Thursday 6 January 2011

Customers who bought these items...

So I've been looking at stuff on Amazon. This is research for a story, actually, that started out with the question 'what Dewey decimal numbers would be used to classify books on BDSM'?

Various references on the Dewey system tell me the answer is 'it depends' - 155.3 for philosophy/moral/ethical books, 306.77 or, more specifically, 306.77/5 for sociology, psychology, discussion and how-to books, 364.242 for sexually-related criminology/offending and 616.85835 for medical and psychiatric studies. And some books seem to get listed under other numbers, for example if they're more specifically to do with personal memoirs or the history of sexual practices etc.

However, I then started looking at the current availability of some material on Amazon. As a result of this, I get:

Recently Viewed Items:
- S and M: Studies in Dominance and Submission by Thomas Weinberg
- Bound to be Free: SM Experience by Charles Moser
- Essential Papers on Masochism (Essential P... by Margaret Ann F...
- S-M: The Last Taboo by Gerald Greene

And to go with this, 'customers who bought these items also bought...' surprise surprise, the suggestions turn out to be a selection of photographic equipment.

Hmm.

I will say, though, that I came across half a dozen academic books on sexuality that do look more interesting than their often dry titles suggest, and I may well be buying them in the near future.

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