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Dr Alex Comfort could perhaps be best thought of as the man who finally bought sex to the coffee table in his widely acclaimed sex manual the Joy of Sex. Comfort wrote some 50 books in his life time but will be best known for the Joy of Sex first published in 1972. Unlike other so called Sexperts, Comfort was not a psychologist , he was a renowned gentrologist - studying the ageing process. Comfort was also a co founder in the Campaign for Nuclear disarmament. He died in 2000 aged 80.

In 1972 the very first version of the Joy of Sex was published, it is now thought that other 8 million copies have been sold world wide of this book. It has been updated several times and the 30 year anniversary edition finally bought the manual into the 21st century with such subjects as HIV being added to the book. For the heterosexual couple this book is perhaps the only sex manual they might need.

Over the years this book as been updated and reprinted many times, the old line drawings of the semi hippy couple being replaced by more modern looking couple and the latest edition even having full colour photo's. There is something to be said about just having line drawings and a vivid imagination is all I'm saying on that matter! The 1991 edition saw perhaps just a little late a whole chapter on HIV, in the 90's casual sex which was advocated in the first editions definitely became so 1970's.

Comfort, has a writing style that allows you to read this book with ease, he's both frank and humorous at the same time.Even though there is a good deal of humor in this book Comfort also handles the whole issue with great sensitivity.It's not a sleazy book, which owes much to Comfort's at times whimsical musings about the S word. The book is laid out in such away that you can dip in and out of it finding what you need to know and then putting it away for another day. Many have likened the book to a recipe book and to be honest it is very similar in many ways - ok you'd not want to show your Nan what you'd learnt to do via this book! The recipe book analogy is due to the way the book is laid out in various sections: ingredients, starters, mains and gourmet and to be honest this does work.

Comfort wanted to show the world that there was perhaps a bit more to sex then a few well tested positions. The book attempts to help couples seduce each other, to explore their sexual relationship and liven up things in the old bedroom department - and not necesary in the bedroom! Comfort wanted to show that

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