Pornography

November 1, 2007
Aimed at mature high-school students (as well as college undergrads), this Groundwork Guide title examines the controversial, multifaceted topic of pornography and its entry into modern culture, including the instantaneous and unrestricted availability of sexually explicit material on the Internet. Featuring frank talk about sex and the forms of contemporary pornography, Nathans informal text traces the history of pornography, the arguments about this emotionally charged subject, and the scientific communitys attempts to determine if pornography is, in fact, harmful to viewers, workers in the adult entertainment industry, or women in general, who are frequently the object of sexist and violent fantasies. A provocative starting point for further research in media studies, censorship, and human sexuality, this overview presents the pros and cons of adult entertainment in surprisingly fair measure, and the source notes, further resources, and extensive time line that buttress the text will help readers who want more information to help them figure out where they stand on the issue.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)