Intended for Pleasure gives a lot of good, basic, explicit advice on both a marital sexual relationship, and the technique of lovemaking itself. It avoids couching the facts in poetic language which is one of its strengths. It also does a good job of addressing myths and wrongheaded attitudes which need to be dispelled. I know that it motivated me to do some self examination of my character. I realized that I had a lot of unhelpful pride that I needed to let go before my wedding night.

The main weakness of the book is that the author sometimes fails to fully explain some of the actions he refers to. It's kind of like a Julia Child cookbook where she refers to a complex procedure without ever explaining what it is. In a book like this it's a good idea to be completely descriptive at all times. Once something has been explained, then you can refer to it by a general reference.

The illustrations are only marginally helpful. I'm not advocating the inclusion of Hustler type photographs, but something more detailed than line drawings would be more educational.

The author also sometimes gets badly sidetracked. For example, he includes the procedure for doing a pap smear in the basic anatomy section. What on Earth would a reader of this book want with that information? I suspect he let his fascination with medicine interefere with his purpose in writing this book.

All of that being said, however, this is overall a very good book on the subject. I would recommend it to any Christian couple who is going to be married within a month or so.


Detailed and helpful but somtimes cold.   May 25, 1998
 50 out of 50 found this review helpful

I purchased this book before my honeymoon in hopes of ithelping my wife and I get the maximun enjoyment out of sex in ourmarrige. The first few chapters are rather dry and cold speaking mostly of anatomy and the like. After that there are some excellent tips to making sex very enjoyable and not discouraging, especially if its your first time. These chapters helped me tremendously in finding out what God intended for sex and pleasing my wife. All the tips he gives in these chapters are very long and tedious. If you think you have these problems prepare yourself for some fun but hard work. Lots of practice sessions with total vulnerability with your partner. And probably with some disappointments. It can be tedious reading but stick with it, it is helpful. Some of the commentary is very clinical and dry, but helpful when you apply it. I really saw the heart of the writers, which is to help and instruct people to have the most fulfilling sex life as possible. END