Raising 4 children and balancing two careers, doesn't allow for much stress-free togetherness. We had truly forgotten how much stress interferes with intimacy.

Mr. Inkeles, we can't thank you enough for teaching us how to give each other such a marvelous gift: the release of stress through magic fingers. Not only is it therapeutic, it is extremely sensual. When mom and dad are more relaxed and romantic, the children benefit also.

One final note regarding the nude photographs: while there is full frontal nudity, it is not senseless nudity. The photographs demonstrate the text. It would be difficult for me to duplicate the techniques from simply reading the text or studying drawings.

82 of 86 found the following review helpful:


The Demystification of Massage  Dec 07, 2000 By Todd Richard Lyons
As a practitioner and teacher of sensual massage, I've noticed a peculiar complex in students, clients and the general public. The idea that the ability to perform a good, healthy massage requires some special magic, or years of professional training, is something deeply ingrained in many of us (largely as a result of the clinicization and licensure of this ancient art). Gordon Inkeles brings massage back to where it originated -- the common people.

Tasteful, artistic B&W photos and encouraging, descriptive text make his book both inspiring and instructional. Every step, from making your own oils to massaging each part of the body, are covered in exquisite detail. Other special treats are also included, such as tips on erotic massage for couples, and basic plans to build your own massage table.

Gordon's books have been invaluable to me; I own them all. Although the trend these days seems to be going in the direction of video (and he has one available too), the amount of detail in this book can't be adequately covered on tape -- unless it was made into a box set.

I highly recommend this book for people of all levels of knowledge, but particularly for those wanting to learn massage. This book will give you the encouragement you need to get started, then guide you as you learn.

28 of 28 found the following review helpful:


Great for the beginner!  Mar 06, 2001
I read the reviews for this book and I'm happy to say that it lived up to them: 5 stars! I've been wanting to try massage for a long time and this book is great for anyone that doesn't know much about the techniques. The book gives simple instruction, clear pictures and even handy tips. The nudity in the pictures isn't offensive at all, it's rather beautiful. The people in the pictures aren't models, they are actual couples and you can see that they really are enjoying each other on a new level. The photographer did a wonderful job. The techniques in this book are easy to learn, in fact I read the book, jotted down some notes and in the same night was able to surprise my work-stressed boyfriend with a sensual massage. He gives it 5 stars too.

27 of 29 found the following review helpful:


The book that changed my life.  Mar 04, 2007 By Eden Russell
This review is written from the point of view of a licensed massage therapist who went in the business after reading this book.

First I would like to share the story of how thing book got into my hands. Everyone who has been in Provincetown, MA, will tell you it's a different town. I knew nothing about its fame when I first set my foot there which was because I was offered a job there. At the end of the season I already knew that visiting Provincetown and not getting something from a sex store was like visiting Rome and not going to see the Pope. So, set on buying a modest souvenir for myself, I marched in one of the four stores in town and looked around.

To cut the long story short, among the huge selection of accessories and books, my attention was attracted by a book labelled "The Art of Sensual Massage". I flipped through and decided to give it a shot. As a shy single lady unsure how to approach the subject of her affection, I thought that was a sensible choice. I had my souvenir and a couple of weeks to experiment the moves on friends before I became brave enough to suggest it to my crush.

It is very important to understand that this book is entitled the art of SENSUAL, not sexual massage. If you are looking for a book to teach you techniques focused on and around the loins, look elsewhere. There are a lot of tips and hints on how to make the touch intimate, private, just for you and your partner though.

A total beginner with massage, my first tries with the book on a few volunteers left me stunned. I was amazed how good it felt to them! This was also extremely satisfying to me to see the change. In a week I was hooked. In a month I was confident enough to offer it to my crush. It was a ... melting experience.

Remember: all touch feels good. That is, if you desire to touch and be touched. This book can be a very powerful tool in the hands of those who want to bring happiness and content to their partners. It presents a wonderful form of physical intimacy not involving sex. The descriptions/instruction is very clear, easy to understand, with great pointers and suggestions. There photos are quite helpful as well and the models are chosen well. The models are nude but none of what is shown is in bad taste. Have in mind that the pictures were taken a while back in time which explains why they are in black and white and of course the body hair.

The techniques described in the book are excellent. Even now, as a professional massage therapist I still use some of the techniques suggested in this book. It is not necessary to have in-depth knowledge of anatomy to practise at home and with a few exceptions, they are very safe. Massage is for pleasure, not for pain and the author does a great job conveying the idea. Here are a few hints how to improve your experience (some are mentioned in the book, some aren't).

-- Warm the oil before you start. Dipping it in the sink with hot water for 5-10 min makes all the difference in the world.

-- Work the muscles (avoid pressure on the bones).

-- Keep your hands on your partner. Stay connected and if you need to reapply oil, do it with one hand.

-- Use firm and confident strokes.

-- If you start causing pain, stop immediately.

-- Always stay off the spine, varicose veins, sprains, hurt muscle/skin.

I warmly recommend this book to caring couples who want to explore each other's sensuality and learn new ways to bring harmony, content and pleasure in their relationship. Even though I do not have the DVD to this book, I suggest you to buy it as well, especially if you have no prior experience in massage. I believe the book may be of interest even for massage therapists and their partners. It definitely won't teach them anything new technique-wise but the attitude is indeed inspiring and refreshing.

18 of 18 found the following review helpful:


Fabulous. Everything you need is here.  Apr 08, 2002
Having purchased many massage books over the years I still find this one, my first, to be a great inspiration. Inkeles' love for massage really comes through and you are able to get right into the technique--usually a few minutes after you open the book! Beware of some of the older editions of "The Art of Sensual Massage" which were printed on low quality paper. The photos suffer. The Arcata Arts edition ... is much improved throughout and has many updates to the text.

Indeed, this truely is THE essential massage book, especially for beginners.

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