April 29, 2003

Read My Lips: Sexual Subversion and the End of Gender, by Riki Anne Wilchins

[I never got around to writing this entry. In a nutshell, I liked the book.]

Posted by Shmuel at 7:47 PM

April 24, 2003

Gender Outlaw: On Men, Women, and the Rest of Us, by Kate Bornstein

As Anne of Green Gables might have put it, I think I've found a kindred spirit.

[I never got around to finishing this entry. In a nutshell, I liked the book a lot.]

Posted by Shmuel at 11:41 PM

April 6, 2003

Exhibitionism for the Shy, by Carol Queen

This isn't bad. I'm a bit... uncomfotable? Unconvinced? Uncertain? about Queen's advocacy of naming and developing different sexual personae for different situations. I can see how it could work, but I'm not sure sliding towards Muliple Personality Disorder is a universally contructive approach for adding new elements to one's life. I'd kinda prefer an approach towards developing a single, unified personality.

Then again, not having tried it, I probably shouldn't knock it.

Otherwise, it's interesting, it's well written, it's worth checking out.

Posted by Shmuel at 4:59 PM

March 30, 2003

Giggling Into the Pillow, by Chris Bridges

Let's start with the admission of bias: partway through reading this book, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I'm in it. Well, sort of. One of the pieces herein -- "A Tall Tale" -- features a fictionalized version of me, and the real version is referred to in the notes preceding and following the piece, albeit using the psuedonym I worked under when I worked for Clean Sheets. It's not the best piece in the book by a long shot, but I still find it gratifying.

(Incidentally, I did write a followup to that story at the time... I might be induced to repost the thing, if asked.)

Anyway, this is that rare case in which the cover really does give you a good idea of what you're in for, perhaps because it was designed by the author. The dominant image is of a nude, reclining woman... wearing Groucho Marx glasses. "Finally, a book about sex that's funny on purpose!" proclaims the blurb just above her. Indeed.

This book is a collection of various pieces Chris has written over the years, mostly for his own site devoted to humor and sexuality, Hoot Island. (Warning: probably not a work-safe link.)

[I never did get around to finishing this entry. I liked the book a lot. There's a blurb page here.]

Posted by Shmuel at 11:43 PM