Sophia C. reviewed on 8/25/2011 + 289 more book reviews

Nancy Friday's Beyond My Control: Forbidden Fantasies in an Uncensored Age is a bit of a disappointment. Known for her prior compilations of (mainly female) sexual fantasies, here Friday offers sexual fantasies submitted by both men and women in addition to Craigslist and other online ads. As the title implies, one of the themes is that as women achieved more equality though the feminist movement, more fantasies became centered on giving up control as the source of sexual pleasure. The internet has made fantasies more risqué. However, these new ideas seem at odds with her usual psychoanalytical bent, i.e., much of our sexual desires develop under the influence of Mother, before we are consciously aware of them, which is still very present here. There also seems to be much more of her editorializing relative to actual material submitted by others than in previous works. Thus Beyond My Control didn't meet my expectations.

Back to all reviews by this member
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details