(Credit: Damien Stryckman)

First Times: Short Stories about Sex is an anthology that details first sexual experiences and awakenings. Ranging from first solo sexual explorations to first times with a partner, this collection aims to combat the often unrealistic expectations the media can create with its portrayals of sex: that there must be connection, happiness, pleasure – and music playing in the background – when oftentimes the reality can be very different, even disappointing.

Edited by Karine Glorieux and translated by Shelley Tanaka, the nine short personal stories written by different Québécois contributors (including authors, actors, musicians, and comedians) offer a comprehensive and diverse compilation of first times from a variety of perspectives, cultural backgrounds, and sexual orientations. 

Whether the tone is lighthearted or serious, each entry provides a snapshot of a pivotal moment in the discovery of sexual identity and pleasure that reveals itself bit by bit, not all at once as young people might expect. The recurring themes of self-discovery and acceptance in each story reassure readers that it is okay for things to not go the way you thought they would. Vanessa Duchel’s “Leap into the Unknown” spans many years, as she invites readers into several of her first-time experiences that led her to identify as pansexual. Alexandra Larochelle details the anticipation of a first evening alone at home with her boyfriend in “Always Ready,” and Olivier Simard offers a glimpse into a 14-year-old masturbation enthusiast’s reality. The personal stories shared by each contributor are varied, but perhaps the greatest insights are those that can only be achieved through years of hindsight. The authors each manage to capture what it means to be a hormonally charged teenager, tempered with the wisdom of growth.

While First Times: Short Stories about Sex may not be a cover-to-cover read, it provides an excellent starting point for conversations that parents may have difficulty initiating themselves, and offers realistic reassurance for young people that what they are experiencing is completely normal in all of its weird, embarrassing, and confusing glory. 

In keeping with its intention to serve as a frank depiction of all different types of sexual experiences, First Times is fairly explicit at times, and may not be suitable for less mature readers.