Books on Sex

This book is a collection of techniques and encouragements, as well as facts and information. The information is presented in the excited tone of voice of mass circulation magazines, "hundreds of sizzling sex secrets to turn your deepest sexual desires into …uninhibited pleasures… and real passion…" This, the editors claim is an example of "direct, no-nonsense" talk. For my own taste, it’s like verbal MSG. However, I humbly acknowledge that we each have our own taste in erotic literature. Still, it’s a good survey and has lots of interesting ideas. -PB

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Joani Blank, Editor, 2000 (Amazon price:$10.00)

Be forewarned that these erotic stories are extremely graphic, with take-no-prisoners descriptions of body parts, arousal techniques, connections, positions, and releases. The writers' sexual orientations are an assortment of straight, gay, and bisexual. Some are into bondage and discipline and sadomasochism. What makes these stories different from usual erotic literature is that age is a major player. Whether the writer is having sex after heart surgery, self-conscious about a wrinkly stomach hanging down, making love without an erection, experiencing leg cramps in certain positions, or worrying about the dentures ("What do I do with them when my lover's staying overnight?"), age is an unabashed participant in the sex act. Yet despite the challenges, most report that sex after 60 is the best they've ever had! - PB

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Books on Spirituality

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by M. Scott Peck (Amazon price $6.29)

Hailed as one of the great spiritual books of the century, "The Road Less
Traveled" has already given more than two million grateful readers an inspirational framework for achieving profound personal growth and satisfaction.  Dr. Peck's crucial premise- that life is hard- is challenging for even the strongest among us, but his art lies in his ability to lead us to accept, and ultimately transcend, this idea.   Never before have psychological and spiritual guidance come together so powerfully. It's not the easiest road---but it is the only one worth taking. Let Dr. Peck's remarkable achievement help you find your way as you journey today, and every day of your life. - SP

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It may seem strange to add a book written by an American Sufi to this midlife collection, but this is an exceptional, clear, and easy to read book on an important subject. An excellent book for someone seeking information about how to live as a fully present spiritual being in our world. The chapters are short, digestible chunks in clearly written language, and include excerpts from Rumi's extraordinary poetry, as well as Helminski's wisdom garnered from more than two decades of Sufi study, practice, and leadership. This book balances the practical and the beautiful, and shows the sacredness inherent in human life. Someone who is remembering his or her connection to God, or wants to know how to remember that remembrance, will find "Living Presence" both useful and a joy to read. I highly recommend this book for anyone, both absolute beginners and those further along the path! - SP

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This is a very interesting book. It is one of the places where I came to understand that midlife dating happens in a de-regulated atmosphere. It is a collection of personal stories by clergy persons, and other spiritually aware and committed people trying to connect their spirituality and their sexual needs. Every story is about some unorthodox exploration, some willing entry into the dark and pathless forest. There are no easy answers but many stories of honorable struggle. - PB

I would like to add a caveat to prospective readers of this book: the choices  of sexual freedom advocated by most of the contributers of this book would not work, in my opinion, for most marriages. A couple would have to exceptionally mature and loving to be able to live the lifestyles advocated here! - SP

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In her own unique way, Hooks, a woman over 40, has written a fine and thoughtful book about the true meaning of love. She beautifully weaves her childhood search for that emotion with society's misuse (and dire
need) of it. "All About Love" takes apart the sentimental and often fleeting aspects of romance, stuck in the muddled urges of sex, and details the problems that arise from the confusion between the two. What Hooks does best is reveal that the true force of love lies in its spiritual, redemptive power, which can impact positively on humankind. - SP

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Other Books of Interest

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In order to better understand the crises of his middle-aged patients, Dr. Chinen's search led him to centuries-old stories from the oral tradition. These stories tell what happens in the "ever after", when the Prince goes bald and the Princesses has a midlife crisis. They portray middle-aged men and women facing the issues of midlife: the loss of ideals; gender differences; dealing with crisis; aging and mortality; and the desire for renewal. Listeners will find that many midlife crisis are universal and timeless and that their ultimate resolutions as described in these stories guide them through the peaks and valleys of midlife. - SP

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Recommended by two highly credible authorities, consciousness explorer Ken Wilber and spiritual-growth guru Harville Hendrix, this compendium of Enneagram information was assembled by the cofounders of the Enneagram Institute as an introduction to the subject. Designed with a plenitude of charts, boxes, and quotes (by noted illuminaries such as  Maya Angelou, and G.I. Gurjieff), this exceptionally easy-to-use, manual-size paperback teaches the reader how to figure out which of the nine types she is, identifies red flags to self-illusion, and provides practical suggestions for spiritual growth. Advice on how to observe your type's fixations and let go of the need to act out automatic and dysfunctional behavioral responses are down-to-earth and attainable. A distinctly accessible approach to cultivating daily happiness through understanding the complexity of fixations that weave together human personality types. - SP