Lower East Side Librarian

First off, let me defensively say that I found this book on the giveaway pile in my apartment building lobby, and it will go there again when I am done writing this review. That’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy reading this open and honest account of sex work. Angell makes it very clear that it is indeed work. Imagine having to spend nearly an hour and multiple tactics (on command) to give a coked out penis its happy ending!

Have I mentioned here that the only zines I collect for myself (not for Barnard) are zines by library workers? From the title and cover of Hot Rot’s first zine you know you’re in for some library geekery. btw “realia,” at least in the library lexicon is a term for objects that are outside of the usual cataloging realm. She applies a Dewey call number of 020.92 HOT, which is...hot! There’s also an old school catalog card on the last page, for your CIP needs.

I went to this camp for two summers, so I’m not an unbiased reviewer. Rapkin has a big old crush on Stagedoor Manor, which I think is a little excessive. Theater Geek is a quick and enjoyable enough read, but I think even if I hadn’t gone to Stagedoor myself, I would have pegged the author as overly effusive. But maybe that’s just sour grapes because I wasn’t a camp star like the book’s three profilees were.

I’ve never read a book that took place in Uruguay before. All I knew about it is that Uruguayos have my favorite Spanish accent. It’s like Argentina’s Italian slanted castellano, but softer. Unfortunately Uruguayan dissidents didn’t have a much softer time of it than their compañeros across the Rio de la Plata in the 1970s.

Angry high school art
punk adventures, in graphic
novel format. Mwah!