Two Knotty Boys Show You the Ropes by Two Knotty Boys

This is one of the clearest, most detailed manuals ever written for rope bondage. Easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions for a wide variety of rope bondage techniques, all lavishly photographed and illustrated, will get you up and running even if you can barely tie your shoes. This is arguably the best beginning bondage book on the market right now.

Shibari You Can Use by Lee, "Bridgett" Harrington

Another tutorial for rope bondage, this book has a slightly different focus than "Two Knotty Boys." It's aimed at folks who want to learn shibari, the intricate Japanese style of decorative bondage. Like Two Knotty Boys, it's a good beginner book, lavishly illustrated with step-by-step directions for creating rope harnesses, breast harnesses, and so on; but it also goes into the Japanese names for various techniques and covers more ornamental styles. If you're interested particularly in shibari, this is the book for you.

Sexier Sex by Regina Lynn

Strictly speaking, this isn't a BDSM book per se. However, if oyu're looking to spice up your sex life or you need some ideas for kinky (or not-so-kinky) sex, it's an awesome resource. Each chapter contains a number of short, step-by-step "how to" guides, on topics ranging from how to seduce someone with SMS messaging to how to apporach subjects like kink and polyamory. It's aimed primarily at women, and is a perfect way to lift your sex life to a new level.

The Better Built Bondage Book by Douglas Kent

A friend of mine recommended this book to me, and it's quite a marvel. If you're interested in exploring BDSM but you don't have the budget for all those fun toys, this book is exactly what you need. It describes how to make everything from cuffs and collars to spanking benches, cheaply and easily, with only a modest amount of skill. The projects in here will have you building your own play equipment for less money than you might think!

Partners in Power by Jack Rinella

This is not a conventional book about BDSM. Instead, it is a book about relationships. It talks about building solid, healthy, functional romantic relationships...which also happen to be kinky. It's written to be useful to everyone, regardless of level of experience with BDSM. This book offers practical guidelines to dealing with relationship problems of all sorts, not just those specifically pertaining to BDSM, and even talks about different relationship configurations and models, such as polyamory.

Asia Bondage by Steven Speliotis

A striking, 160-page coffee table book of erotic photography, Asia Bondage offers up powerful, moody portraits of Asian women in fine and often elaborate bondage. The pictures are a study in contrast--white rope, white skin, deep shadows--and highly stylized, deeply affecting minimalism.

Erotic Bondage: The Art of Rope by Edward Lee and Alphonse De Loys

Another book of bondage photography, this book is very different in flavor from Asia Bondage in that the models and settings are more varied and less stylized. Sometimes soft and sensual, sometimes extreme, often informal, the photography in this book is less strikingly stylized but covers a wider territory than Asia Bondage.

Radical Ecstasy: SM Journeys to Transcendence by Janet W. Hardy and Dossie Easton

A pairing of BDSM with sacred sexuality, this book explores how BDSM in a sexual and romantic relationship can be a gateway to spiritual connection and transcendence. Written largely from a pagan spiritual perspective, this book is invaluable to anyone interested in both BDSM and Tantric sexuality. Published by Greenery Press.

Fantasy Made Flesh: The Essential Guide to Erotic Roleplay by Deborah Addington

Fantasy Made Flesh is a complete, articulate guide to all aspects of sexual role-playing. Sometimes challenging, this book dares its readers to let go of inhibitions, embarrassment, fear, and self-consciousness; asks its readers to make a list of the things which inhibit them from exploring their fantasies; and then answers those inhibitions in practical ways. The book presents examples of sexual role-play ideas, but more important, it empowers the readers to create and explore their own scenarios.

Consensual Sadomasochism: How to Talk About It and How to Do It Safely by Dr. William Henkin, Ph.D. and Sybil Holiday

Like SM 101, this book is intended as a commonsense, accessible introduction to the world of BDSM. Written by a practicing psychotherapist and a sexologist, both of whom are involved in the BDSM community, this is chock-full of information newcomers to BDSM need. Includes everything from how to talk to your partner about BDSM to a glossary of BDSM terms, information on differentiating between consensual BDSM and abuse, and even a list of other books, magazines, and Web resources.

The Mistress Manual: The Good Girl's Guide to Female Dominance by Lorelei

An introduction not to BDSM in general, but specifically to the world of female dominance. This book opens with a conversation about being a dominant woman, and addresses the stereotypes that dominant women may face ("nice girls don't want to be dominant, right?"). Divides dominant women into five archetypes, which may or may not be valid (personally, I think domination and submission are more complex than that), and describes fantasies and scenarios which you and your partner can adapt to suit your own tastes.

Female Domination by Elise Sutton

This book begins by discussing female domination from a psychological perspective, talking about the places these desires come from; then examines the lives of forty couples, each of which is ordinary in many respects but practices some form of femdom. It wraps up with a discussion of how female domination in practice can enrich the romantic lives of the people who choose to preactice it, and serve as one technique which can empower women.

Wild Side Sex: The Book of Kink by Midori

Hot, steamy, frankly sexual, and educational all in one, Wild Side Sex is a collection of essays and personal vignettes on the subjects of fetishes, ritual, and more. Erotic, intelligent, tittilating, and filled with ideas, this is a great book on spicing things up in your romantic life.

Female Dominance: Rituals and Practices by Claudia Varrin

Where Female Domination discusses the psychology of femdom, this book puts it into practice, with practical hands-on guidelines for femdom in a relationship. Specific ideas for practices, activities, and more fill this book, all with a focus on everyday female domination from a practical perspective.

Come Hither : A Commonsense Guide To Kinky Sex by Gloria Brame

This book is a step-by-step, practical introductory guide to BDSM. It's written in a fun, lighthearted manner, and answers questions like "How do I tell my partner I want to be spanked?" and "Okay, once I have someone tied up, now what do I do?"

Erotic Surrender: The Sensual Joys of Female Submission by Claudia Varrin

As the name suggests, this book is an introduction to submission from a female perspective. It's an excellent beginner guide to women who believe they may be submissive, and offers advice and insight into healthy submission. Warmly written, it's probably most useful to newcomers to D/s, and is less likely to be useful to anyone already in a D/s relationship.

Learning the Ropes: A Basic Guide to Safe and Fun S/m Lovemaking by Race Bannon

A beginner's introduction to BDSM that debunks many of the myths surrounding S&M play and offers examples of scenarios and negotiation techniques. Also includes information on how to create an inexpensive toy collection, safety, finding partners, and a recommended reading list.

The Art of Sensual Female Dominance by Claudia Varrin and Cynthia Lechan

This book, written by a professional dominatrix, offers scenario ideas, how-tos on bondage, and loads of practical advice, all from the perspective of a female dominant with a male submissive. Not likely to be useful to anyone not looking for information about female dominance/male submission, however. For those looking for a more general guide, SM101 is probably a better book.

The Master's Manual by Jack Rinella

A solid, no-nonsense approach to D/s relationships from the viewpoint of the dominant, This book describes the skills and attitude of a top-notch dominant; while it's written from a person in a gay male relationship, it's accessible to everyone.

The Compleat Slave: Creating and Living an Erotic Dominant/Submissive Lifestyle by Jack Rinella

The followup to "The Master's Manual," this book is a practical hands-on approach to D/s relationships, from the perspective of the submissive.

S&M: Studies in Dominance & Submission by Thomas S. Weinberg

A series of essays written in the style of an academic text, this book supports the sociological idea that sadomasochism is not a pathology or deviant behavior, but a healthy sexual lifestyle of shared fantasies.

A Defense of Masochism by Anita Phillips

A thoroughly-researched look at masochism which examines masochism from the perspective of psychology, sociology, and art. The book interprets masochism as something that is not only not necessarily harmful, but actually positive. Written from the point of view of a female masochist, but applicable to men as well as women.

The New Topping Book by Janet W. Hardy and Dossie Easton

Complete rewrite of the popular intorduction to BDSM written for dominants. In addition to the sage advice and good humor that made the first edition a classic, the authors tackle some of the issues that have come up for tops in the last six years: on-line domination, the challenges and rewards of `lifestyle` relationships, ensuring our own and our partners` safety, and more. Published by Greenery Press.

The New Bottoming Book by Janet W. Hardy and Dossie Easton

Companion to The New Topping Book, written for submissives. Popular, well-written guide to dominance/submission play, bridging the gap from on-line to real-time relationships, the stages of a scene, and more. Plus anecdotes, and an extra-large helping of the realistic wisdom for which these authors are known. Published by Greenery Press.

Jay Wiseman's Erotic Bondage Handbook by Jay Wiseman.

An excellent how-to manual on all aspects of erotic bondage and bondage play. Describes in detail, with clear step-by-step instructions, a number of different rope bondage techniques, easy to follow even if you can barely tie a knot. Published by Greenery Press.

The Seductive Art of Japanese Bondage by Midori, Craig Morey (Photographer)

Japanese-born sex educator and bondage practitioner Midori shows step by step how to achieve beautiful and exciting Japanese bondage. Each chapter starts with a spectacular photo of the finished bondage pose - harnesses, hogties, standing and bent-over poses, and more - then goes back and explains with text and line art how each rope and knot is placed to achieve the final result. Published by Greenery Press.

Safe, Sane, Consensual... And Fun by John Warren

Fifteen hot scenarios for bondage, spanking, roleplay and power exchange. This updated edition of mild-to-wild sex scenes is entry-level guide for curious couples. Published by Greenery Press.

SM 101 by Jay Wiseman.

This is THE definitive introduction to BDSM; includes a good bit about the psychology of power exchange, why people want to do this kind of thing; ideas for BDSM play; safety tips; etc. Published by Greenery Press.

Screw the Roses, Send Me the Thorns: The Romance and Sexual Sorcery of Sadomasochism by Phillip Miller and Molly Devon.

This book starts with a simple premise: BDSM should be fun. Energetic and lightly written, this book covers the basics of BDSM (consent, negotiation, and safety), and then goes into the hows and whys of fun, exciting BDSM. Includes a resource list of vendors and manufacturers of all kinds of goodies--sex toys, fetish wear, and more.

Different Loving by Dr. Gloria Brame, William Brame, and Jon Jacobs.

A sourcebook and guide to the BDSM community, this book is the result of extensive interviews with over two hundred practicioners of BDSM in all its various forms. The subjects here range from age play to body piercing to objectification; in each case, the people are represented as healthy, rational, and sane. This is an excellent overview of the breadth and depth of the human sexual condition, and even if you don't find everything here to your tastes (I don't), it's a great introduction to the range of possibilities offered by BDSM. There is also a companion Web site.

Flogging by Joseph W. Bean.

A book that just intrigues and educates from cover to cover. Even if you've participated in this kink for years, you will learn new things. Not only is Joseph Bean great at including the safety, medical, and emotional interactions connected to flogging, but he's fantastic at teaching something that normally is only learned by doing.

Sexual Magic: The S/M Photographs by Michael Rosen.

A photographic survey of the SM scene, by a photographer whose familiarity with the scene is broad and deep, in stylized, high-energy black and white photography. This book features a wide range of models engaging in a number of different forms of BDSM activities. There is also a companion Web site.