The dynamic leader of a powerful company joins her daughter to show women how to make a revolution in their own lives. Their counterintuitive manifesto claims pleasure is as important--probably more important--to health, success, and a full life as hard work.
ContentsIntroduction
This book is about the power of stories to change your life
How I tripped and stumbled on the path of pleasure -- Maria
Driving down the highway of pleasure -- Maya
SECTION ONE: What's Your Pleasure? First, Find Yourself
1. Go to Your Room: Pleasure starts in the quiet of your own heart
The pleasure of Sundays -- Maria
A bed/office/dining/living room of my own -- Maya
Do It: Be alone in your room for two uninterrupted hours
List: Top ten things to do alone in your room
In Her Own Voice: Georgia O'Keeffe
Pleasure Revolutionary: Georgia O'Keeffe
2. Use Your Fear as Your Guide: Pleasure may seem scary at first, but it doesn't bite
Facing my faux fears -- Maria
A life lived in fear Is a life half lived -- Maya
Do It: Make a list of your fears and tackle one of them
List: Things we thankfully don't have to be afraid of anymore, in the United States, anyway
In Her Own Voice: Nancy Drew
Pleasure Revolutionary: Nancy Drew, girl detective
3. Be Curious: Pleasure appears when you search for it
Tell me why -- Maria
Pandora's "box" -- Maya
Do It: Research something you are curious about
List: The questions we asked ourselves which led to us writing this book
In Her Own Voice: Dr. Helen Fisher
Pleasure Revolutionary: Helen Fisher, doctor of love
4. Discover What You Like and Don't Like: Pleasure is personal
The long and torturous process of finding out -- Maria
You don't have to like it. Just try it -- Maya
Do It: Make a list of everything you really like and really don't like
List: Ten things worth trying
In Her Own Voice: Veronica Franco
Pleasure Revolutionary: Veronica Franco -- The sacred prostitute
5. Examine your religion: Pleasure is embedded in the roots of all religions, but threatened in the translation
Losing my religion, finding my faith -- Maria
What's so funny about peace, love, and understanding -- Maya
Do It: Pretendyou had to create your own religion
List: Six things religion got right
In Her Own Voice: Riane Eisler
Pleasure Revolutionary: Riane Eisler, professor of pleasure
6. Understand our long and illustrious tradition: Pleasure is ancient
How my paradigm changed -- Maria
Taking off the corset -- Maya
Do It: Delve into our common history
List: Seeing our holidays in a new light
In Her Own Voice: Mary Magdalene
Pleasure Revolutionary: Mary Magdalene
7. Enjoy your body: Pleasure starts inside of you
From shame and guilt to acceptance -- Maria
Bodily fictions -- Maya
Do It: Sleep naked
List: Bizarre customs from around the world
In Her Own Voice: Eve Ensler
Pleasure Revolutionary: Eve Ensler -- The vagina Lady
8. Find your voice: Pleasure knows that good girls speak up
The voice of sobriety -- Maria
Say what you mean/mean what you say -- Maya
Do It: Catch yourself submerging your voice and then say it
List: How to express yourself soyou'll be heard
In Her Own Voice: Lady Murasaki
Pleasure Revolutionary: Lady Murasaki -- The first novelist
9. Make a list of all the things you ever wanted to do: Pleasure will take you to unexpected places
Stop wishing and start doing. What did you want to be when you grew up? -- Maria
Things to do in life -- Maya
Do It: Write your obituary
List: Ten things to do before you die
In Her Own Voice: Madonna
Pleasure Revolutionary: Madonna -- Pop star, mother, actress, wife, businesswoman
10. Open yourself up to the universe: Pleasure will give you signs if you choose to look
Prayer to the universe -- Maria
Prayer for Penelope -- Maya
Do It: Ask for something, show your gratitude, and be open to the answer
List: The best ways to talk to the universe
In Her Own Voice: Margaret Fuller
Pleasure Revolutionary: Margaret Fuller -- A tragic life lived in full
SECTION TWO: Create the World Around You
11. Eat Alone in Restaurants: Pleasure can be served on a plate
To serve or be served: Why something so simple is such a powerful first step -- Maria
Writing in restaurants -- Maya
Do It: Eat alone in a restaurant
List: How to get through eating alone your first few times
In Her Own Voice: Ruth Reichl dines alone in Paris, from Comfort Me with Apples
Pleasure Revolutionary: The story of Ruth (Reichl)
12. Give Yourself Permission: Pleasure wants you to act on your heart
What's stopping me? -- Maria
Moving to Manhattan -- Maya
Do It: Write your mission statement
List: Ten great women who have taken a stand...or a seat
In Her Own Voice: Katherine Graham
Pleasure Revolutionary: Katherine Graham gives herself permission
13. Disarm Your dragons: Finding pleasure is not always easy
The dragon is me -- Maria
Growing up without a bio-dad -- Maya
Do It: Pick your worst dragon and deal with it
List: The best girl-power movies, myths, and fairy tales
In Her Own Voice: Ann and Barry Ulanov in Cinderella and Her Sisters: On Envy and the Envied
Pleasure Revolutionary: Cinderella seizes the day and works her way to the top
14. Live Life by Your Own Rules -- Stop Playing the Game: Pleasure rewards the rule breakers
"The Olympic champion of breaking the rules!" -- Maria
The unsuffering artist -- Maya
Do It: Come up with your own list of rules
List: Rules that are meant to be broken
In Her Own Voice: Victoria Woodhull on love
Pleasure Revolutionary: Victoria Woodhull -- From free love to true love
15. Learn to Say No (Now That You Have a Voice): Pleasure is up to you
Just say no to sex, telemarketers, and your kids -- Maria
Knowing when to leave the party -- Maya
Do It: Just say no
List: The nicest ways of saying no without lying
In Her Own Voice: Sojourner Truth
Pleasure Revolutionary: Sojourner Truth -- Saying no to the status quo
16. The Power of Yes: Pleasure holds you alone responsible for your life
My Halloween yes -- Maria
Sure, why not? -- Maya
Do It: Just say yes
List: Things to which we usually say no, but should say yes
In Her Own Voice: Alice Waters
Pleasure Revolutionary: Alice Waters -- Goddess of good food
17. Don't Be Afraid to Change Your Mind: Pleasure is forgiving
From city girl to country girl -- Maria
The trials and tribulations of being a picky eater -- Maya
Do It: Change your mind about something
List: Mind-changing discoveries
In Her Own Voice: Ayn Rand
Pleasure Revolutionary: Who is Dagny Taggart?
18. Delegate and Negotiate: Pleasure is not a tyrant or a martyr
Man in the house -- Maria
Little Miss Dictator -- Maya
Do It: Make a list, divide and conquer
List: Top ten reasons women don't get what they want
In Her Own Voice: Queen Elizabeth
Pleasure Revolutionary: Queen Elizabeth
19. Set goals, visualize success, and reward yourself: There is pleasure in accomplishment; celebrate success
The lily of the field -- Maria
The little things and my Miu Miu boots -- Maya
Do It: Be your own CEO -- Set a small goal and give yourself a small reward
List: The best rewards for yourself
In their Own Voices: Venus and Serena Williams
Pleasure Revolutionary: Venus and Serena Williams -- The winning sisters
20. Expect satisfaction. Ask for it: Pleasure believes that sex is good
Swimming in the sea of love -- Maria
The best thirteen dollars I ever spent -- Maya
Do It: Ask for something you really want, or give it to yourself
List: The best sources for girl toys, porn, erotica...that sort of thing
In Her Own Voice: The Thunder, Perfect Mind -- Shocking words from long ago
Pleasure Revolutionary: Inanna -- The original sex goddess
SECTION THREE: Live the Life You Have Always Desired
21. Travel Alone: Pleasure and life begin and end alone
Grama and Nana went to Japan together and didn't speak to each other for twenty years. I go anywhere...alone -- Maria
Become who you are -- Maya
Do It: Your first solo trip -- How to do it and love it
List: What to pack
In Her Own Voice: Jane Digby, fearless traveler
Pleasure Revolutionary: Jane Digby -- Adventuress and lover
22. Face the Dark Times: Pleasure has the power to heal
The black moment -- Maria
Street smarts for women -- Maya
Do It: Eliminate the hate and violence in your life
List: Organizations that are there to help you now (from vday.org)
In Her Own Voice: Nora Roberts -- The best-selling author of all time
Pleasure Revolutionary: Nora Roberts runs out of chocolate in a snowstorm
23. Be Your Own Heroine: Going on your own heroic journey will bring you pleasure
Building a bridge to our future -- Maria
How to be a heroine -- Maya
Do It: Have a romance novel weekend
List: Our favorite romance reading list -- rated PG: Pleasure Guaranteed
In Her Own Voice: Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Pleasure Revolutionary: Elizabeth Cady Stanton -- The woman who does it all and has it all
24. Think Pink: Pleasure enjoys the feminine
It's OK to be a woman (pride in my chicken soup) -- Maria
Living the Barbie life -- Maya
Do It: Give yourself a girlie day
List: The natural talents of women according to Helen Fisher
In Her Own Voice: Eloise
Pleasure Revolutionary: Kay Thompson, author of Eloise -- Grace, elegance, and pizazz
25. If your life were a novel: Pleasure wants you to create your own story
My life, the romance novel -- Maria
My life, the romantic comedy -- Maya
Do It: Write out the story of your life
List: The Pleasure Revolution movie list
In Her Own Voice: George Sand
Pleasure Revolutionary: George Sand
26. Love What You Do: Pleasure wants you to be happy
Stumbling toward ecstasy (from "CEO" to writer) -- Maria
You can't quit the process -- Maya
Do It: Make a list of all that you love. Now make it your job
List: The evidence: Pleasure is good for you
In Her Own Voice: Julia Quinn
Pleasure Revolutionary: Julia Quinn -- The Harvard romance writer
27. Laugh a Lot: Pleasure has a sense of humor
Why you need a sense of humor to survive in this world -- Maria
Laugh a lot -- Maya
Do It: Have a comedy weekend and see how it feels
LIST: Words that souund dirty that aren't
In Her Own Voice: Lucille Ball
Pleasure Revolutionary: Lucille Ball -- She broke all the rules and made 'em laugh
28. Believe in the Power of Love: Pleasure has provided you with the only tool you will ever need to protect you on your journey
True love -- Maria
My prayer is a pop song -- Maya
Do It: Spread the seeds of love
List: Soundtrack to the Pleasure Revolution
In Her Own Voice: Carol Gilligan
Pleasure Revolutionary: Carol Gilligan -- The Birth of Pleasure
29. Live Each Age to Its Fullest: Pleasure knows no age
Bare your belly at twenty, wear big jewelry after forty -- Maria
The joy of being twenty -- Maya
Do It: Define your decades and decide what you want to be in each one
List: How to be a hoyden
In Her Own Voice: Beatrice Wood, from her book Playing Chess with the Heart, Beatrice Wood at 100
Pleasure Revolutionary: Beatrice Wood -- 105 years of creative passion
30. Believe in Happy Endings: Pleasure is a path of optimism and hope
All the little happy endings -- Maria
All the happy endings -- Maya
Do It: Create your own happy ending: what would it look like?
List: The ingredients for a happy ending
In Her Own Voice: Maria Von Trapp
Pleasure Revolutionary: Maria Von Trapp -- Climbed every mountain, while singing
IN THE END
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
INDEX