Insatiable: Porn A Love Story Paperback – January 20, 2015

First off, I rarely read a book. Mainly because I'm busy with school and having A.D.D. makes it very difficult to sit long enough to read a book. I decided to purchase this book after seeing Asa Akira on the show "Take Part Live". The discussion about her and her book was great. The book is not a let down whatsoever. It's hilarious and has plenty of heart. As someone who knows very little about the adult entertainment industry, I learned quite a bit and I learned about Akira's life. It's a very easy read that I believe can change perceptions for the better and make us appreciate the industry and those involved even more. I loved reading this book of beauty and I recommend it.

First off, let me start by saying that I have always been a fan of Asa Akira's work. She brings a genuine enthusiasm to each of her performances that helps lift whatever she is doing to levels way about what her colleagues in the industry produce. With this book I was hoping to discover who the "real" Asa is, not the porn industry pin-up we have all come to know. In that regard I'm not so sure this book succeeds. Instead, it reads more like a long-form faux porn star interview like the ones that used to take up space between photo spreads in the porn mags of my youth. You know, how the porn star in question can't get get enough of sex, on or off screen, loves being controlled by dominant men, loves all kinds of sex (anal, oral, one-on-one, group, same sex, different sex, dominatrix, submissive), has no issues, no demons in her background, is in no way being exploited, nothing that would derail our fantasies of a sexy vixen.Yes, I think her on screen enthusiasm is something not easily faked and I'm sure she is enjoying her chosen career path (good for her, no apologies - I like that), but I can't believe that life in the porn industry doesn't come with some kind of baggage, emotional or otherwise. But don't expect to find any of that here (again, why derail the fantasy?) Asa seems to scratch only the surface of her life and career with this autobiography. She talks about how she is not like other women in the industry (50% by her count) who are addicted to drugs or controlled by boyfriends cum pimps (pun intended). Still, she admits that she spent the majority of her life hooked on various pharmaceuticals (she is clean now, she insists). She recounts how she was one of the most promiscuous girls in her school and frequently engaged in shoplifting when not hanging out with friends getting high, but no underlying issues there, thanks. She says she is not controlled by any man, but one of the last chapters describes a session of rather rough sex she had with her husband hours before the Adult AVN awards in Las Vegas (but, she insists, she liked it and deserved it because she was acting crazy). So, you know, your average girl-gets-everything-she-wants story.I'm sure there is a real good tale (tail?) here somewhere, but it is either too painful or too bothersome for Asa to address honestly. Her traditional Japanese parents are clearly distraught with her career choice, but Asa never delves into how she feels about this beyond saying "we don't talk about it". There is one scene in the book where her mother finds Asa's high school diary which recounts her sexual escapades, already numerous by that age. Crying, Asa's mother confronts her and asks where she went wrong as a parent. Asa basically changes the subject. She had two abortions (one of them very painful), but gives each of them short schrift; her battle with cystic acne got more ink and seemingly had a bigger impact on her. She literally says at one point in the book that her biggest regret in life is not convincing her parents to produce a sibling for her. That's her biggest regret?!?!?! Really?!?!Again, despite what may seem like a negative review, I really enjoyed the book, but was starving for more. I read right through it in a few sittings and had a big smile on my face the whole time. But, I couldn't help thinking there is a whole other side to Asa that she is unwilling, or at this point in her life (she is still young at 28) unable to comes to terms with, let alone talk about. Maybe in 10 years or so we will see another book from her that is a bit more honest.

There's very few books you could read instead of Insatiable if you want an honest look at the Porn industry. With that in mind, this book is ok, primarily because it's the best you're going to get. If you want some anecdotal insight on how the Porn industry operates, you'll get some of that, but most of this book is a collection of scattered thoughts and short stories in Akira's life. There's no connective "story," just tid-bits from a whole.I read this book because I was interested to see a viewpoint on the industry from someone in the industry. There isn't much of that. I suppose she can only relay what she's personally experienced, but I didn't read about much that I didn't already know. Even the more seedier parts of her story (hooking for a very brief amount of time, drug addiction, etc.) are glossed over. I think the strangest example is when Akira quickly mentions that she may or may not have been sexually assaulted as a child, but that's only brought up in service of another short-story from her life unrelated to the event. I finished reading the book and felt like I didn't learn much about anything.If you want some unique porn-related stories from a professional in the field, this book has plenty of that. If you wanted a more intelligent introverted look at the industry as it exists today, that's not what this book wanted to be, unfortunately.

I cannot say enough about this book. I loved Asa's intelligence, biting sarcasm and wit, and brutal honesty. She clearly has a talent for writing. I could not put this book down. It gives the reader a look into her life and how she ended up as arguably the most popular porn star of her era. And also why she chose that profession. She came into the industry with eyes wide open and loves what she does and does not apologize for it. Good for her! I hope she decides to write more books in the future. I know I will line up to buy them!

As someone who enjoys reading a wide variety of different topics and stories, while I was searching for some new Haiku books to read I was fascinated to discover this 241 page hardcover book (Asa Akira: Insatiable: a porn love story) on Amazon for a bargain price. I was impressed with the quick delivery.This is a unique book and only has 7 haiku but it is actually a biography of a very interesting young woman who relates her life as an award winning porn actress. There are no pulled punches in this gritty and raw volume as Asa Akira provides a clear and realistic picture of the porn industry and her life and loves.This book covers the following material: the perfect scene, hooking, letter to mom, penis envy, nutcracker suite, liar liar, crime and punishment, art of blowbang, girls, Florida, S—t pornstars say, no sex in the champagne room, glory, rules of two, giving thanks, craigslist, the other end of the stick and food porn. There is also the 7 haiku at the end of some of the chapters.I found this to be an interesting and informative biography of a woman who clearly loved her unusual profession and was not afraid to write about it.Rating: 5 Stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Never trust a politician: A critical review of politics and politicians).