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Mara Altman
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Thanks for Coming: One Young Woman's Quest for an Orgasm Kindle Edition

by Mara Altman (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars 52 ratings
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By turns uproarious and touching, the memoir of a young woman's search for an orgasm—and for the elusive connections between sex and love

Twenty-six-year-old Mara Altman wanted to know what all the screaming was about. She'd lost her virginity at seventeen; grown up in southern California with sexually free parents; had lovers in India, Burma, and Peru; and spent a year in Bangkok observing all manner of depravity. And yet she was an attractive, successful, single woman in New York who'd never had an orgasm.

And so she embarked on a wildly funny, emotionally resonant odyssey—a journey both inside and outside herself—only to discover that, for Mara, orgasm was connected to a part of her that no vibrator could reach. Thanks for Coming is one woman's look at our obsession with and anxiety over the female orgasm. Her quest to get her own yields poignant results that will surprise even the sexually awakened among us. From sex shows to sex conventions, from a therapist's couch to her own couch, from the bedroom to the bar, Mara Altman proves to be a guide as hilarious as she is investigative.

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  1. Print length
    402 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    HarperCollins e-books
  5. Publication date
    April 2, 2009
  6. File size
    1235 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Mara Altman received her M.S. in journalism from Columbia University in 2005. A former staff writer at the Village Voice, she has also written for the New York Times and New York. She lives in Brooklyn.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0024CF0CA
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins e-books (April 2, 2009)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 2, 2009
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1235 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 402 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars 52 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Mara Altman

Mara Altman

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Mara Altman writes about issues that embarrass her (i.e. chin hair), because she has found that putting shame on the page defuses the stigma, leaving her with a sense of empowerment and freedom. Her newest book, Gross Anatomy: Dispatches From the Front (And Back), publishes August 2018.

Over time, Mara has become progressively fearful of airplane flights, but less concerned with getting fat (in the Spring of 2010, she started to eat bacon). She feels most inspired when walking across bridges and lives the perpetual Catch-22 of not being able to go to sleep without first drinking a glass of water, but then having to get up to pee at 3 a.m. She reminds herself that things could always be worse. Then she's stuck thinking about all the bad things that could happen. And then she can't get back to sleep.

Mara has published seven best-selling Kindle Singles. Thanks for Coming, her first book, which follows her on an adventure to find her orgasm, was translated into three languages - German, Spanish and Portuguese. The book was also optioned by HBO. Before going freelance, she worked at daily newspapers both in India and Thailand and was a staff writer for the Village Voice. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, New York Magazine and other outlets.

Customer reviews

3.8 out of 5 stars
3.8 out of 5
52 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Richard H. Opper
5.0 out of 5 stars Thanks for Coming
Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2012
Verified Purchase
I absolutely loved this book! Full disclosure: I'm a man. I was browsing the Kindle Store and happened upon a book about a woman's search for an orgasm. Don't ask what I was searching for. Okay, the subject matter piqued my interest. What could go wrong with a book about a woman searching for an orgasm? Plenty, actually. It could be boring, like she was shopping for the perfect pair of pumps (shoes, that is). She could blame all her frustrations on men. She could be a lousy writer. What I found was an incredibly engaging, almost painfully honest, hilarious, insightful book about human relations - physical and otherwise. Two pages into it, I was already hooked. I also thought: funny, insightful, neurotic as hell, liberal, guilt ridden, self-effacing - she's gotta be Jewish! Her humor lured me in, but her insights are what really set the hook. I couldn't put it down. I was amazed at her courage; her journey bordered on the dangerous, and she was often on the wrong side of the border. But she pulled through, with me slavishly following her through each of her incredible adventures. It was a great trip, a great read. In the end, I understood her, women, and myself just a little bit better. And isn't that the most you could possibly hope for in a book?
21 people found this helpful
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Jane Doe
5.0 out of 5 stars should be required reading for all
Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2009
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Seriously. Every female would have their life changed by reading this book. And men would finally lean something about women if they gave this book a shot. This is not a sleezy sex book. This is a journey toward discovering ones one self that all of us could only dream of having the guts to go on. Fortunately for us, we can learn a lot from Mara's incrediably brave journey. And it not all self-reflection and sex education. This book is damn funny and highly addicting. I could not put this book down. I think my boyfriend started to get worried.
Do the world a favor everyone, read this book!!!
15 people found this helpful
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Peekay
4.0 out of 5 stars a great read
Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2014
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Cruel honesty and a ton of humor, it takes a smart author to compose such an enjoyable account of an uncommon search. I really enjoyed this book.
7 people found this helpful
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Karen F
1.0 out of 5 stars What a Joke!
Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2013
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As I was reading this book considering whether to give it to an inexperienced younger person, I could not believe the naievety and stupidity of the author. I would be truly embarrassed to give this book to anyone to read as a self help (or any kind of help) book. For a woman in her mid-to late-20s having sexual encounters the way she was spoke volumes about her insecurities and inability to not be controlling and not be trustful in every moment of her life. While reading the book at first I thought some of her excursions were a bit funny but then I realized she was just messed up and it became very boring. There are many women out there who cannot have orgasms due to physical issues (muscle diseases, etc.). But this young woman is an A personality who coldn't get over herself. I'm sorry she wrote the book and I'm even more sorry I bought it and read it.
4 people found this helpful
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Thomas Bower
3.0 out of 5 stars Vini, vidi, vechi
Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2014
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Amusing romp through author's search for the elusive. Somewhat immature, predicable. Entertaining. Author clearly researched subject and had a wealth of personal experience.
3 people found this helpful
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BlueTurtle
3.0 out of 5 stars Humorous
Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2013
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This book won't be listed among the world's great works of literature. Still, I found it an entertaining read. It's a good effort by Altman to take a look at a subject not much openly discussed. Inviting the world in to come along on her search for orgasm couldn't have been easy but she did it with self depreciating style. It's one person's quest and she invited everyone along for the ride. The best part, from my perspective, was reading about all the different viewpoints on female orgasm. If you're looking for War and Peace, don't bother. If you're looking for a fun read on an interesting topic you could do worse. I'm glad I read it. Just for the record, I'm male.
3 people found this helpful
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Amanda
2.0 out of 5 stars left something to be desired
Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2012
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I was a bit disappointed. I was hoping for more of a memoir, a story that I could relate to. This was not that. The author went to all these doctors and sex experts trying to find an orgasm like it was a set of keys she had misplaced. It lacked the ability to connect to the reader. I felt like I was reading research for an article, rather than a personal journey.
5 people found this helpful
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aristotle
5.0 out of 5 stars Mara hits it out of the stadium!
Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2017
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Very intelligent and hilarious story. Actually got more insight into the parents than her quest :)
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Top reviews from other countries

Kate Gould
5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous, inspiring read.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 15, 2015
Verified Purchase
I loved this book. It's a courageous, thoughtful, surprising, funny, and touching account of a young woman's attempts to figure out her body and its workings. This book should be required reading as an inspiring insight into the complexities and many meanings of pleasure.
One person found this helpful
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John Denning
5.0 out of 5 stars Just terrific
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 10, 2013
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I have seldom enjoyed a book so much. I've never met anyone who has heard of it but you buy this and ignore 50 Shades for heaven's sake.
One person found this helpful
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