THE BIG BOOK OF PORN by Seth Grahame-Smith

Sure, everyone knows something about dirty movies -- but what about their history? Their biggest stars, both male and female? What does it take to make one? What are the silliest titles? These are some of the areas covered by The Big Book of Porn: A Penetrating Look at the World of Dirty Movies by Seth Grahame-Smith.

Grahame-Smith's approach to this world is both informed and tongue-in-cheek. He has no problem recognizing the problems of his subject ("Most of today's pornos have the artistic content of a septic tank...") or bashing anything he doesn't personally like. He also has a sense of humor, keeping the mood light from start to finish: During his history of porn, dark or negative events are given the header "limp moments in porn history."

So what's in The Big Book of Porn? "A Brief History of Porn Movies" provides a quick, well, history of porn the movies, from the first movies made to 2005 (when this was published). "Know Your Classics" discusses twenty "essential" movies -- not chosen for their prurient value! "The Pantheon of Porn" goes through the author's picks for the most important stars (male and female) and directors in adult entertainment. "What to Watch, Where to Find It" gives porn genres, sources, and possible future. "It's a Small World After All" dedicates a paragraph or two to porn around the globe. "Make Your Own Porno" is a how-to guide to creating a skin flick, from start to finish. And "Extra Features" has various items: a glossary of terms, useful websites, a calendar of events for annual adult conventions and award shows, and 300 of the silliest, funniest, and unbelievable titles out there. There are also random inserts through the book, like the story behind the arrest of Paul Reubens (a.k.a. Pee Wee Herman) and a poem to the dirty old days of 42nd Street. And yes, there are photos.

The Big Book of Porn is a light-but-solid look at the universe of the skin flick. Many of Grahame-Smith's choices are subjective (I take issue with his leaving out star Asia Carrera and director Andrew Blake) and some of the topics are covered far too briefly (the "big book" is a little over 200 pages long -- a lot of which are photos). The author's humor helps diminish these problems, as he moves the tone of his book from a serious history or analysis to a fan chatting in earnest about his passion. The Big Book of Porn is far from the definitive work on adult cinema, but it's a fun read -- and a good start to further exploration.

Overall grade: B

Reviewed by James Lynch