Affection: An Erotic Memoir
by Krissy Kneen
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Description
Krissy Kneen loves sex . . . and she's not afraid to talk about it. In this sometimes hilarious, sometimes poignant, and sometimes terrifying memoir, she traces the arc of her sexual life - from her childhood in a sexless household to the myriad sexual encounters of her young and adult life to the present, in which she is a married (and monogamous) 40-year-old woman. Raised by a group of protective and eccentric women who expressly forbade any and every sign of sexuality, Krissy - an show more unusually sensual young girl - discovered early on that illicit pleasures are the best kind. Affection follows the path of Kneen's life journey, from the compulsive sexual self-exploration of her childhood to her experiences as a young woman for whom the world is a sexual playground. Underlying the jaw-dropping details of her many sexual escapades is Kneen's examination of how her sense of self shapes and is shaped by those experiences, and of her struggle to satisfy her own needs in the face of a limiting, and often judgmental, society. Affection is a frank, often erotic look at one woman's sexuality as she grows and changes in a world that continues to see only the young and the beautiful amongst us as sexual beings - and a chronicle of her refusal to conform to that misconception. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
A very interesting and beautifully written memoir. Krissy Kneen would be what I would call a sex addict - and one of her friends suggests the same to her at one point in her story. However, she does marry and has remained monogamous for more than 15 years. Ultimately I thought her story was sad although I don't think Krissy feels that about her life at all - to me her endless focus on sex and her constant viewing of almost everyone she meets as a possible sexual partner, combined with her years of 'production line' sexual experiences - I just felt sorry for her. While I don't doubt that her feelings and experiences are just another version of 'normal' I am glad that my own version doesn't manifest in the same ways.
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Published Reviews
ThingScore 75
Kneen is a keen new(-ish) talent on the Australian literary scene and has pulled off a rare feat here.
Beneath the surface sexuality, Affection's triumph is that of an assured novelist of any genre. She sets a scene in curt but vivid detail and injects emotional vibrancy into even cursory encounters. At times "that sex stuff" seems almost incidental to the acutely observed character portraits show more of men and women who would be, or could be, her lovers. Shared post-coital cups of tea take on more significance than the fleetingly mentioned acts that precede them. show less
Beneath the surface sexuality, Affection's triumph is that of an assured novelist of any genre. She sets a scene in curt but vivid detail and injects emotional vibrancy into even cursory encounters. At times "that sex stuff" seems almost incidental to the acutely observed character portraits show more of men and women who would be, or could be, her lovers. Shared post-coital cups of tea take on more significance than the fleetingly mentioned acts that precede them. show less
added by justjim
Affection goes all the way…[the book] seems like an authentic expression of feminine salaciousness, rather than one a woman thinks may be enjoyed by a man…[Kneen] takes a wild pride in refusing to primp either herself or her story into stereotypical palatability.’
added by MustangAly
‘In this beautifully written, painfully honest book, Kneen explores sexuality, the body and self-image, and the intersection between the three…Kneen’s stark, sensuous writing style and clear-eyed honesty are immensely appealing. And Affection is not just sensuous in relation to writing about the erotic; her childhood recollections are steeped in smells, colours and textures. This is an show more assured debut.’ show less
added by MustangAly
Author Information
16 Works 162 Members
Awards and Honors
Common Knowledge
- Original publication date
- 2010-09-27
- People/Characters
- Krissy Kneen
- Important places
- Sydney, Australia; Brisbane, Australia
- Dedication
- To Anthony - Husband, lover, friend
- First words
- Richard tied me to a pole because I asked him to.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)The man who I once picked out of a crowd, and who I would pick again and again if I were meeting him anew.
- Publisher's editor
- Mandy Brett
Classifications
- Genres
- Biography & Memoir, Nonfiction
- DDC/MDS
- 306.77092 — Society, government, & culture Social sciences, sociology & anthropology Social Behavior - Dating, Marriage, Divorce Sexual relations Sexual and related practices Biography & History Biography
- LCC
- HQ29 .K59 — Social sciences The family. Marriage, Women and Sexuality The Family. Marriage. Women Sexual life Sexual behavior and attitudes. Sexuality
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 44
- Popularity
- 675,741
- Reviews
- 1
- Rating
- (3.73)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 6
- ASINs
- 5
