Review: How to Make Love Like a Porn Star: A Cautionary Tale

How to Make Love Like a Porn Star: A Cautionary Tale by Jenna Jameson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I wonder how many people judged me for reading this. There's a very stereotyped view of "porn stars." And Jenna Jameson is, at least to me right now, the most famous (maybe infamous?) porn star. But she is also one of the most successful, and hey, she has her own COMPANY. She's not just a girl on camera anymore.

I really loved this book. I found the hardcover for about $8, and after reading, I probably would have paid full price. (Or at least more than $8.) I know that Jenna wrote it with someone (Neil Strauss, who I have sort of heard of before), so I don't know how much of the writing was actually her own. But it was WONDERFULLY written; it was so incredibly engaging, as evidenced by the fact that I read this quite long book in a day. (I was sick in bed but still, a day.) Engaging, and addicting, and set out so clearly. There were a lot of things happening, as her life was quite full (of both good and bad events), in different years, but I was able to follow the timeline with little trouble. (And this is way more important than you would think; I hate when I have to go back every few pages to figure out which year we're in.)

Jenna Jameson's life was really hard (and she addresses the fact that people always ask her if it was, because they literally can't rationalize another reason that she would pick the career she did if she wasn't abused as a child, for some reason) but the book is funny and straightforward. She embraces her life, and her mistakes, and as a result, herself. It's an empowering book, as she empowered herself for most of her career; she got what she wanted, and I think it's an important book to read. It doesn't matter that she's in porn; I might be biased, because to me, there is nothing wrong with her choice of career (people have this horrible conception of it that I do not share; it is safe and that's most important), but even if you feel uncomfortable about it, this is not a story about someone who has sex for a living; this is a story about a woman who fought her way to the top of the industry of her choice, by herself (for the most part, but also with the support of female friends), and she left the jerks behind. I was inspired and simply enjoyed this book.

And for all of you nervous about it, there is not THAT much mention of sex in the book. Obviously, there's a fair amount, but it's tastefully written and again, straightforward, which is the best way to handle it. There are also lots of pictures, but again, I see nothing wrong with them. In the end, this is a great book, about a strong woman, and I really liked it.



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