Friday, August 22, 2003


I hadn't noticed the back of the book when I bought it. But last night, relaxing in bed and looking over some of the more interesting purchases of the day (Thursday has become book-buying day), and actually holding and stroking the slim volumes that I had bought, I flipped over the one hardbcover, and saw this. How amazingly wonderful, and how concisely it speaks of my own feelings. Of course I had to "google" it, and found a few references (I'm sure a few of you more literate(?)/literary-minded(?) folks out there already recognize the quote, or perhaps the cool illustration. So this one goes into the "keeper" pile. Another interesting purchase - for entirely different reasons - was a Lancer Books (I wonder if porn director Tom DeSimone got his pseudonym, Lancer Brooks, from that?) 1967 publication, The Man From Pansy. It's supposed to be a a spoof of The Man from U.N.C.L.E., with a hero named Buzz Cardigan, a "limp-wristed spy." Even the edges of the paper are lavendar! Then there's Confessions of a MALE PROSTITUTE from 1964, which unfortunately the pages began to come apart form its binding as I held the book. From the back cover: "From the very beginning, Charles had the two necessary attributes that led him into male prostitution - good looks and an extraordinary physical endowment." The book also includes "acute psychological evaluations by Dr. Leonard Lowag" (what a name!) And I was lucky to nab another armful of 1970's era pure sex paperbacks, some with great cover art. Finally, some cool books from John Preston - these from his Alex Kane series. I have not read any of them, but they sound cool. Alex Kane was a macho ex-Marine superhero who came to the rescue of oppressed gay men, but who was also considerate to the emotional needs of his sexual partners. The most interesting part, for me, is that these later editions, from 92/93, actually added more explicit sex than the earlier 80's first printings had.