In Bed with Strangers

Book excerpt: The term "swinging" calls to mind a bygone era of 1970s sexual liberation--images of shag carpet, hot tubs and married couples swapping motel keys. The Internet age has made swinging widely accessible and discreet to a broad range of participants, married or single, and of any sexual orientation. Some people pursue the excitement of spontaneous, noncommittal sex with strangers, while others seek a certain intimate connection they find unattainable by conventional dating or romantic relationships. Casey Donatello's frank memoir describes her transition from inexperienced 20-something, through the ups and downs of her introduction to swinging as a couple with her boyfriend, to her maturation as a single female swinger--known in the lifestyle as a "unicorn"--in her 30s. Her explicit account goes beyond the physical acts to explore the psychology and life lessons of self-discovery through sex.