations, and information that could nourish the part of us that is sexual and sensual, so that it might be strong and function well.
Amazon.com:Â What was the starting point for Sexual Intelligence?
Kim Cattrall:Â My previous book Satisfaction: The Art of the Female Orgasm was unabashedly a how to, complete with colored arrows and schematic diagrams by way of demonstration. People responded so positively the book -- they wrote me these amazing letters and I could see there remained an enor! mous amount to explore and learn -- for myself as well as ever! ybody el se. Orgasm is fabulous, but I realized I had started at the end of the story. Writing a book on how to satisfy sexual desire lead me to become more interested in what its roots and sources actually are. What inspires arousal in the first place? Where does it come from? What can it tell us? How does it keep us engaged with the world?
Amazon.com:Â Of the five chapters (Desire, Messaging, Arousal, Fantasy and Release), the one on desire is by far the longest. What makes this topic so much more important?
Courage! [Samantha Jones] was courageous and totally without prejudice.
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Kim Cattrall:Â The idea of "desire" is really the central theme of the book. At one point I even thought of calling the book "desire" but it sounded too m! uch like another celebrity fragrance, you know --
Kim Cattrall: Desire. But really, an investigation of desire was the key idea growing out of my previous book. It’s funny, in a way this book is almost like a pre-quel to my previous book
Satisfaction 'cause without desire, there ain't no "satisfaction." Something that came up right away in regard to desire or arousal, is that men and women tend to experience it differently and of course we wanted to include both points of view, so that made the chapter even longer!
Amazon.com:Â Your book draws on so many eras and cultures. Which one is the most inspirational for you?
Kim Cattrall:Â Looking at the stories and images that have informed and given expression to erotic impulses over the centuries was fascinating to me. They help give shape to the individual struggles and joys we experience through sex
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The classical era of Greece and Rome are endlessly fascinating because those cultures so openly celebrated sex on both a literal and a metaphorical level.
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and also show what an enduring and central role sexuality plays in being human. The classical era of Greece and Rome are endlessly fascinating because those cultures so openly celebrated sex on both a literal and a metaphorical level. Their worship of the phallus mines a very rich vein of human drives and drama. The mythical figure of Aphrodite or Venus, the great Goddess of love, is an invention of pure cultural genius in how well it expresses the complexity, allure and power of sexuality.
Amazon.com:Â
Satisfaction: The Art of the Female Orgasm came about in relation to your character on
Sex in the City. How did your role as Samantha Jones influence this project?
Kim Cattrall:Â Courage! She was courageous and totally without prejudice. She was also self-accepting. Those are three valuable characteristics that I had the benefit of continually rubbing up against in the skin of Samantha Jones and I believe they came strongly into play on this project.
Amazon.com:Â What was the most surprising thing you learned while working on the book?
Kim Cattrall:Â Well, after living inside Samantha Jones for 6 years, you would think nothing would surprise me! But I learned an ENORMOUS amount. Even in areas that are very familiar, like looking at parts of the body or discussing the differences between men and women. I think "revelation" might be a better word -- there were so many instances of insight -- moments of -- "Aha, so that explains it!" Sexuality is such a vast subject and so complex. You realize you've been going on a trickle of knowledg! e when there's like gushing waterfall out there.
Examining the underpinnings of eroticism was very exciting.
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Some of the most revelatory material to me centered on new brain research and learning about what actually happens to us on a physiological and biochemical level during arousal, and even throughout a sexually charged relationship. Another area that offered so much new insight was learning how sexual fantasies actually function and how better to approach and understand them, even when they're quite odd -- which of course, being fantasies, they certainly can be. Also, examining the underpinnings of eroticism was very exciting. It's like we live with all of these images -- icons really -- like the dominatrix, the masked man, the naked half beast, or even from a classical standpoint, Venus on the half-shell. The images are achingly familiar, they've been with us for c! enturies, but what ever are they supposed to actually mean? Getting into all of that was extremely enriching. Images like those endure for reason. They speak to something elemental and universal. In this irreverent comedy, awkward teenager Tobe (Dustin Ingram) sets off on a road trip to meet Monica Velour (Kim Cattrall), his favorite '80s porn star, at a rare live appearance hundreds of miles away. Instead of the glamorous sexpot portrayed on film, he finds a 49-year-old single mom living in a trailer in rural Indiana, performing at seedy strip clubs to make ends meet. A starry-eyed Tobe, still captivated by his crush, befriends Monica, further complicating her difficult life. Kim Cattrall gives a career-defining performance in this offbeat love story that appeals to the dreamer -- and the nerd -- in all of us.Award-winning "Sex and the City" actress Kim Cattrall offers heartfelt adviceto today's teens. Cattrall tackles real questions in an honest, intimate, andtota! lly hip way. Info-packed spreads feature never-before-seen tee! n photos ofthe actress.In this irreverent comedy, awkward teenager Tobe (Dustin Ingram) sets off on a road trip to meet Monica Velour (Kim Cattrall), his favorite '80s porn star, at a rare live appearance hundreds of miles away. Instead of the glamorous sexpot portrayed on film, he finds a 49-year-old single mom living in a trailer in rural Indiana, performing at seedy strip clubs to make ends meet. A starry-eyed Tobe, still captivated by his crush, befriends Monica, further complicating her difficult life. Kim Cattrall gives a career-defining performance in this offbeat love story that appeals to the dreamer -- and the nerd -- in all of us.From the heat of the first look to the importance of out erotic fantasies, Kim Cattrall explores both the physical chemistry and the emotional complexity of raw sexual desire Is it possible to develop a sexual intelligence? Can we unravel the mysteries of desire and fantasy? In SEXUAL INTELLIGENCE, the actress (Sex and the City) and author (Satis! faction) who famously broadened our notions of modern sexuality, navigates a whimsical investigation into what turns us on and why. Drawing on mythology, history, master works of art, cheeky animation and candid interviews with a diverse group of sexual adventurers, sexologists and authors, Kim urges us to broaden and explore our own understanding of erotic desire--making us laugh all the while. From the glorious beaches of Cyprus--the mythical birthplace of love Goddess Aphrodite--to the site in England of a 200 year old, 26 ft long phallus to the "Secret Museum" in Naples, where the erotic treasures of ancient Pompeii have been locked away for centuries, Kim takes us on a breathless tour of sexual significance and cultural discovery. Smart, arousing, and blush-worthy, SEXUAL INTELLIGENCE is Sex 101 for adults. DVD Features: Behind-the-Scenes with the Animators; Music Video: Tegan & Sara Speak Slow; Kim Cattrall Biography; Interactive Menus; Scene Selection (16:9 Anamorph! ic Widescreen format)In a nutshell, Kim Cattrall's
Sexual I! ntellige nce is the audio/ visual companion piece to her bestselling book of the same title. Much like her book, the
Sexual Intelligence documentary is a fun look at getting honest, serious and, educated, about why we want what we want sexually, albeit in an abridged and lighthearted forum. Your hostess Kim Cattrall,
Sex In The City's "Samantha Jones," takes you far and wide in search of the history and roots of sexual desire. From the fertile hills of England, to the shores of Greece, into cities of Ancient Rome, through the Victorian Age and into bedrooms of the modern world Kim Cattrall and her panel of experts (and a few average spokespeople featured in her book) explore and discuss various aspects of the human sexual experience. One of the more interesting segments is a detailed breakdown of the ancient Greek tale of Eros (Cupid) and Psyche. Though not exactly a Joseph Campbell interpretation of the Greek myth, the analysis of how the Greeks explained the im! portance of balancing carnal lust (Eros) with the soul (Psyche) in order to achieve pleasure is extremely well done. Though
Sexual Intelligence does provide some interesting commentaries and the bells and whistles you expect from the medium, it comes off a little light on the "whats" and "hows" of becoming sexually intelligent. If you plan on expanding your sexual mind, expect to pick up the companion book and start reading. But, if you are looking for fun, smart, escapism look no further.
--Rob Bracco
