What's So Great About Sex?

by: Terrance K. Gibson

Published by: Xlibris

Reviewed by Julie Failla Earhart

Terrance K. Gibson's debut novel, What's So Great About Sex?, has been compared to the movie, the 40-Year-Old Virgin. Maybe it was that sleeper hit that made Gibson rush to press with this tale of the innocent and naive Wilbur Klutzheimer.

The story takes place in 1979, which Gibson does a good job in relating that fact. Still, in 1979, it was hard to find a guy (or gal) who truly believed that sex was only about love and feelings and all that BS--and not one of the four innate motivators all humans, and most other critters, have at birth.

Wilbur is 29-years-old and is everything his name implies. Thanks to a favor owed his father, Wilbur lands a job at The New York Times. And of course there is the womanizing colleague who takes Wilbur under his wings and tries to show him the ropes. Wilbur plays along, and then begins to have sensuous, erotic, consuming dreams about sex. Instead of masturbating as normal guy would, Wilbur begins to journal. As the nights pass and the journaling continues, Wilbur begins to realize that he could write a book.

He neatly gathers his manuscript and sends it off to a possible publisher. And, of course, it is immediately loved by all and becomes an overnight sensation. To Gibson's credit, he never reveals even one hint of Wilbur's writing style or of what he written. I was glad he held it at bay. After all, each individual defines what he or she considers the most erotic and sexy and sensuous. So to let the reader imagine Wilbur's sexy secrets leaves the reader with her/his own imagination to play with and that can be more erotic, sensuous and sexy than anything written on the page.

I was disappointed in Gibson's portrayal of the editor. It was stereotypical of a 1950's newspaper editor and that got really old after a while. Gibson feels out of his element in basing the story in a newsroom and in New York City.

Armchair Interviews says: Overall book could have used some polishing (by an editor--however, not the one in Gibson's book).