Karezza. Ethics of Marriage.
Chicago, IL: Stockham Publishing Co., ( Copyright 1903 ). New and Revised edition. Hardcover. Octavo. 141pp + xviii adverts. Original green cloth lettered in black on upper board and spine, printed endpapers. The author, Alice Bunker Stockham (1833 – 1912), was only the fifth woman in the US to become a doctor, practising as an obstetrician and gynecologist. She was a dedicated reformer, promoting birth control, equality of the sexes, and dress reform, and stressing the importance of sexual fulfillment within marriage. She promoted a type of sexual-spiritual practice - which she termed "Karezza" - a tantric like practice often likened to coitus reservatus, although it differed from the latter in that the woman could enjoy an orgasm whilst the man refrained, both as a way of controlling pregnancies and to preserve the man's "vital essence." Cloth rubbed and darkened with a few spots, corners - spine ends and edges bruised and chafed, a few short tears at lower spine, page edges darkened and pages browned with scattered browning, small split in front endpaper hinge - but still a sound and unmarked Good + copy. Scarce. Item #59791
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