My Secret Garden: Women’s Sexual Fantasies by Nancy Friday delves into the deepest desires that many women are afraid to share with others. Not only does the author highlight these fantasies, but she also explores the taboos and frustrations that may arise from having and sharing them. She lets women know that they have the power to liberate themselves sexually rather than wait for a partner to give them permission to explore their fantasies. Once you understand the psychology behind what you daydream about, perhaps you will feel a lot less ashamed of it. For many readers, that takeaway has helped them to save their sex lives.

As this book was first published in the early 1970s, it may come as no surprise that Friday lost the respect of quite a few friends and some of the public at that time. A lot of people were not, and some still are not, ready for the sexual awakening that can be accessed via these pages. Nevertheless, millions of people have read her book with nothing but praise for it. The opening scene in the first chapter provides a great illustration of how men often respond to women’s desires when laid bare. That insight sets the stage for the stories that follow.

Friday divides the fantasies into “houses,” with each type comprising a “room” in that structure. She explains why women have these thoughts. Specifically, she discusses why women do not always wish their fantasies to become realities: They are often merely there to help the woman enjoy herself without feeling judged or engaging in risky behavior. Some of the erotic stories come from the mind of the author herself, but many have been compiled from anonymous readers over the years. Overall, the book helps impart that there is nothing wrong with even your wildest sexual fantasies.