Hello, everybody, and welcome to another Submissive Guide podcast. I'm your host, Luna KM. Today, I will share seven books I recommend all novice submissives read to expand their knowledge of BDSM and submission. This episode is made possible by our Patreon community, the Submissive Society. We offer tons of perks for as little as$5 a month, like getting early access to these podcast episodes and our monthly book club. where we talk about BDSM books like the ones I'm going to suggest today. Come join us at subguide slash society. That's S-U-B-G-U-I dot D-E slash society. I'll put the link in the show notes for you. When you're a brand new BDSM submissive, it can be hard to find information to answer the many questions in your mind. To help you, I've gathered seven of the best books to help get you started on your exploration of BDSM and the submissive role. These books offer a range of opinions and viewpoints on topics that are important to develop your personal journey into BDSM and the power exchange dynamic. I recommend the following book list as a starting point for every novice submissive. Section 1 how to strategically choose what to read. There is always a gap between where you are and where you want to be. And learning about kink and power exchange is no different. The last thing you want is to lose yourself in the ever-growing library of books, videos, and resources, all promising to make you better and unlock your full potential. To narrow down the list of books that will get you to where you want to be, we have to look at titles with a critical eye. Before you even open your browser and start typing best books to read about BDSM, let's talk about what makes a good resource because not every book will provide you with what you need to know. Others are fantastic examples of how not to do BDSM safely or build such a fantasy that it's impossible to implement into your own life. You can find resources on BDSM in any bookstore or online digital marketplace that sells books, many or even audiobooks. But again, I don't want you to just type BDSM books in the search bar. That's haphazard and could lead you down the trail of subpar books, and we don't want to start there. It can be fun to add a few as we build our knowledge base, But I want you to start with the valuable stuff. We want highly recommended titles by authors with experience in what they are teaching us, right? Search for lists such as this one by people you trust that can point you to respected authors with more than a few years of experience under their belt. First, what is it that you want to learn? Are you looking for general information or something on a specific topic? Immerse yourself in deep thinking mode to determine what you want to learn next. For instance, BDSM authors may write things like getting started in BDSM for brand new explorers, how to do rope bondage, building power exchange relationships, enhancing your power exchange relationship with rituals and protocol, and so forth. Consider what you want and need to learn. While learning isn't a straight road, We want to progress and not go off on paths we aren't ready for or lead us in the wrong direction. Once you grasp what you're looking for, scan through the recommended lists of BDSM resources from trusted sources. Start with the list I am providing. Ask yourself a few critical things about each title and what is said about them. Number one, will this book answer my questions? Number two, Is the author well respected in BDSM? What do I know about them? What can I learn about the author through a simple Google search? Number three, check the publishing date. Is the information up to date or older? Does the information need to be up to date or is older content fine? Number four, what do the reviews on the book say? Does it have a good rating on Amazon or Goodreads? You want to do diligent research. After all, you don't want to read a book from someone writing about BDSM without being an active participant. And, of course, by saying the best books, I don't mean the best-selling. I mean the best based on what you want to learn. Sometimes the lesser-known titles have some amazing information that makes them perfect for what you're looking for. With all that in mind, here's my recommended reading list. Section 2. Seven Books I Recommend for Novice Submissives. Are you looking for a fun and exciting introduction to BDSM? Try How to Be Kinky, a Beginner's Guide to BDSM by Morpheus. Morpheus writes conversationally as if you were having a cup of coffee with the author. It's a well-organized, practical approach, broken up into nine chapters, from your first look, exploring play with your partner, entering the BDSM community and even the shift from online to real time. Each topic is readable independently and you can go through the book in any order, skipping from topic to topic or reading it straight through. The body is filled with guest commentary and photos and the sidebars are lined with glossary terms and quick tips. This book is filled with beautiful, tasteful images to help you see what your mind has been fantasizing about. Some images give step-by-step on basic forms of play, and others invite thought. This is an excellent first book if you are just learning about your desires. Different Loving, The World of Sexual Dominance and Submission, by Gloria Bram, William Bram, and John Jacobs, is yet another book recommended for the BDSM beginner, but not one that I would recommend as a first book. The reading is more academic in format with profiles and extensive interviews and may not be as friendly to read as some others in this recommended reading list. But it is a fantastic resource for those wanting to know what people within the scene really think about different activities and aspects of BDSM. When you flip through the book, the first thing you may notice is that unlike other beginning BDSM books, there are no pictures. This is an educational view on DS, pure and simple. It is broken into seven sections to focus on different aspects of BDSM, such as the relationship, sadomasochism, body modification, gender lines, fetishism, and water sports. The history of the activities is researched to find a beginning point for human desire and sexual curiosity. I especially appreciate the beginning chapters on the history of DS and BDSM from Victorian roots. The authors describe each activity's methods, psychological bases, and history as you learn from several hundred interviews throughout the book that you are not alone in your explorations. You get to know real people engaging in BDSM. Leading and Supportive Love, The Truth About Dominant and Submissive Relationships by Chris M. Lyon is a fantastic book that describes and details the two roles of a leading and supportive relationship. Without all the kink, discipline, and fetish mumbo-jumbo, The truth about dominant and submissive relationships isn't that we are an alternative lifestyle within the BDSM arena, but that we are a strong and supportive relationship type that goes beyond and sometimes without the kink. First and foremost, this book is about couples that agree and migrate towards a relationship where one person leads and the other supports. It is the basis of any strong DS relationship. It does what every BDSM relationship book should do, lay down the essential parts of each person in the relationship and why leading and supportive relationships work. So read this book. I can't recommend it enough. Most books for submissives are only about topics like needs, wants, communication, negotiation, and so forth. Conquer Me, Girl-to-Girl Wisdom About Fulfilling Your Submissive Desires by Casey Cunningham is a book written by one submissive with advice and personal viewpoints on fulfilling your submissive desires. Her witty stories and firsthand experiences help you see that submission is a worthwhile study of interpersonal relationships. She talks about topping from the bottom, discipline, how power exchange works and so many other fantastic topics. I found myself nodding along with many of her views. So if you like what I have to say here on Submissive Guide, you will likely appreciate and enjoy Casey's book. By far, this is one of the better books on submission I've read in recent memory. I strongly urge you to get a copy of your own. Playing Well with Others, Your Field Guide to Discovering, Exploring, and Navigating the Kink, Leather, and BDSM Communities by Leigh Harrington and Molena Williams is So much of what we already know about BDSM munches and conventions is through firsthand accounts. none of it lays down common sense guidelines that a newcomer could use. This book helps you learn how to interact with the people in the community, something many people could learn. While other books focus on tying knots or throwing a flogger, this book helps you navigate munches, play parties, and other sex communities. If you have ever wondered what a munch was like, how to prepare for a play party, or get back to everyday life after a kink event, Milena and Lee do an excellent job detailing the how-tos in a personal, fun, and conversational way. This is the only book that tells it like it is regarding person-to-person interaction in the BDSM community. It is one of my top picks for people who are ready to take the plunge and meet some people, experience social interaction, and more. You will want to take advantage of this book. Screw the Roses, Send Me the Thorns, The Romance of Sexual Sorcery of Sadomasochism by Philip Miller and Molly Devon enthusiastically covers all the basics and even some of the not-so-basics. Bondage, negotiation, sex, endorphins, dominance and submission, toys, safety, and more. It's written primarily from the point of view of male-dominant-female-submissive interactions and but it's easily translatable into valuable advice for any relationship configuration. Miller and Devon's explanations of sadomasochism are honest, funny, and sexy. A must-have for anyone who wants to learn about sadism, masochism, dominance and submission, or bondage. The bulk of the book is dedicated to teaching safe, basic techniques. You can pick up information on bondage and other forms of play with detailed explanations. There are also a few chapters on flogging and impact play for those looking to dive right into the fun stuff. This book is not only good for the novice, but an experienced player could pick up a few tips and tricks. This is a resource that should be in every BDSM library. The New Bottoming Book by Dossie Easton and Janet W. Hardy is a great beginner's guide to bottoming. According to the authors, this new version contains much of the original advice, like connecting and negotiation, but also has new and much-needed information. The book is divided into two parts. The first one is about skills. These chapters help you decide who you are as a bottom, what checklists are and how to make one, bridging the gap between fantasy and reality, and finding a top that will give you what you need and want. The second part describes different types of scenes, their rewards, and tips on beginning and ending them. It has a small segment on dressing, public play, sensation play, and other thoughts regarding actual scenes. Also included are sections on role play with short blurbs about bondage and submission. I highly recommend this book to the novice. It can help shed the nervousness and dispel the fantasy of play. It's time to build your BDSM library. You now have seven books I recommend for novice submissives. Even if these titles don't interest you, exploring books with a more critical eye will help you find the books that will answer your questions, move you further in your journey or capture your interests. Thank you for listening to this podcast. We hope you found a few titles to explore. I'll provide all the links for the books in the show notes so you can start learning. I'll have links to Submissive Guide reviews if we've reviewed it before, Goodreads so you can find out what others think, and Amazon if you're interested in buying the books. Submissive Guide is an Amazon affiliate, so part of your purchase supports this site and my efforts to continue to bring you quality BDSM education. Add to your personal library today.