Come Together

Come Together - Summary

Emily Nagoski

Come Together explores the science and art of maintaining a lasting sexual connection in long-term relationships. Drawing from personal experiences and academic research, the book offers practical tools and guidance for achieving great sex and navigating common relationship challenges.

Key Ideas

01

Emily Nagoski's book offers tools for sustaining sexual connections in relationships.

Emily Nagoski, a sex educator, once faced difficulty maintaining sexual interest while she was writing a book about women's sexuality. This led her to delve into research on how to sustain sexual connection in long-term relationships. She discovered that the key elements are being good friends who trust and admire each other, deciding that sex is important and suits your unique relationship, and co-creating an environment conducive to experiencing pleasure. In her new book, "Come Together," Nagoski shares these insights. The book is structured into two parts. Part One explains how to sustain sexual connection over time. It emphasizes what is important in maintaining sexual connection, the importance of prioritizing sex, the brain science behind sexual interest, and essential tools for accessing pleasure. Part Two addresses common issues in long-term relationships and overcoming cultural barriers using the tools discussed. Nagoski uses a powerful analogy to describe sexuality: it is like a garden. Early messages from family and culture plant ideas in us that may or may not contribute to our pleasure. We have the ability to cultivate our garden, choosing what to nurture and what to discard. When sharing this garden with a partner, it involves blending two gardens over time. With proper care, the shared garden can flourish for many years. "Come Together" provides practical guidance for tending both our individual and shared gardens to maximize their erotic potential.

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02
Understanding desires and contexts enhances sex, bolstering pleasure and connection.
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Measure sexual wellbeing by shared pleasure, not spontaneous desire, for longevity.
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Mapping emotional spaces helps navigate between pleasure and adversity beneficially.
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Understanding each other's emotional floorplans helps couples cooperate, rather than blame each other for desire struggles.
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Sex positivity embraces confidence, joy, and the ongoing healing cycle.
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Admiration and trust are vital for enduring, deep relationships.
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With calm, warm curiosity about our changing bodies and experiences, we can adapt and find new ways to give and receive pleasure.
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Nurture gradual relationship growth; empathize, heal gently, and always choose love.
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Sex imperatives impose restrictive standards, limiting authentic sexual expression and pleasure.
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Authenticity dismantles gender norms, enabling true self-discovery and connection.
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Recognize rigid gender roles as the enemy, not your partner.
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The "magic trick" is accessing a transcendent state of connection, where our sense of individual self melts into a sense of unity with others.
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Focus on joy, trust, and curiosity to rejuvenate sexual connection.
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Final Summary & Review

Final Summary: Come Together by Emily Nagoski provides a comprehensive look at how to create and sustain a lasting sexual connection in long-term relationships.

This book is aimed at individuals in long-term relationships who seek a deeper understanding of how to build and sustain sexual connections over time. It also appeals to those wanting to prepare for future relationships by learning how to nurture lasting intimacy and pleasure.

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