I wasn't sure what to expect going into this book, but I was pleasantly surprise. Dr. Goldstein found a way to make this book not only educated and formative but also humorous. even when you think you know a lot about bottoming and anal pleasures Goldstein is there to give you all the knowledge you need for success.

Great for readers looking for sexual health guides for themself or their partner. Comprehensive, non-judge mental, and practical.

This book is so well researched and tells it all like it is. It’s honest and not taboo and I appreciated how educational it was. I learned a lot and really appreciated the overall inclusion of every aspect of what you need to do to have not only a health backside but to enjoy it if that’s what you want. Great book.

"Dr. Evan Goldstein's 'Butt Seriously' is a must-read for anyone seeking comprehensive information about anal health and pleasure. With a blend of medical expertise and practical advice, this book covers everything from anatomy to sexual wellness. Dr. Goldstein's compassionate approach and clear writing make complex topics accessible and engaging.

I'm sort of surprised this book is not talked about widely yet, but I'm assuming it could be less of a marketing foible (though that could be a part of it) and more of a stigmatization issue? Or could also just be the fact that it's rather new, I hope it'll get more attention once it gets officially released (next month btw!! quite soon!)

Dr. Goldstein says that in this book, too: information about the butt is generally uncomplicated but the main challenge lies in destigmatizing the conversations about them, and this anal education benefits not only the gays but also straighties who wish to try new things in the bedroom, or otherwise just improve their relationships with their butts beyond what they do with it in the practical sense (shitting).

also im gonna quickly note here that there are indeed so many opportunities to make puns and dr. goldstein doesn't miss any of them :D you're in for a good laugh here and there, especially if your humor is similar to mine lmao

intro to dr goldstein: he is colorectal physician who is also a part of the gay community. he's been a gay physician for literal decades by now and hence has collected a myriad of stories from straighties and lgbtq+ folks alike. he writes of them in a compassionate and open-minded way, in that whichever community you identify yourself with, you'll understand and sympathize with the patients he's written about.

i shared the knowledge i gleaned from this book to friends who bottom and friends who have friends who bottom and friends who have no idea what bottoming entails (oh, bless your heart my sweet innocent friend who thirsts for knowledge the same way we fellow nerds do!) and the consensus is that the contents of this book should be more widely talked about and shared.

note that i've been in the medical field since graduating college centuries [exaggeration] ago, has taken my fair share of anatomy classes to work towards a science degree, but the disjointed knowledge gleaned from those don't compare to the amount of knowledge i got from this book, not because it's all new knowledge but because the things presented here are PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS of that knowledge. note that i've taken (AND ACED, I HAVE TO ADD) anatomy tests but in reading about anatomy here as it relates to butt health, i'm re-experiencing the same kind of swoon-y nerdy kilig feelings i felt while learning about anatomy itself. the human body is fascinating and astounding aaaaah

anyway so yeah, both in reading this book and talking about this book, i learned so much.
i'll try to organize the things i used "i am today years old when i learned" to begin a sentence with:
- there is a tool called a "dilator" and the cone-shaped ones are designed specifically for anal training
- the existence of lube shooters (narrow, smooth-tipped syringe that you can either fill with your fav lube or order pre-filled); ive always known that spit is not a good lubricant but im very happy to learn that there is in fact a quick way to lube yourself and your partner up without resorting to spit and that is!! lube shooter
- anal botox is covered by insurance here in the USA (psa: botox is generally helpful for many people not just in the aesthetic sense anyway--thats another myth that needs to be debunked--i have a friend who gets botox regularly to help with her migraines for example, and this is a pretty common example)
- douching is not a strict necessary prerequisite to anal play! it's optional and is not the most recommended and not the healthiest way to ensure mess-free anoreceptive intercourse, but like doc said, if you MUST do it, do it properly!! also very joyfully learned that one of my friends who bottom has had his fair share of douching-related learning-the-hard-way-moments BUT he's much more empowered once he's learned of the proper douching technique!! im pretty sure that as a seasoned bottom whose butt-related wisdom was earned, he endorses the things this book teaches too.
- according to friend who bottoms, in [redacted city] it's common for bottoms to be expected to bring condoms and lubes. friends, we were AGHAST when we learned about this. shouldn't tops be equally, if not MORE, responsible for making sure that a sexual encounter with a bottom is well-prepared for?
- another story from another friend who bottoms: there was a time when a top was so large he, the bottom, felt as if he was going to black out from the pain but couldn't stop mid-way because "he was already there." imagine my shocked pikachu face. (me and another friend, at the same time: "maybe a lack of preparation?!" psa, which is also covered by this book: sex is NEVER supposed to be painful. if you feel pain, STOP. someone's doing it wrong. likely the top. Never let your tops get away with hurting you please)

+ other things i already know but am not exactly familiar with especially re: gut health, anatomy, intercourse, etc. besides the pleasure derived from anal sex, there are also many benefits to developing a great relationship with your butt. i will for sure re-read multiple times the section on nutrition, which im so glad is included here too.

as i mentioned in some book club threads and friend-DMs: i am so endeared by the fact there are sections in this book that address tops specifically. my tl;dr here is if you have a big dick don't go around shoving it in people's holes without going slow especially you are inexperienced or are generally lacking in the compassion department. doc mentioned a joke there somewhere that a bottom is subject to financial recompense for cancelling, and i would like to add to it a serious tone and an additional suggestion: not only should bottoms be financially recompensed if tops cancel on them, bottoms should also be, in general, pampered and spoiled which means they have to spend a grand total of $0 to prepare themselves for a good night. tops bottoms and verses take note!

anyway, important thing to note here too, which doc emphasizes:
anal sex isn't the only way you put your butt at risk, btw.
you don't really realize how much risk you put your butt into until it gets listed clearly like it's been in this book:
- you're at risk if you're a woman or taking estrogen hormones because we women generally have thinner linings down there;
- you're at risk if you're a busy butt-in-chair office-worker who has to hold in poop for the sake of productivity (the longer you hold it in, the higher the chances for constipation and thus higher the chances for anal fissures swollen hemorrhoids risk for anal cancer etcetc!);
- you're at risk if you work out at the gym regularly--the muscles you don't pay much attention to, the ones who receive the brunt of the pressure you put them under: your butt muscles are screaming at you to workout properly;
- etcetc.

this book is not to be treated as a strict instruction manual but rather a loose supplement to use in conversations not only with partners, friends, selves but also with your physicians. so i hope that if you ever get curious about this book and decide to read it, as i have, you'll also find an open-minded and compassionate physician that you can confide in the way dr goldstein's patients confide in him. if all physicians adopt the same mindset dr goldstein does in healing practices, im sure our healthcare system is gonna be all the better for it.

Thank you so much Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced reading copy!

This book is hilarious, well-researched, science-forward, and informative on a topic that has many misconceptions and some are too embarrassed to talk about. I consider myself, well.. an expert.. but still had many new tidbits to learn from this!
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this approachable guide to… well, butt stuff! It’s funny but real, and very informative. With this being a topic that many people find to be taboo and/or embarrassing, I’m really glad a guide like this exists! I have a feeling it will lead to happier, healthier fun for lots of people!

A great source of information about a topic that many are too embarrassed to discuss. The author is relatable and humorous, good things to be when talking about a subject that many see as taboo.