While researching the topic of "how to kiss good" I came across a book by Hugh Morris call The Art of Kissing. I thought that was a pretty grandiose title for such a simple act of pressing your lips together with another person. Just about everyone knows the mechanics of kissing. Toddlers. Children. Old and young people alike. Doesn't matter whether you're short or tall, skinny or heavy. We all know how to kiss. It's natural, right? Is knowing how to kiss good really an art form?
At first I was a little doubtful about the whole kissing as an art thing. However, my curiosity got the best of me and I began to think if I might learn just a little something to help improve my kissing technique. It couldn't hurt, I thought. And my wife might get a kick out of it...
I couldn't help but wonder if i might learn the deep, dark kissing secrets of the Cassanovas? My lips began to twitch a little at just the thought of me becoming a star kissing athlete. Do I hear some sexy music in the background now? Yes, it's Barry White singing backup while my super lips are getting primed for action.
So when was this fantastic kissing how to book written, I pondered as I looked for a publication date. Yii-yii! 1936? Gee, didn't they still have wooden teeth back then? What am I going to learn about kissing good from a book this ancient?
In reality, the techniques revealed in the Art of Kissing way back in 1936 are still very applicabletoday. The reasonfor thisis the book doesn't just go over kissing techniques and kissing definitions. I'd say about 50% of the subtopics from the book go over subjects like kissing preparation and seduction techniques as well.
While much of the "how to" kissing information is timeless, there are a few sections that may not be considered politically correct by today's standards. Truth be told, the chapter on relationships could actually be a turn-off for many people.
Here is one example: According to the author, the man needs to be taller than the woman in order to have proper kissing. The author even goes so far as to state that if the roles were reversed -- if the woman were actually taller than the man -- then the end result would be "disappointing." That doesn't prove to win any favors from me given that I'm 5"6'.
Clearly the views in 1936 were more openly biased when it came to the roles of men and women in relationships. Guys needed to be dominant, aggressive, and physically taller for a relationship to work - plain and simple. No room for equality and empowering women here, Dr. Phil! Although I do notice Dr. Phil is actually much taller than his wife...
A strangely biased section in the book is called How To Approach A Girl. In that section the author tells you how to use the arm part of the sofa as a kind of blocking aid that allows you to trap your woman. Once there, feel free to try and kiss her. And if she refuses? Oh, just ignore her.
Today you can get arrested for doing this!
To be fair, the author does describe how a girl can signal a man that she does not want to be kissed..
According to the author, the magic clue that a woman would prefer not to be kissed is if she cries out and scratches the man's face!
I guess a nice face scratching would certainly be a good signal that the girl doesn't want a kiss, huh guys?
Other sections in the book were quite interesting, especially the parts covering the different types of kissing. A few examples are the Vacuum Kiss, the Surprise Kiss, and everyone's favorite -- the French Kiss.
Overall I think the Art of Kissing was quite informative, especially by putting into context that the "how to kiss good" part a relationship comes at the end of a bigger process of seduction. If you downplay or ignore the advice that deals with too must male testosterone then you should do well by today's kissing standards.
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