Know someone who enjoys the stimulation of a good book? What about someone who enjoys stimulation of another sort? This holiday season, we have some great gift ideas to show your special someone that you appreciate both their mind and their body.
In partnership with the Toshiba Radius 12 — where every feature is its best — Gizmodo’s Gift Guides will help you pick the best present for your loved one.
The Reason for Flowers by Stephen Buchmann
Flowers have a ton of cultural meanings: we give them to our lovers, use them to remember and honour the dead, and throw them at the triumphant. But they’re also the sex organs of plants, which makes them a critical part of both ecosystems and human agriculture. In this book, entomologist Stephen Buchmann serves out enough flower-related trivia to fill an FTD truck.
Je Joue Ooh What Happens in Vegas Set
Detachable his-and-her silicone attachments fit on the same buzzy motor, letting couples experiment with vaginal, clitoral, and penile stimulation. The motor’s a little on the loud side, but with luck, you’ll be louder. And if you’re a fan of variety, more attachments are coming next year. Order it from Babeland here for $US105 ($146).
The Birth of the Pill: How Four Crusaders Reinvented Sex and Launched a Revolution by Jonathan Eig
Effective birth control pills weren’t just a scientific achievement: they ushered in major social changes. Eig’s fascinating history follows four pioneers as they make it happen: Gregory Pincus, the scientist who was sure he could find a way to stop ovulation, John Rock, the doctor who helped him find women to test it on, birth control advocate Margaret Sanger, and major funder Katherine McCormick.
Lelo Hugo
Is it a gun from a Luc Besson movie? Nope, it’s the next best thing — a prostate massager. But the Hugo is the Lexus of male sex toys, with powerful motors in the base and the tip and a remote control that lets users surf through six vibration and two movement settings. They’re available at the Lelo online store for $US219 ($304).
Come As You Are: The Surprising New Science That Will Transform Your Sex Life by Emily Nagoski
A comprehensive and fun to read exploration of women’s sexuality, based on new research in anatomy, physiology, and neuroscience. Sex educator Emily Nagoski serves up an important discussion of sexual neurodiversity and the wide range of normal in what we like and how we respond.
JimmyJane Iconic Wand Petite
JimmyJane has a reputation for designing vibrators with unusual shapes. This is not one of their more offbeat designs, but it does have a flexible neck that lets you put one of nine vibration modes into those hard-to reach spots. It’s priced like a stocking stuffer, but beware — at 20cm long, it’s can’t be stuffed in all stockings comfortably. It’s $US40 ($56) at the JimmyJane store.
MysteryVibe Crescendo
It’s not a high-tech plumbing snake: it’s a flexible vibrator with six motors you’re supposed to program with your smartphone to shake in any pattern you can imagine. MysteryVibe is basking in the glow of a successful crowdfunding campaign, and taking pre-orders for the finished product here (for $US149 ($200ish in Australia)). Don’t worry, the Crescendo is set to ship later this month!