As with any topic, you've got to pick through a lot of pulp to get to the good stuff, but because we're such giving souls, we've done the legwork for you. Herewith, a list of fetish-oriented titles of note.

There's something for everyone here: a voyage into the fringes of human sexuality; a little history; some stunning photographs of a modern-day glamour pin-up; a bit of high-brow cultural theory, and of course, some erotica to whet your sexual appetite.

Deviant Desires: Incredibly Strange Sex

By Katharine Gates

Arguably one of the most important books ever written on the subject. Gates leaves out the more well-known fetishes and delves straight into the fetish netherworld. Yet she does so without ever judging her subjects, instead creating an entertaining compendium of outsider sex that will open your eyes to worlds that you never knew existed.

This generously illustrated book is funny, educational and erotic all at the same time. Its heroes are the everyday people who at one point in their lives thought of themselves as different, weird, or even sick, until they fully embraced their desires and forged their own unique sexual identities. With Gates as your guide to this fascinating world, you're in good hands. Deviant Desires is a must-read for anyone even remotely interested in the subject.

Fetish Fashion: Undressing the Corset

By Larry Utley and Autumn Carey-Adamme

Over 100 stunning photographs of models (of all shapes) wearing the corset might be enough to get you to plop down some dough for this book. But Utley's photographs, as great as they are, aren't all that you can look forward to. Celebrated corset-maker Autumn Carey-Adamme provides an introduction that gives us a history of the garment and shines a light onto why we have become so enamored with them over time. It's a one-two punch that makes Undressing the Corset a visual and mental pleasure.

Burlesque and the Art of the Teese/Fetish and the Art of the Teese

By Dita Von Teese

Dita Von Teese is the reigning queen of the burlesque world. This two-books-in-one deal gives us a peek into the burlesque world on one hand and the fetish world on the other. Much like Von Teese's stage work, this book is a one-woman show filled with amazing visuals, striking images and the old-school glamour of which she is a champion.

And don't feel weird about displaying this book on your coffee table. There's no nudity in any of the photographs, just an electric and eclectic mix of playfulness, drama, and eroticism. As Von Teese says "I'll give you a glimpse into my life, but a lady never reveals all."

Fetish: An Erotics of Culture

By Henry Krips

Egghead academics, this one's for you. Want to dig deep into how fetishes fit into (and correlate with) our culture as a whole? Through a series of enlightening essays, Krips argues that pleasure doesn't come from actually attaining desire but rather from moving around its "object-cause."

Sound like a heavy read? Actually, Krips walks that fine line. He's obviously a remarkably intelligent and knowledgeable man, but the book is fully engaging and takes on aspects of our culture that most academics might scoff at, delving into a look at the TV series, Mystery Science Theatre 3000 and the David Cronenberg film, Crash at the same time as Hopi initiation rites and Louis Althusser's theory of ideology... Check out the big brain on Henry!

Sexiest Soles: Erotic Stories about Feet and Shoes

Edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel and Christopher Pierce

With foot fetishes being the most popular, I had to include this collection of foot-related erotica. It's part of the Fetish Chest series and includes everything that gets the foot fetishists hopping: stilettos, thigh-high boots, foot rubs, pedicures and a whole lot more, all showcased in erotically charged short stories that will curl your toes with desire. Also of note by authors Kramer Bussel and Pierce: Ultimate Undies: Erotic Stories about Underwear and Lingerie and Secret Slaves: Erotic Stories of Bondage.