Opening Up

A Guide to Creating and Sustaining Open Relationships

By: Tristan Taormino

Narrated by: Jo Anna Perrin

Relationship expert and bestselling author Tristan Taormino offers a bold new strategy for creating loving, lasting relationships. Drawing on in-depth interviews with over a hundred women and men, Opening Up explores the real-life benefits and challenges of all styles of open relationships - from partnered non-monogamy to solo polyamory. With her refreshingly down-to-earth style and sharp wit, Taormino offers solutions for making an open relationship work, including tips on dealing with jealousy, negotiating boundaries, finding community, parenting and time management. Opening Up will change the way you think about intimacy.

Tristan Taormino is an authority in the field of erotica and sexuality. Along with working as a feminist author, columnist, activist, and educator, she has been featured as Out magazines 100 Gay Success Stories of the Year and The Advocate's Best and Brightest Gay & Lesbian People Under 30. In addition to all of this, Taormino recently appeared in the E! Special "The Real 50 Shades of Grey."

©2008 Tristan Taormino (P)2011 Tantor

Critic reviews

"This is the book you want to read if you're looking for a voice that is balanced, sensitive and sensible when tackling the thorny question of sexual boundaries in love relationships. Opening Up is sure to open up your mind." (Esther Perel, author of Mating in Captivity)

Good read for poly curious

Definetly good read for those curious about polyamory and different relationship types within this lifestyle.

something to think about

Great alternative look at relationship styles and the many other love options. The performance was a bit annoying at times, but an overall good book.

Great Content, Not-So-Great Narrator

The content is incredible! The author has organized information in such a well-thought-out, clear, concise and compassionate way. This is a great book for anyone who is considering opening up (pun intended) their sexuality and romantic selves to the possibility of non-monogamy or polyamory.

This book does not shy away from the pros and cons and does not seem to have an agenda one way or the other; the information is clearly presented in an unbiased manner for the reader (listener) to make their own decisions. I cannot recommend the book enough.

As for the narrator, however, her "man voice" was so distracting and unnecessary it became a cringe-worthy annoyance. Since she says the name of the speaker after the quote (Dave, Judy, Andy, etc.), there is no reason to try to pretend to be a man when speaking for them. It slowed down my listening experience because by the third hour I was lamenting that I had eight hours to go of bad voice acting... and that seriously detracted from the content of the book.

I will not listen to any other audiobooks narrated by Ms. Perrin.

That being said, there is a wealth of useful and helpful information presented here, and it's well worth the listen (bad voices and all).

Amazing

Amazing and very informative. Goes over so many aspects and topics. Great place to start or brush up on your lifestyle.

amazing!!

I love the way the author utilizes real life experiences from the people she interviewed. it allows the abstract to be shown in real life interactions. and that melding helps kind of solidify some of the concepts and ideas and helps get a better understanding. I have been consuming a lot of books on this subject and I like seeing different viewpoints and perspectives in how to approach it because it helps me get a better understanding of where I'm at in my journey and where to go from here. this was an extremely well written book.

A Very Informative Book on Taboo Subjects

Dive into the hot steamy world of multiple partners, not before absorbing the subject matter of this book.
Well done. Factual, and educational.
Know what you are getting yourselves into.

Great book; OK reader

This is a great book to help you navigate your relationships (open or otherwise). Lots of practical examples and helpful information to think through. The readers voice is a bit challenging to listen through the whole book, but I think that is to maintain clarity and refrain from any judgement inflection. OK on 1.25-2x speed.

Life changing!

Incredible resource for beginning an open relationship. Thoughtful, insightful, inspiring, and very instructive. Truly thankful for this book.

Add this to your arsenal of poly books!

A great book to add to your foundational poly books! I recommend this one along with More Than Two, Polysecure, and Ethical Slut. I like that the last few chapters focus on the practical side, such as legal things to give thought to, societal norms, and sexual health.

Open Relationships 101

After reading this book I have a great understanding about types of relationships and people in general. I thought I had a good knowledge base but now it is much broader . Good book. Taormina is truly a master in this arena. So very readable and entertaining ( like everything she writes!!!!!)