What do the terms "Master of Ceremonies," "Husbandman of Nature," "Old Faithless," and "My Body's Captain" refer to? How about "Cully-Shangy," Hogmagundy," or "Horizontal Refreshment"? Synonyms for these and other phrases can be found in The Bald-Headed Hermit & the Artichoke, a unique guide to the lingo of sex. Extensive historical research conducted by Peterkin led to the compilation of lists of phrases and words referring to all aspects of human sexuality, from breasts and testicles, to fetishes and paraphernalia. In conducting his research, Peterkin discovered that erotic words and phrases in the English-speaking world number well into the thousands; "penis" alone has over 1,500 modern synonyms.
The terms in The Bald-Headed Hermit vary from the poetic and the medical to the macho, derogatory, and obscene; the lists offer varied and "imaginative" interpretations of human sexuality that are at times funny and shocking at others. They also provide unusual insight into how various societies view sexual pleasure.
In addition, the book shows how previously silent sexual communities, including gays & lesbians, the transgendered, and various fetishists and libertines, challenge attitudes towards sexuality and sexual expression, thereby changing the very language of sex.
The Bald-Headed Hermit includes fascinating explanations of sexual terms, as well as historical/archival line drawings illustrating various aspects of sexuality.

Allan Peterkin is the author of One Thousand Beards and One Thousand Mustaches, and the co-author of The Bearded Gentleman. His other books include The Bald-Headed Hermit and the Artichoke and Outbursts!. His comments on facial hair have appeared in Esquire, Men's Health, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, US, and in the documentary Mansome. He is a doctor and freelance writer in Toronto.

Allan Peterkin's profile page

. . . a fun romp through the world of sexual lingo. . .
-Lavendar Rhinocerous

Lavendar Rhinocerous

The Erotic Thesaurus is a must for porn writers and journalists. . .
-The National Post

National Post

. . . by turns hilarious, shocking, and lewd. It's guaranteed to raise a blush to even the least maidenly cheek. . .
-Xtra West

Xtra West

A progressive thesaurus that demystifies the language of sex.
-Quill & Quire

Quill & Quire

Roget's it ain't. . . this 154-page book now gets a permanent place in my reference library.
-Vancouver Province

The Province

. . . quite an impressive collection. . .
-January Magazine

January Magazine

Aside from being both entertaining and very funny, The Bald-Headed Hermit and the Artichoke is extremely well researched and written.
-Hustler

Hustler

. . . an eye-opening read. . .
-The Toronto Sun

Toronto Sun

. . . a handy thesaurus of titillating terms, many of which provide for a spanking (er, the hand-on-the-knee variety) good chuckle.
-Calgary Straight

Calgary Straight

Both culturally significant and thoroughly outrageous. . .
-Martlett

Martlett