Tag Archives: Dian Hanson

blog news, book reviews, business

Why reposts can really pay off handsomely…

Reposts can really pay off handsomely… I know this to be true. I’m sure some readers wonder why I recycle content. In fact, I’m reminded of Sting, one of my favorite musicians, who is quite adept at the rehash. Listen to his songs– often, you’ll find snippets of older songs within them. Sometimes, he reuses lyrics from another song, or maybe a riff. He’s also been known to completely redo his songs, even bonafide hits like “Don’t Stand So Close to Me.”

“Don’t Stand So Close to Me” circa 1981…
Rehashed and revamped in 1986…
And yet another revamp… totally different.

It can be a good idea to revamp and rehash. Yesterday, I was reminded why, as I looked at my Amazon.com SiteStripe, not expecting any surprises. I have been an Amazon Associate since 2004. After all of those years, I don’t think I’ve so much as made $200 in commissions. I tend to get $10 payments every few months. My purpose in blogging isn’t to sell things, so it doesn’t bother me that I don’t make much money. However, it is nice when making money happens.

Lately, I’ve written more fresh book reviews. However, since I moved my blog from Blogger to WordPress, I’ve been reposting old stuff. Old book reviews are very interesting to some people. Lately many people are hitting my review of Going My Own Way, a 1983 book written by Bing Crosby’s son, Gary. Some have also read my reviews of Debby Boone’s 1981 memoir, So Far, and Debby’s sister Cherry’s book, Starving for Attention.

The biggest surprise, though, was revealed yesterday. Within the past couple of days, someone visited my review of Dian Hanson’s 2011 book, The Big Book of Pussy. The person who visited used my Amazon.com link to purchase a copy of the book. Provided they keep the book (and I’m not holding my breath), I’ll get a $22 commission in March. That’s pretty cool!

I bought The Big Book of Pussy completely whimsically about ten years ago. It’s one of a trio of books I own by Hanson. I first noticed Hanson’s 3D photography book, The Big Book of Breasts, in 2009. It was when we lived in Germany the first time, and I was on a day trip to Munich. I was walking past a bookstore when I noticed Hanson’s book in the window. When I moved back to the States, I ordered it from Amazon.

This book isn’t as scandalous as it seems…

Amazon was doing its usual “suggestive selling”, and they also recommended The Big Book of Pussy and The Big Butt Book. Since I was ordering anyway, I decided to get those books, too. Then, I reviewed all three of them for the now defunct product review site, Epinions.com. Hanson also wrote books about legs and penises, but I decided not to order those. When we moved back to Germany in 2014, I left most of my books in storage. Dian Hanson’s books are big coffee table affairs, and we had limited funds for shipping our household items. Three big books that I don’t look at often would have taken up valuable space and weight.

At some point, Hanson’s artsy body part books went out of print, even though people are clearly still interested in them. I see that reasonably priced and sized “little” versions are available of her books, but not the big ones like I own. Now, I kind of wish I’d brought them with me, because there’s obviously a market for them. In fact, sometimes I catch myself missing other items I have in storage. I wish we had our curio/china cabinet, for instance. I also wish I had my karaoke disc collection, my photo albums, and my mom’s piano. Of course, mom’s piano is extremely heavy, and I don’t play well at all. But I could learn!

I know that sooner or later, we’ll eventually reunite with the rest of our belongings. I just don’t know when that will be. Right now, Bill wants to buy a house in Europe somewhere and settle here. If we do that, it will mean going to the States temporarily to settle our affairs. If we don’t, we’ll just move back home somewhere.

I do appreciate it when people make purchases through my Amazon links. I don’t expect people to do that, but it’s really nice when it happens. It’s a great feeling when someone finds one of my posts useful, especially when it’s a review. I wanted to share this news on Facebook but, given the recently draconian bot discipline over there, I thought better of it. I’m afraid someone might report me for being too “suggestive” when I crow about selling a rare copy of The Big Book of Pussy. Story of my life… I can’t be completely transparent to most people about exactly where I met Bill, either. 😉

Anyway, if you’ve made a purchase through my blog, thank you very much. Especially if you’re the one who bought Hanson’s rare book, which is going for a lot more than I think it’s worth. I hope the book turns out to be all you hope it will be! And if it doesn’t, and you return the book, I’ll understand. Still, I’ve definitely learned that reposts can pay off handsomely. Oh… and sex sells!

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book reviews, sex

Repost of the my review of The Big Butt Book by Dian Hanson…

Here is the last installment of my Dian Hanson book reviews.  She has other books besides the three I’ve reviewed, but I’ve determined that my heart and my stomach can’t take too much more nudity. This was originally written in April 2012 for Epinions.  Enjoy!

Mood music!

Yesterday, I reviewed experienced porn producer Dian Hanson’s book, The Big Book of Breasts 3-D.  In that review, I explained how I managed to find Hanson’s sexy book about breasts.  I was walking through Munich and spotted the non 3-D version in a store window, but didn’t feel like shelling out 40 euros, especially since I couldn’t know if the book would even be in English.  Well, I finally purchased the book in its 3-D version on Amazon.com.  And anyone who has ever bought anything on Amazon knows that suggestive selling is king there.  That’s how I came to purchase Dian Hanson’s 2010 follow-up, The Big Butt Book, along with The Big Book of Pussy.  I may need a couple of Xanax to get through the latter book, so today I will focus on The Big Butt Book.

Sorry to butt in…

Hanson’s breast book originally appeared in 2006.  I’m guessing it was a big success, because now I see that she has a whole line of big, heavy, colorful follow up books dedicated to the sexiest, most fetish-worthy parts of the human body.  The Big Butt Book is a glorious photographical ode to the human posterior.  Thumbing through this luscious volume of female derrieres, I can’t help but realize that I actually like this book better than The Big Book of Breasts, even though it’s not in 3-D.

Hanson presents this subject with the same sense of playful fun as she does her breast book.  However, there are a few differences to note in The Big Butt Book.  First off, there’s more written substance to this book; it’s not just a volume of pictures.  Like The Big Book of Breasts 3-D, this book includes commentary in English, German in French, presented in vertical columns.  Hanson’s writing is suprisingly scholarly and informative, as she explains why behinds are so beguiling for so many people in so many different cultures.

Aside from her own thoughts on butts, Hanson also presents a section on noted porn producer/director John Stagliano, as well as a chapter on Buffie the Body, a sexy black model with a most impressive @$$.  She includes an interview with Robert Crumb, the man who is notable for founding the underground comics movement.  This section is particularly interesting, since it includes some of Crumb’s butt-worthy comics.  There’s also a chapter about “Watermelon Woman” Andressa Soares, a young Brazilian model with a butt of very impressive proportions indeed, and commentary about Coco, another noted butt model.  Tinto Brass, an Italian filmmaker whose later work focuses primarily on the @$$, gets a chapter, as does Eve Howard, a writer with a penchant for spanking.

In living color… sometimes, anyway

Many of the photographs in The Big Book of Butts are presented in black and white, but there are also quite a few in color.  And while there are plenty of vintage models in this book, there are also quite a few younger models from the 80s, 90s, and 00s.  This variety of eras and styles may offer a more broad appeal to readers than the older models presented in the breast book.  While it’s fun to look at photos in 3-D, this book is eye catching and exciting enough not to need 3-D gimmicks, especially given that so many of the pictures are in color.

Mostly tasteful…

I think most of the photos in The Big Butt Book are tastefully done.  Yes, the photos are sexually provocative and revealing, but none appeared to be truly sleazy or vulgar to me.  In fact, many of the models appeared to be having a lot of fun with their photo shoots.  The photos also overwhelmingly focus on the butt, though there are a few that include naked boobs, too.

Sorry ladies… one reason to be bummed out about this book

One thing that is missing from this impressive photographical butt collection is the male perspective.  This book contains page after page of beautiful female butts, but no sexy male butts.  Seems to me a book called The Big Book of Butts ought to give equal time to the other gender for those of us who appreciate them.  Alas, this book is apparently just for straight, horny, men who love sexy women’s behinds.  What a bummer.

Overall

I think The Big Butt Book really kicks @$$!  It’s a fun volume celebrating beautiful behinds.  I would recommend it to anyone who appreciates bountiful butts, as long as they like butts of the feminine persuasion.

As an Amazon Associate, I get a small commission from Amazon on sales made through my site.

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book reviews, sex

Repost of my review of the Big Book of Pussy…

Obviously, this book review is going to be too much for some readers.  I originally reviewed Dian Hanson’s Big Book of Pussy on Epinions.com and I wanted to preserve the review before it gets lost forever.  I originally had it on my sex blog, but I’m in the process of dismantling that.  So here’s my reposted Epinions review from 2012, for better or worse…   Enjoy!

Pussy is a curious thing, All pink and covered with hair,
Looks like the mouth of a Methodist preacher, And stinks like the ass of a bear. 

Page 10 of The Big Book of Pussy

Leave it to Amazon.com’s suggestive selling efforts to get me to purchase Dian Hanson’s Big Book of Pussy(2011).  Not long ago, I decided I wanted to order Hanson’s book The Big Book of Breasts in 3-D.  Amazon.com, in all its salesmanship wisdom, presented me with the option to puchase two other Hanson titles, including The Big Butt Book and The Big Book of Pussy.  I went for it, figuring I would probably enjoy the butt book and might learn something from the pussy book.  So for the past few days, I’ve been reading and perusing a trifecta of photographical tributes to the female form.  Hanson also has two other books that I know of, one celebrating legs and the other celebrating penises… in 3-D, of course!

To be completely honest, of the three Hanson books I now own, I was the most nervous about looking at The Big Book of Pussy, even though I am a mature woman who happens to own one.  Frankly, until I forced myself to look at Hanson’s book, I didn’t find the vagina that mystical.  It was just a hairy part of my body that occasionally got stinky and sometimes gave me great pleasure.  However, I can’t deny that my “lady parts” give my husband great pleasure… I can see it in his eyes.  😉  So it makes sense that I might get better acquainted with my “muff”… and maybe even celebrate it.

The Big Book of Pussy… a visual feast or a hell of a shock…

I opened the book and was immediately confronted with rows of women’s faces interspersed with pictures of labias.  Once I got past the initial shock of seeing those private parts, I looked closer and noticed that no two were alike, suggesting that just like snowflakes, women’s vaginas are highly individual.  Being a heterosexual woman, I have to admit that I had never considered such a concept, though it’s only natural.     

I continued reading and, once again, was drawn in by Hanson’s refreshingly frank commentary on vaginas.  She touches on art history, writing about how the vagina has been depicted in art across the ages.  From Paleolithic cave paintings in Europe to cave paintings in the Black Hills of South Dakota, the vagina has often been recreated and admired by artists.  Hanson even describes The Cave of Vulvas, found within the Tito Bustillo cave in Spanish Asturias.  I can only imagine the travel review I could write about that place!

Aside from art, the vagina has also been celebrated in other ways.  For example, Hanson found a well-produced German Web site selling a line of scents called Vulva.  It comes in several different varieties.  And yes, Hanson did order a small vial for the princely sum of 24.90 euros ($34).  She describes the scent as smelling like perfume, musk, and urine.  I bet she could hardly wait to dab it behind her ears!

She also writes of an interesting sideline job for broke college students.  Back in the 1980s, she helped write form letters to horny guys looking for female companionship.  The letters came with a pair of “dirty panties”, complete with a musky aroma.  Lucky recipients might even find secretions or skid marks on their pair.  Hanson explains how those panties were actually created and the creative ways the college ladies came up with to make each pair look authentic.

We’ve got bush!

Hanson’s big book also educated me on the history of feminine hygiene.  A black and white photo of a woman with hairy thighs and an equally hairy bush is captioned as having been taken in 1940.  Hanson explains that most American women have been shaving their armpits since around 1925.  They didn’t start shaving their legs until around 1945; therefore, hairy legs on a woman in a picture can offer a clue as to when the shot was taken.  Hanson explains that it wasn’t common for women to groom their “bushes” until the 1980s.

Trilingual

Like the other two Hanson books I own, The Big Book of Pussy is translated into English, German, and French.  The translations are presented in three vertical columns, making it quick going through the pages of this book.

The photos

The Big Book of Pussy consists of lots of photos in black and white and color, from 1900 until 2011.  Some of the photos are tasteful.  And some– I won’t lie– are rather disgusting.  Some of the photos are funny and some show women in impossibly athletic poses.  Some of the pictures feature incredibly hairy “honey pots”, and some sport hairless slits.  Almost all of the models appear to be sexually mature, though I did see one or two that made me stop and wonder.  It wasn’t her vagina that made me question; it was her face.  She looked like a wide-eyed doll.  Casting my eyes south, I eventually determined there was no way she wasn’t full grown.

The models who appear in this book are all model types.  You won’t see any really heavy women or women who aren’t somewhat attractive.  However, Hanson does include a wide array of different ethnicities, as well as some clever artistic adaptations of lady bits.  Are you ready for a photo of an Asian woman who appears to have a sideways vagina?  How about a picture of a vagina that appears to double as a man’s beard, complete with a face drawn on the model’s flat stomach?

Just want to read the articles?

I’m happy to report that this book is not just about pictures of vaginas.  Hanson has included several articles from models, including one from a woman who calls herself “Mouse”.  Mouse is famous for being a “vaginal performance artist” who makes art with her pussy.  In one provocative photo, she is shown with what appears to be dynamite sticking out of her nether regions.  In another, there’s a Barbie doll that appears to be experiencing a second birth.  A newsy article accompanies these “interesting” shots. 

There’s also an article about Steve Shubin, the “Faux Vagina King”,  Shubin is an ex-cop from the Los Angeles area whose wife is an ex-professional tennis player.  His wife got pregnant with twins.  The doctor, noting Shubin’s wife’s advanced age (40), advised the couple to avoid sex for the duration of the pregnancy.  Shubin was crushed. Knowing that the prospect of avoiding sex for that long would tempt him, he designed his own faux vagina.  He got the patent for it in 1995.  I’m reminded of that old saying… “necessity is the mother of invention”! 

Other articles include one about “Flower Tucci”, champion female squirter, and Buck Angel, the man with a pvssy.  Buck is physically, psychologically, and legally a man, but he also has a fully functioning vagina.  Yes, he was born with it.

I was skeptical, but now I’m kinda sold…

Yes, The Big Book of Pussyis about a taboo topic.  I was a little squeamish about reading this book, mainly because I don’t find vaginas that interesting to look at…  Or, at least I didn’t think I did until I picked up this heavy duty coffee table book (and I dare you to display it on your coffee table!).  To be honest, if this was just mainly a book of photos like Hanson’s Big Book of Breasts is, I probably wouldn’t like it.  As it is, there’s only so long I can look at these vaginas without feeling distinctly uncomfortable.  But Hanson spices it up with some very interesting and educational commentary that touches on a wide variety of subjects.  I appreciated the interesting articles, too, though I was interested in some more than others.  I probably could have done without reading about “Mouse”.

Overall

I don’t think this book is quite as accessible as Hanson’s other books are, mainly because the pussy is such a private part of the body.  Also, I would advise prospective readers to keep an open mind as well as a steady stomach.  Some of the photos in this book are pretty vulgar and gasp inspiring.  Not all photos are suitable for the squeamish.  Still, I would by lying if I didn’t enjoy parts of The Big Book of Pussy and gain a little more appreciation for my own female parts.  I recommend it with four stars.

ETA: I would NOT pay $1499 for this book.

As an Amazon Associate, I get a small commission from Amazon on sales made through my site.

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book reviews, sex

Repost: A review of The Big Book of Breasts in 3D by Dian Hanson

Believe it or not, this is a fun book… and I am reposting this review, because it was a fun book to read. Also, I discovered it when we lived in Germany the first time. Great if you like boobs!  I left my copy in the States, though, because it took up too much of our 5000 pound moving allowance. The review appears here as it was written in 2012.

Good mood music for this topic.

Picture it.  It’s June 2009 and I’m in Munich, Germany with a bunch of American tourists who had come up from Garmisch-Partenkirchen for the day.  We pass a bookstore.  I cast my eyes to the right and spot an intriguing looking book in the window.  There’s a picture of a lovely woman’s torso in a lacy black strapless bra.  On the cover, it says The Big Book of Breasts by Dian Hanson.  Even though I am a heterosexual woman with an impressive set of breasts of my own, I was halfway tempted to buy that book.  But the price was 40 euros and I didn’t feel like paying that much.

Fast forward a few years.  I’m on Amazon.com and suddenly remember that book I saw in Germany.  I search for it and easily find it, along with several other “body part” books.  Only this time, I see that aside from the normal Big Book of Breasts I spotted in Germany, there’s also The Big Book of Breasts 3-D!  And the book comes with its very own set of 3-D glasses!  Curiosity gets the better of me and I buy it.

An eye-popping cover

The Big Book of Breasts 3-D made an immediate impression on me when I removed it from the Amazon box.  The book was shrinkwrapped and the front cover has a grooved plastic layer that makes the brassiered torso look like it’s in 3-D.  Opening the cover, I see a vintage looking picture that looks like lots of people from the early 60s wearing 3-D glasses.  When I turn to the back cover, I find a pair of cardboard and plastic 3-D glasses neatly tucked into a plastic sleeve.  Is it strange that this coffee table book is all about milk producing glands?

Gives new meaning to the term “pop art”… 

On page 7, the very minimal text of the introduction begins, written in English, German, and French.  The three languages are presented in narrow columns.  Photographer Dian Hansen explains the origins of the word breast and the history of 3-D technology.  Then she marries the two topics, explaining that the first topless photo was produced in 1839.  The breasts were French and not particularly large, but they cleared the way for more daring photos.  Hanson writes that nude stereo views soon followed the naked French breasts.  The models were mostly Parisian prostitutes and many French men were familiar with the nudes, though they kept them hidden from their families, since such photos were considered pornography.

Bare breasts began appearing in American magazines back in 1925.  Most of the photos were billed as artistic photo instruction manuals.  Of course, once they began appearing, the nude photos began to appear with openly sexual titles.  The nudie pictures prospered until 1933, when Prohibition failed.  Once people began drinking legally again, the citizens’ decency leagues started focusing their efforts on suppressing the nude shots, pressing for censorship of the sexy photos.

Surprisingly scholarly…

Though this book is chock full of campy vintage photos of topless women in sexy poses, Dian Hanson’s introduction is surprisingly interesting and educational.  However, I sincerely doubt most people who would purchase this big heavy book are after Hanson’s intellectual discussion of how nude photography came about.  Nevertheless, as a heterosexual woman with a modicum of artistic curiosity, I thought Hanson’s introduction was very informative and interesting.  Dian Hanson was the editor of JUGGS magazine in the 1980s, so she has an intimate view of how this genre of photography evolved.  In the 80s, it was unsusual to see a woman with enhanced breasts.  Nowadays, of course, it’s a career necessity for a boob model. 

Hanson’s introduction runs a full seventeen pages.  After that, it’s titty city!  From page 25 until the end of the book, it’s nothing but large black and white photos of topless vintage model after model, posing in various sexy positions.  The opposite pages have only the model’s name in large, appreciative print.

Really?  In 3-D?

Yes, these photos are all in 3-D.  Looking at them with the naked eye, you will see subtle red and blue outlines that are not too intrusive.  Slip on the cheap 3-D glasses, and you’ll get an eyeful.  Though not every 3-D photo is equally successful, there’s plenty of reason to bother with the 3-D glasses, if only because they make the models look like they’re popping off the pages.

Is this book “dirty”?

While I’d definitely describe The Big Book of Breasts 3-D as sexy, I wouldn’t call it dirty or pornographic.  Many of the women are photographed in a tasteful, coquettish, flirty, or even an innocent way.  There are only a few shots that looked vulgar to me.  And though there are a few shots of other female private parts, most of the women in this book are only showing their breasts.  Admittedly, many of the breasts are very large, but they are mostly quite beautiful and natural.

Do I feel threatened?

I am a married woman, but I don’t care if my husband looks at this book of boobs.  I know he loves my boobs best!  Besides, the models in this book are vintage ladies from the 1950s-70s.  They are not threatening to me.

Would I recommend The Big Book of Breasts 3-D? 

I would.  I do wish Dian Hanson had written more instead of just relying on the eye-popping photos.  I thought her introduction outlining the history of nude photos and 3-D was very interesting and would appeal to those who want to learn something rather than just ogle the sexy women.  And as a heterosexual woman, I don’t get that much out of looking at boobs, especially really big ones.  I am glad I didn’t pay 40 euros for this book, but I do think it’s entertaining to look at.  I will warn that it’s a large, heavy book… not unlike my boobs!
Overall

I give The Big Book of Breasts 3-D four stars and my recommendation.

ETA: I see that the version I own is now out of print and offered for big bucks. There is a “little” version of this book going for a lot less money. Personally, I like the big book with its 3D schtick. Wish I’d brought it to Germany!

More mood music!

As an Amazon Associate, I get a small commission from Amazon on sales made through my site.

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