Pornocopia: Porn, Sex, Technology and Desire (Paperback)

I must admit the book came as something of a surprise as O'Toole offers a powerful and often persuasive defence of the pornograpic industry. If the author is to be believed the issue of pornography is really an issue of freedom of speech and freedome of expression.

It's a meticulously-researched book with O'Toole meeting and interviewing some of the movers and shakers (literally) of the pornographic scene. If he (and they) are to be believed then this is not an industry based on exploitation but one employing intelligent, self-aware individuals merely doing what they want to do.

Although I can't envisage myself embracing the genre as wholeheartedly as the author would like, the book will certainly ensure I'm less judgmental of those who choose to do so. An achievement of sorts.

If you're interested in pornography, I suspect this will book will offer much-needed validation. For those not interested it's definitely worth a read as it may shatter some long held preconceptions.

O'Toole opens by taking us for a trip down porn's memory lane, looking first at the stag films of the twenties and thirties, before moving onto the mondo and nudy films of the fifties and sixties. Then follows a detailed and interesting look at porn's golden age in the seventies. Less well known films, such as 'Sensations' and 'Web Rainbow' are looked at, as well as the usual 'porn classics' - 'Deep Throat' and 'The Devil in Miss Jones'

The book the goes on to look at the video boom, the porn viewer, censorship, and the Internet. The Porn Viewer chapter, containing interviews with many self confessed porn consumers is revealing and perhaps goes some way to dispell the myth of porn consumers being sad lonely males looking at dirty magazines in their grotty bedsits.

Also interesting is the chapter on censorship, especially here in the UK. O'Toole goes into quite some detail about what can and can't be shown in Britain and compares it with the US and the rest of Europe.

Sadly, I feel the book lets itself down when it discusses the feminist arguments against porn. O'Toole strives too hard to argue that porn is only made by consenting adults. While I wouldn't agree with one feminist theory that all women in porn are victims, forced to take part in something that the loath. I feel that the book ignores the many who are tricked, niave or 'economically' forced to appear in porn. Also O'Tootle ignores that porn, like much of contemporary culture, runs the risk of objectifying women. Women who are thin, big breasted and always 'up for it'.

Having said that, I do feel that 'Pornocopia' is a good introduction to this under research neglected form of popular entertainment. The book is easy to read, avoiding that stuffy academic style that many cultural study books often have. O'Toole is obviously a fan of his subject, which shows through in his sympathetic and understanding portraits of the films and their stars.