Foto: Lars Wærstad/TV 2 Nettavisen

«Many men have penis complexes,» said Espen Esther Pirelli Benestad, famed sexologist and co-author, to TV 2 Nettavisen. «There are many penis complexes among men that affect them sexually.»

The authors hope the book will demystify the male sex organ for the people who may need clarification.

«50 percent of the men I talk to as a sexologist wonder if it is long enough, thick enough, or good enough,» he said. «The penis atlas replaces all the poor answers given.»

According to the publishing house Dinamo, there is a lot of interest for the book, and several thousand have already ordered the book.

100 erected penises
The book highlights all known myths and concepts of the penis, in addition to placing it in historical, sexual, and cultural perspectives, but what is really supposed to aid men with their penis frustrations is the massive amount of photographs.

100 penises are photographed in limp and erected state, from three different angles, and all photographs are taken in the same scale. In addition, the reader is informed how to measure a penis.

According to the authors, only homosexual men and heterosexual women have any particular knowledge of the erected penis.

The only basis for comparison that most men have is erotic or pornographic magazines and films, and there are few so-called normal penises in such media. However, from the photo material in the penis atlas, you will be able to see that you are completely normal, and pretty much like all everybody else.

The authors: Ragnhild Dahl Keller, Einar Aagvåg, Geneviéve F. Hardeberg and Espen Esther Pirelli Benestad. Foto: Lars Wærstad/TV 2 Nettavisen

Difficult photo job
However, taking photographs offered lots of challenges. Few men wanted to be photographed, but the authors finally managed to collect 100 brave men who were willing to be photographed in their birthday suit.

«It was an interesting experience to photograph 100 masturbating men I don’t know,» said photographer Jo Michael.

He jokingly stated that he would not bet money on an erection.

«A little puff of air, and it fell to the ground,» he explained.

Several of the pictured men also said that their erections were «just technical,» and if they'd had more natural inspiration then their penises might have been a bit bigger.

Considers a vagina atlas
«We have considered making a vagina atlas too,» Benestad said to TV 2 Nettavisen. «It would be terrible sad not to. It may not be the same need for an atlas for women, but if women to a larger degree start to fix their sex lips and get intimate haircuts, a kind of standard for how women are supposed to look down there will be created, and then we will have a need for a vagina atlas too.»

The penis atlas is written by sexologist Espen Esther Pirelli Benestad, marriage counselor Geneviéve F. Hardeberg, sexologist Ragnhild Dahl Keller, and social educator Einar Aagvåg.