Reviewed by Rachel Kramer Bussel
(02/20/02)

I have to admit that as soon as I heard that Kim Cattrall and her husband were writing a sex book, I wanted to read it. Why? Well, for no more compelling reason than that Kim plays my favorite character, Samantha, on Sex and the City. Samantha is so aggressive about getting what she wants sexually, so demanding about her own sexuality, and just so damn sure of herself (even in the episode where she cried in front of a potential client), that I can't help but be in awe of her.

Although I'm a big Samantha fan, I wasn't really sure what to expect from her book. I know that an actor and the character she plays on TV are not one and the same. Why was this couple writing a sex book? Was this just a celebrity and her husband wanting to make a quick buck or some genuine insight into women's orgasms?

I was pleasantly surprised by the book's tastefully displayed content and forthright, helpful tone. What I found in Satisfaction is a very honest, intimate, detailed guide for heterosexual women and men wanting to achieve or enhance female orgasm. The bulk of the book contains detailed drawings and descriptions of sex acts, largely focusing on the clitoris, that couples can perform to enhance female orgasm and pleasure. Satisfaction isn't a very long book and doesn't exhaustively cover every possible sexual act; it's not trying to replicate the Kama Sutra. The information it does cover is extremely detailed, with easy-to-follow diagrams and instructions.

A theme emphasized throughout Satisfaction is that, since every woman is different, men need to listen to their lovers first and foremost in order to find out what's pleasurable for them. There's no single act or position that will lead instantly to orgasm for everyone. Cattrall and Levinson write:

Women need to feel comfortable about bringing up the subject of sexual satisfaction, and men need to make them feel safe in order for this to happen. Honesty and openness from both partners is the key to mutually fulfilling sex, and men in particular should be patient and calm when faced with what may feel like criticism. Ultimately, they will be well rewarded for their willingness to listen and respond to their lover's needs.

Their focus on oral sex and detailed techniques for ways to please a woman's clitoris with the tongue are detailed without being unattractive. Men learn various ways of licking the clitoris as well as what kinds of reactions to watch and be prepared for before a woman climaxes. They don't just explain how to do certain positions, but also suggest that watching, talking and other non-tactile sensations can enhance orgasm and sexual pleasure.

I found Satisfaction to be an honest, useful guide for both men and women. Its patient tone not only encourages couples to try new things, but shows and tells them exactly how it's done. Their emphasis on oral sex and clitoral stimulation, and on encouraging men to focus on women's pleasure during lovemaking, is welcome advice. Especially important is their tone, which doesn't scold men for not paying proper attention to their female lovers, but gently guides them in showing them how to increase her potential for orgasm. Cattrall and Levinson don't titillate readers with tales of their own sex lives, but they do provide enough personal information to let their audience know that all has not always been smooth sailing in their own sexual explorations, and that they have worked and experimented to get to where they are today.

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