THE ELECTRONIC CONFESSIONAL: A Sex Book of the 80's

by Howard R. & Martha E. Lewis Lewis ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 26, 1986

A book-length public-relations release about a videotex service owned by the Lewises called Human Sexuality (HSX). Accessed through CompuServe. the Lewises claim it is electronically enhancing the sex lives of hackers, et al. all over this land. Subscribers can join sexual support groups and rap via video with the like-minded. There are 20 such groups in all; among them. ""For Women Only,"" ""Man to Man,"" ""Gay Alliance,"" ""The Singles Club,"" ""Teens Talk,"" ""Dear Diane"" (a psychiatrist on tap). Users can also power up to what the Lewises call ""on-line relationships"": one-to-one computer ""conversations"" in which two people ""chat and argue. . .fall in love, become jealous, break up, have feuds."" And yes: ""Several marriages have resulted. . ."" Some couples even engage in what the authors call ""compusex"": in effect, simulated ""copulation"" via descriptions of sexual moves and responses relayed to computer screens. One section of the book provides graphic descriptions of several electronic ""love affairs."" The main part of the book. however, is devoted to nearly 250 actual questions asked of HSX and the answers it provided. In 1983, when it first went into operation, the most common questions involved fears about masturbation; today, many want to know how to make it better. Americans aren't as sophisticated as is generally believed, either: ""We get hundreds of questions having to do with how long a penis should be. . .where the clitoris is. . .how erections work."" Part peep show, part hype; but with interesting insights into some of America's sexual folkways.

Pub Date: June 26, 1986

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Evans

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 1986

Categories: NONFICTION