I found this book on the New Non-Fiction shelf at Barnes & Noble and I was immediately intrigued. First off, it takes some serious cojones to write an autobiography called “Loose.” A memoir of promiscuity? Wow, my curiosity killed me. I sat down in the bookstore and read the first couple of chapters and decided that I needed to read it. Not just because it seemed really entertaining… but because of the psychological aspect of it – What is someone who sleeps around like that truly looking for? I was curious. We’ve all been there… 20-somethings in college. The drinking, the parties, the casual sex. We’ve all been around it and all seen that one girl who was labeled “loose.” The slut.
Cohen’s book starts out with a childhood experience in which she first became aware of her sexuality and as she describes it – “The power that women have over men.” That awareness and “power” leads her into endless casual sexual encounters. throughout her high school and college years, Cohen’s life centers around getting (and keeping) male attention. Her needs are embarrassing and all encompassing. At the beginning of the book she states that she has lost count of how many partners she’s had – but she’s sure that it’s well over 40. The encounters she describes are both comical and sad. The frankness and honesty she uses to recount them is sometimes funny. How sad and pathetic it is makes your heart ache.
After my initial reaction – How could someone think so little of themselves! – I started to feel true sadness for Cohen. She had a difficult upbringing and grew up without her dad around. I could really relate with that consuming need that she had for male attention. For a long time, I felt like my world centered around the men in my life. I was always looking for that male attention and once I had it, I let other aspects of my life fall to the wayside. Maybe that’s why I was so drawn to her story? Even though I never took it to the level she did, I could empathize with her need for attention.
I read the whole book in less than 24 hours. It's kinda like reading someone's diary. Someone's really scandalous diary. It really gets you thinking about how women view themselves nowadays. What’s important? What do you want to be known for? It made me think of how every woman needs to know who they are before they seek out a partner. It made me realize just how instrumental self-respect is in the upbringing of each and every woman in this world.
Cohen’s book starts out with a childhood experience in which she first became aware of her sexuality and as she describes it – “The power that women have over men.” That awareness and “power” leads her into endless casual sexual encounters. throughout her high school and college years, Cohen’s life centers around getting (and keeping) male attention. Her needs are embarrassing and all encompassing. At the beginning of the book she states that she has lost count of how many partners she’s had – but she’s sure that it’s well over 40. The encounters she describes are both comical and sad. The frankness and honesty she uses to recount them is sometimes funny. How sad and pathetic it is makes your heart ache.
After my initial reaction – How could someone think so little of themselves! – I started to feel true sadness for Cohen. She had a difficult upbringing and grew up without her dad around. I could really relate with that consuming need that she had for male attention. For a long time, I felt like my world centered around the men in my life. I was always looking for that male attention and once I had it, I let other aspects of my life fall to the wayside. Maybe that’s why I was so drawn to her story? Even though I never took it to the level she did, I could empathize with her need for attention.
I read the whole book in less than 24 hours. It's kinda like reading someone's diary. Someone's really scandalous diary. It really gets you thinking about how women view themselves nowadays. What’s important? What do you want to be known for? It made me think of how every woman needs to know who they are before they seek out a partner. It made me realize just how instrumental self-respect is in the upbringing of each and every woman in this world.
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