title: The Penis Book: An Owner's Manual
author: Margaret Gore
description: You would think that the mythology of male sexuality is a thing of the past, that most men know that from time to time their penises won't achieve or sustain erections, and that guys have just as much right as women to occasionally not be in the mood. But images of hyperdrive masculinity still exist in popular culture, and as long as guys take them to heart, they'll continue to freak out over the smallest malfunctions. Thus, <i>The Penis Book</i> is a comfort object, a small and easily concealable guide to how the penis works and why it occasionally doesn't, how men can effectively prevent impregnating their partners, and how to deal with the real problems that occur, including STDs.
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  ![](index-1_1.jpg)
  
  
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  M A NHOOD
  
  
  The Rise and Fall of the Penis
  
  
  
  
  
  MELS VAN DRIEL
  
  
  ![](index-2_1.png)
  
  
  ![](index-2_2.png)
  
  
  Manhood
  
  
  
  
  
  Manhood
  
  
  The Rise and Fall of the Penis
  
  
  Mels van Driel
  
  
  reaktion books
  
  
  Published by Reaktion Books Ltd 33 Great Sutton Street
  
  
  London ec1v 0dx, uk
  
  
  www.reaktionbooks.co.uk
  
  
  The original edition of this book was first published in 2008
  
  
  bv Uitgeverij De Arbeiderspers, Amsterdam, under the title _Geheime delen:
  Alles wat je er altijd al over wilde weten_
  
  
  © Mels van Driel and Arbeiderspers 2008
  
  
  English-language translation © Reaktion Books Ltd 2009
  
  
  English translation by Paul Vincent
  
  
  This publication has been made possible
  
  
  with financial support from the
  
  
  Foundation for the Production and Translation of Dutch Literature.
  
  
  All rights reserved
  
  
  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
  or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
  pho