<A>BOOKS</A>

The 1995-1996 New Moon Directory Issue 7: If you're new to the world of zines you're probably new to the world of apas. An apa (which stands for Amatuer Press Association) is a type of zine where every subscriber is also a contributor and few (if any) outsiders recieve it. The result is a close-knit group writing on any particular subject but often just writing to each other. What *Factsheet Five* is for zines, *The New Moon Directory* is for apas. It's a comprehensive list of (almost) all active apas.
This edition lists 274 apas exploring a wide variety of subjects, but mostly centered around SF, RPGs, comics, animation, and the activity of writing. It's a great place to meet a group of like-minded people and even make a few friends.
More information on apas can be found in the glossary of issue #52 of *Factsheet Five*. If you ever considered joining a apa this is the place to start looking.
$4.95 Each to Eric Watts, The New Moon Directory, 346 Carpenter Drive #51, Atlanta, GA 30328-0026 (88 Pages/D/RSF) No trades/reviews zines/submissions OK/back issues/takes ads/ Email:GEnie: E.WATTS
420: A Seth Putnam Reader May '95: Seth Putnam has been all over the place, touring and reading and getting his stuff published in a variety of literary journals. I like this collection of *very* short stories, most running just a page or two.
The stories are about people -- people in various situations trying to make the best of things. I wouldn't label these stories as gritty, they just about the problems and fustrations or real life. Lots of poems too, but those too are very prose-like, exploring life as it really is.
$5 Each to Seth Putnam, P.O. Box 372, Grafton, NY 12082 (56 Pages/D/RSF) No trades/no ads/
A Beginner's Guide to: Art Deconstrunction: Why settle for silly polemics when so much more can be accomplished with an acetylene torch and a compressed-air drill. This exciting new text, written by Norman Conquest, explains the finer details of art deconstruction without appropriating obscrue French phrases from Guy Debord or Jacque Derrida.
Norman starts by explaining the the first of the four basic methods of art deconstruction: "Hand Demolition" (which includes the aforementioned torch and drill). Then he tells us of the beauty of Burning "a container of gasoline and a match can work wonders at a group exhibition of 'works on paper.'" There are important things you should know about Machine Deconstruction "When attacking a museum, an important weapon of deconstruction is hitched to the crane. This is called the beaux arts ball, although it is often pear or bottle-shaped. Perhaps it got its name from the fun derived from using it." Don't forget Blasting "Afred Nobel, a Swedish chemist with avant-garde inclinations, invented dynamite for the express purpose of 'destroying art that has out-lived its usefulness.'"
I wonder if Paul Weinman or Bob Black were behind this.
$2 or $10 Each to Brian Clark, Permeable Press, 2336 Market St #14, San Francisco, CA 94114 (16 Pages/D/RSF) No trades/takes ads/ Email:bcclark@igc.apc.org Homepage:http://www.armory.com/~jay/permeable.html
A Brief History of Castration Autumn, 1995: Long time readers of *F5* should be familiar with Mr. Cheney's involvment in the zine _Crucial Concepts_. So it should come as no suprise to learn that he's written a book on his favorite subject: castration. At 212 pages I'd hate to think what he considers a *detailed* history. Everything is here. Eunuchs as sex toys, "Castration for pleasure has had many facets. As the eunuch's effusion in the Satyricon of Petronius illustrates *O fairies, O buggers, O eunuchs exotic! Come running, come running, ye anal erotic!*" Eunuchs as trusty servants, "Some of the more positive traits among Chinese eunuchs include being exceptionally honest [only eunuchs could be imperial treasurers according to Mr. Cheney], benevolent, gentle, warmhearted and extremely sensitive about their condition." Gee, I wonder why? Eunuchs as priests, from early Christianity to the Russian Orthodox Skoptsi of the 18th century to modern Hindu ecstacy sects. About the latter group, the Hijra of India, there's a page-long description of the procedure. No anesthetic, no stitches, and a stick up the urethra to keep the hole open. Oh, and the penis is removed along with the testicles. The perfect gift for collectors of historical oddities, the Lorena Bobbit lust-object of your life, and lesbians with a healthy sense of humor.
$15.00 Each to Victor Cheney, PO Box 10, Ozone Park, NY 11417 (212 Pages/JP) No trades/no ads/
A Garden of Unearthly Delights: Bioengineering and the Future of Food June 1995: There are a lot of "eco-friendly" books out there. What separates *A Garden of Unearthly Delights* from the rest is its balanced view in addressing the new, cost-efficient, flavor-enhanced food that we eat. Rather than castigating farmers who produce such high-tech creations as genetically altered, longer-lasting tomatoes, Robin gives us the facts (as she sees them), and let's us decide what's an appropriate food production technique.
Once we've decided which technique we favor, Robin urges us to vote with our dollars, a message we've heard before over and over. She concludes by encouraging us to cook for ourselves and cut out the middlemen (the distributors, brokers, and processors).
While many of the stories in the book are already well-known to the "eco-wise" reader, Robin's open minded approach is a fresh departure from all the "we hate 'em all" perspectives out there.
$23.95 Each to Robin Mather, Dutton/Penguin Books, 375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014 (205 Pages/JJF) No trades/no ads/
Adventures of Oedipussy Tess April '95: *The Adventures of Oedipussy Tess* is a new series of cartoon books, much like *Tin Tin* or *Asterix* but for an entirely different audience.
They each feature Tess, a frail elderly woman who lives in an enormous mansion and who has the most bizarre experiences. *S.S. Tess* is all about her search for a pair of tweezers to remove a splinter from the deliveryman's finger. At the end of the tale, she still hasn't found any tweezers, but realizes the deliveryman is Ted Bundy while she recites a limerick and changes into a giant penis (a typical ending I realized after reading *Better Knot*). Elaborate printing and layout here but I'm not sure who this would appeal to.
$2 + SASE Each to Carol Jackson, 517 N Wood, Chicago, IL 60622 (20 Pages/S/CWB) No trades/no ads/Age Statement.
AIDS Info
Angels of Demise: 20 One-Act Plays
Ask Larry: The Collected "Leather Notebook" Columns: Larry Townsend started his "Leather Notebook" coulmns for *Drummer* magazine back in 1979. This was before the time that AIDS become known for what it is today.
Over the years Larry furnished vital information about AIDS, safe play, sex toys, and most importantly, gay SM activities. I like how this book is constructed. Highlights have been culled from his column and then presented in chronological order. Then he added a recent commentary on the original discussion, creating a sort of continuously reading dialog that's as entertaining as it is informative. So much to read in here that almost anyone sexually curious will enjoy it but it's specifically recommened to people interested in SM play.
$13.95 Each to Masquerade/Richard Kasak Books, 801 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10017 (321 Pages/J/RSF) No trades/no ads/
Best Ideas: A Compendium of Social Innovations: When I used to read *Popular Science* as a boy, my favorite section was always the "What's New" page that detailed the latest breakthroughs in technology. Hearing about all the scientific wonders on the horizon always held me spellbound in the hopes of a brilliant future.
Without being science-based, *Best Ideas* gives me the same uplifting feeling and inspiration. It's a wonderful collection of proposals, news reports, contacts, and ideas that deal with the environment, crime, health care, economy, work, transport, death, and communication. Some of my favorites from the over 300 entries include: guerilla cyclists who paint their own bike lanes at night, Tonglen meditation in prisons, the community currency of Ithaca (New York), Earthseals stickers, and a gender tax on men to offset their cost-inefficiancy. We also received the book *Before and After* which offers some ingenious ideas on death, burial, and grieving.
To order *Best Ideas* by credit card from the U.S., call London 00 44 181 208 2853. Price is 17 pounds and includes a newsletter subscription.
to Institue for Social Inventions, 20 Heber Rd, London, NW2 6AA U.K. (288 Pages/D/CWB) No trades/no ads/ Email:rhino@bbcnc.org.uk
Bibliozines #1-25: John Held Jr., Editor: John compiled and bound the first 25 issues of his vital networking art publication, *Bibliozine*.
The first one, from June '92, lists the 425 artist publications in his collection (at that time) and discusses his plans for the (then) forthcoming book. From there it continues foward, chronicling a wide range of publication, ranging from fluxus to mail art to rubber stamps to zine culture. While it's wonderful to recieve the issues of *Bibliozine* as they're produced -- having them all, in this nicely bound collection, makes for a solid body of work.
$15 Each to John Held Jr., 1903 McMillan Ave, Dallas, TX 75206 (0 Pages/S/RSF) No trades/reviews zines/no ads/
Blood Kiss: Vampire Erotica
Blowing My Hero: by Amber O'Neil: This is one of the most interesting Bukowski-related works I've seen in print. Amber O'Neil (a pseudonym) relates the tale of her short romance with the down-and-out author and gives us a rare view of him; one from the perspective of a fan who crossed his path in the vintage '70s.
At the time the story takes place, Amber was living in San Francisco with her daughter, her daughter's father, and an intense desire to meet Charles Bukowski. She wrote to him in care of City Lights bookstore and after getting a response, began a volley of letters that ended with her on a plane to L.A. She tells the story of the three day romance with a lighthearted charm and a style not unlike Bukowski's own. After all the bottles were emptied and the luck at the track turned sour, Amber was on her way back home with a unique memory of this soulful author. Many of Bukowski's letters to Amber are reproduced in the appendix.
$8.52 Each to Amber O'Neil Productions, 190 El Cerrito Plaza #233, El Cerrito, CA 94530 (40 Pages/D/CWB) No trades/no ads/
Bomb the Suburbs: by William Upski Wimsatt 1994: Screw the suburbs and burn the corporate headquarters! It's time to revolt by celebrating urban "hip-hop" living, with all the trimmings, says a proud and invigorated William. Gangsta' rap, grafitti, housing projects -- that's where it's at, and there's no denying it. Even though you may live in a seemingly safe, suburban enclave that lets you avoid witnessing the plight of the urban minorities -- including their culture, values, and beliefs -- we'll find you and confront you, warns William. Which warnings does William give to the rich, white suburbanites? First, that they have problems and don't know how to deal with urban blacks; second, that they can run away from the urban areas, but they can'r hide, no matter how hard they try; third, that urban minorities won't take shit lying down -- instead, they'll confront the issues and make things worse for the suburbanities; and forth, that if they leave the urban ghettos, the urban ghettos will comes to them, with their music, art, and language. Don't fuck up our neighborhoods, William suggests, and things will improve. Chocked full of the most poignant stories, cartoon, interviews, "disses," parodies and so-called "original research," this manifesto successfully challenges the suburban mind-set and attempts to empower longly-exploited urban minorities. I haven't read anything quite this controversial, yet inspirational since Valerie Solanos' *SCUM Manifesto*. If you're sick and tired of the standard patterns of gentrification, and want to do something about it, this book is for you. This underground masterpiece all its accoutrements
$7 Each to The Subway & Elevated Press Co., PO Box 377653, Chicago, IL 60637 (112 Pages/JJF) No trades/no ads/
The Book of Self and Other Drawings: The Word and Picture Art of Gary Turchin Issue 4 1994
Book Your Own Fuckin' Life! Issue 4 '95
Book Your Own Tour: by Liz Garo: A sobering guide to touring with your band that takes you step by step from booking club dates to the breakdown of your van in the middle of Iowa.
The introductory chapters cover the planning stages well, giving sample contracts, promo letters, and itineraries of real bands. The state by state directory gives an exhaustive listing of venues, radio stations, music stores, local press, and promoters. Besides all the raw information here, the stories of the open road are not to be missed. Zuzu's Petals, Popdefect, and Foreskin 500 share their harrowing tales which will certainly keep the fainthearted within the city limits. Even the story "Things are Going Pretty Well" by Black Watch ended in despair. An excellent reality check, told with humor and charm.
$19.95 ??? Each to Rockpress Publishing, P.O. Box 99090, San Diego, CA 92169 (182 Pages/S/CWB) No trades/no ads/
Bread & Hyacinths: The Rise and Fall of Utopian Los Angeles: It's a little known fact that at the turn of the century a successful cooperative colony was founded just 70 miles north of Los Angeles. At its peak, the Llano del Rio colony had 1000 members, but eventually fell into obscurity, or rather was forced into oblivion.
*Bread & Hyacinths* traces the life of the cooperative, from the days of Job Harriman's socialist vision of it to it's decline in 1917. From the very beginning it had numerous enemies, not least of which was newspaperman Harrison Otis. Otis was sternly anti-union and his stance frequently broght him into conflict with Harriman. The book gives a full treatment of the colony's history, Harriman and Otis, and the inside dealings of southern California politics in the early 1900s. Plenty of photos packed in here to make an exceptional read of this forgotten utopia.
$9.95 Each to California Classics Books, P.O. Box 29756, Los Angeles, CA 90029 (139 Pages/J/CWB) No trades/no ads/
Cerealizing America: The Unsweetened Story of American Breakfast Cereal 1995: Brought to you by Bill Crawford and Scott Bruce -- publisher of Flake, the cereal nostalgia zine, this expose seeks to give Cheerios, Fruity Pebbles, and Grape Nuts more than Warhol's designated 15 minutes of fame. Exploring the people, companies, and consumers that have been involved in this 20th century instutution, *Cerealizing America* is much more than an historical or economical look at our favorite morning pastime; whether, you're a cereal buff or not, you will find it to be the definitive guide to an important component of American popular culture. With a foreward by Chuck McCann, the original voice of, yes, Sonny, the Cocoa Puffs' cuckoo bird, you'll probably want to get this book before you take one more bite.
$24.95 Each to Faber & Faber, Inc., 50 Cross St, Winchester, MA 01890 (312 Pages/JJF) No trades/no ads/
Cheating at Blackjack: (And Advantage Play)
The Citizen's Guide to Fighting: Government 1994: Along with co-author Larry Grupp, Senator Symms has developed a hot-to-fight-government manual. Answering questions such as how your going to jail might generate quick and cheap publicity for your cause, Symms' manifesto is far more unconventional than its conventional book cover and mainstream format might suggest.
Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan has called *The Citizen's Guide to Fighting Government* "a manual for informed citizen participation in government decision making and administration." While I was disappointed not to see any truly heinous or sleazy techniques in this guide, I still feel it's quite useful to anyone who has a score to settle, whether it's with Uncle Sam or your nosy neighbor.
$16.95 + $4.5 Each to Senator Steven Symms, Paladin Press, P.O. Box 1307, Boulder, CO 80603 (213 Pages/JJF) No trades/no ads/
Collector's Guide to Crime Autograp: by Michael E. Johnson: Michael Johnson, the publisher of *Autograph Research* has produced this informative guide to collecting autographs from living and dead criminals. The emphasis is on notorious murderers, as they seem to command the greatest interest. Michael lists all the leading figures, describing what they've been convicted of and examples of past prices for their autographs. Most useful is the address list of crime-related celebrities. I'm sure many people with have plenty of fun with this list though I'm not sure what kind of response they'll get for an autograph request from Simpson, Noriega, Milken, or Gotti.
to P.O. Box 9387, San Diego, CA 92169-9387 (16 Pages/S/RSF) No trades/no ads/
Come Look at My Brain February '95: From the publisher of *Not Your Nightmare* comes this amusing poetry chapbook. It was put together with a joyful design style, assisted by Morton Paulinskill. Here's one "Life is a series of moist towelettes" Or how about "Honesty/ Is such a lonely word,/ But at least it has/ That cool silent "H" effect/ Going for it." Some longer poems too.
$2 Each , Subs: $ 5.00 for 5 issues to Kevin Eldridge, 149 Federal St, Blackstone, MA 01504 (20 Pages/D/RSF) No trades/reviews zines/no ads/
Common Boundary Education Guide: Holistic Programs and Resources: This is an exhaustive guidebook to schools and programs throughout the U.S. that offer health care programs for people seeking to further their holistic training.
There's a vast array of spiritual and metaphysical resources listed here; programs focus on everything from substance abuse, hellerwork, and accupuncture, to Jainism, shiatsu, and music therapy. But much more than just teaching centers are listed here. The *Common Boundary* is a full reference, listing retreat centers, periodicals, and audio tape companies, along with explanatory side articles to clarify some of the current issues in holistic healing.
This book is a unique and long-needed resource for people interested in alternative medicine.
$23.45 Each to Common Boundary, Dept. GF, 5272 River Rd Suite 650 Bethesda, MD 20816 (208 Pages/S/CWB) No trades/no ads/
Communities Directory: A Guide to Cooperative Living: Tired of living in a suburban sprawl witout any heart? Tired of "living" but not having "a life?" Tired of having a "feast of friends" without feeling close to anyone? Well, there are alternatives. There are alternatives that are real and honest and devoid of any religious dogma or cults-of-personality.
The idea of having an intentional community goes back to the original settlers of American, and back before that. This time-tested idea has been successful in proving a rational, healthy way of life that a real alternative to the *rat race* of modern culture. If you've ever been curious about intentional cummunities then look no further then this sourcebook. Featured in these 440 pages is everything from a plethora of background articles about community living to a comprehensive resource guide to over 500 intentional communities in North America and around the world. If you're unsure about where you're going, this book will help you get there.
$20 Each to Communities, Rt 4 Box 169-D, Louisa, VA 23093 (440 Pages/S/RSF) No trades/no ads/ Email:5012004@mcimail.com Homepage:http://well.com/www/cmty/index.html
The Complete Idiot's Guide: to the Perfect Vacation 1995: "*The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Perfect Vacation* helps you manage it all -- so you can plan every detail, keep within a budget, and have fun doing it," says this book's rear cover. Usually, I would stray far from any of these *Idiot* or *Dummy* guides, as they are typically very condescending, McDonaldized attempts at unwisely simplifying complex topics. However, after returning from the vacation from hell, I thought this book could easily restore faith in the "perfect vacation" -- you know, the one your parents took you on when you were a kid. Well, guess what? Fat chance! Part of the fun of a vacation is *not* planning every detail, but winging it when you get the chance. Except for one small reference that you don't have to schedule every waking moment, author Scott Ahlsmith preaches structured vacations -- his aptly titled section, "Vacations 101," reinforces this pedagogical tendency. The book's not all bad, though. I found the chapter on avoiding scams to be particularly useful, especially for those spending their savings on a cruise or honeymoon. However, all love was lost when I came across the mention of Disneyland and Disneyworld as a great vacation spot. Nothing personal, Disney folks, but the thought of overpaid football player Emmet Smith shouting "I'm going to Disneyworld" is enough to make me puke. Overall, a good book for the timid traveller who seeks structure and convention, but a joke for the real adventurer. sorry Alpha Books, but after writing this review, I'm *not* going to Disney World! When I got to the section on Disneyland and Disney World, all I could think of was Emmet Smith
$14.99 Each to Alpha Books, 201 W 103rd St., Indianapolis, IN 46290 (254 Pages/JJF) No trades/no ads/
Computer Privacy Handbook 1995: Big Brother has been watching us for some time, and with the proliferation of computers and computer networks, his job is getting easier. Your medical records, your credit records, your IRS records, your personal communications -- they're all available, often at the touch of a few keys, to nosy neighbors, employers, stalkers, hackers, business competitors and other low-lives. Andre has set out to give the consumer some tools to reassert their privacy. Split into three sections, the *Computer Privacy Handbook* addresses general privacy safeguards, cryptology, and Pretty Good Privacy, the encryption prgam developed by Phil Zimmermann.
While this is one of the most valuable books I've ever seen on privacy tips, I believe the section of general privacy safeguards will have the most lasting value. Issues such as digital cash, national I.D. cards, social security numbers, and password protection are thoroughly discussed and chewed apart. Solid tips for dealing with these sensitive topics are provided.
If you're going to buy one book to help you get your privacy and keep it, buy the *Computer Privacy Handbook*.
$24.95 Each to Andre Bacard, Peachpit Press, 2414 Sixth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710 (274 Pages/JJF) No trades/no ads/ Email:abacard@well.com
Counter Intelligence: Catalog of self-published and autonomous print-creations: Along the same lines as the Subspace show or perhaps even inspired by it, Jason Skeet and Mark Pawson organized a huge gallery show of zines from around the world. It was held at 121 Center in Brixton, which is a squatted collectivly run social center.
As a final project, they compiled this huge compendium listing/reviewing all the zines that were in the show. The result is very much like the Subspace documentation (as reviewed in *F5* #49) or perhaps *Factsheet Five* or *Bypass*. (As a matter of fact, Peter Pavement, the current publisher of *Bypass* wrote a lot of these reviews, which may be the reason why it reminds me so much of his publication.) Scattered throughout are various articles exploring the passions, economics, and history of publishing zines. Unfortunately a lot of the information is somewhat obsolete but they set out to construct more of an overview of zines and not a timely resource like *F5*. Highly recommended to all zine fanatics as a secondary international reference to the entire zine community -- and besides, it's only three bucks (cash please).
You can reach Mark Pawson at P.O. Box 664, London E3 4QR
$3 Each to Jason Skeet, BM JED, London, WC1N 3XX U.K. (0 Pages/A4/RSF) No trades/reviews zines/no ads/
Critical Vision: Random Essays & Tracts Concerning Sex Religion Death: Like all books from Headpress, this new one, created under the Critical Vision imprint is a varied collection of disturbing essays orignially printed in *Headpress* magazine.
My favorate piece here is the complete story of Michael Butterworth & David Britton's Savoy, which published a series of comics that seemed to attract the attention of British censors. I've been a huge fan of their work ever since I discovered the bizarre recording featuring aged pop star PJ Proby. They've certainly had a colorful past as revealed in thist story that boarders on the insane. Another chapter that should appeal to comic fans is the 50-page history of pornographic/erotic comix. Starting with the early Tijuana Bibles and EC stuff, he then traces things through the San Francisco underground and then over to England. The rest of the pages are devoted to all sorts of sex, murder, and mahem, like the comprehensive analysis of the Sunset Strip Murders and the lives of Carol Bundy and Douglas Clark. The essay on comics is so comprehensive that I'd recommend this book based on just that one subject but if you're interests also extend to true crime (and true perversion) then this is a must-have.
$20 + Br.#4 Each to Headpress, Po Box 160, Stockport Cheshire, SK1 4ET U.K. (260 Pages/S/RSF) No trades/no ads/
The Dark Side of Christian History: by Helen Ellerbe: This book, covering the role that Christianity has played in the development of our society is a unique and rare treatment of a subject that will never be found on *The 700 Club*.
Helen traces the development of Church doctrine and shows how it consistantly chose the more athoritarian, controlling path every time a crisis arose. From the very beginning, the Church elders consciously tried to consolidate their power base by instilling fear of God, practicing brutal tortures, and aligning themselves with the governments of Europe. Later, the doctrine of separating the people from divinity, and keeping God in Heaven instead of on Earth as the pagans worshipped, fostered the spiritual decline and led to the mechanistic model of the universe that is now under fire from its own camp. The discussion is a fascinating one and makes great reading for anyone interested in Church history, or even the rise of Western thought.
$12.95 Each to Morningstar Books, P.O. Box 4032, San Rafael, CA 94913-4032 (236 Pages/D/CWB) No trades/no ads/
Dear Rocket Records: The Customer is Always Right: The folks that do *Very Vicky* are expanding their publishing activitive by putting out these little zine-like pamphlets. This one reprints real letters written to Rocket Records (a psudonym for a real mail order record company). I thought I got some weird letters, these are totally wacked.
"Here are three RUSH lp's, I'm rushing to you RUssians, Russ perot, Rush Limbaugh, Leon Russell -- tell them we said hello!" "Do you have Quantum Leap on a LP record?" "Don't waste your time sending me artist dealing in Heavy Metal, acid rock, rap, Hoot-in-anny, and the British Sound." "Does Everything gooD come FROM cambridge? I GOTTO GO There."
$2.50 + 2 stamps Each to John Mitchell, Meet Danny Ocean, P.O. Box 383286, Cambridge, MA 02238 (36 Pages/D/RSF) No trades/back issues/no ads/
DIY: An A-Z Guide to Doing It Yourself: I've always loved those "Back to Basics" books loaded with projects for the self-starter. The only problem is that they tell you how to make a bird feeder, grow better turnips, and concoct your own soap -- all things that city dwellers have little use for.
Fortunately, John and Angela have brought out *DIY* which focuses on all the facets of our counterculture. We find out how to do our own bicycle repairs, bind our own books, make drugs from plants, brew beer at home, repair instruments, have an herbal abortion, fix turntables, make paper, and silkscreen "super punk rock" style. 18 pages of discussion on recording, pressing, and marketing your music. Some of the material is reprinted from Jen Angel's guide to putting on shows, and much of the rest is obviously copied, but you can't beat having all this information in one place for $3.
$3 Each to John and Angela , P.O. Box 720716, San Jose, CA 95172-0716 (120 Pages/HL/CWB) No trades/no ads/
The Doom Hacker's Guide 1995: You're pathetic, you little cheaters! Well, I suppose if you're gonna cheat, you might as well get some tips from a pro. Hank not only helps you hack Doom, but he shows you how to create you own weapons, graphics, and sounds. Complete with a CD, *The Doom Hacker's Guide* provides new map creation, graphics, and sound editors, as well as detailed tutorials to step you through every step.
With Hanks new book, you can now create your own computer fantasies. A must for the die-hard Doom fan.
$21.95 Each to Richard "Hank" Leukart III, MIS: Press, 115 West 18th Street, New York, NY 10011 (300 Pages/JJF) No trades/no ads/
Dyke Strippers: Lesbian Cartoonists A to Z
Emerald Light: An Index and Glossary to Green Lantern 1959-1994: "In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight! Let those who worship evil's might beware my power -- Green Lantern's light!"
This is every Green Lantern collector's dream. Donald Ensign compiled an amazing array of data and research and published it in one volume with art from the original comics. Most helpful is the glossary that indexes over 1800 characters, places, and objects, giving a brief description and the issues they appeared in. Perfect when you want to re-read all the Sinestro stories or look up GL's doggy partner Rex. A full listing of art and story credits is also included along with a clear synapsis of the Lantern's publishing history as a feature comic and backup story.
A fantastic amount of information for the comics researcher and fan alike.
$11.95 Each to Good Name Enterprises, 1120 Buena Vista St, South Pasadena, CA 91030 (58 Pages/S/CWB) No trades/no ads/
Ersatz Peach
FC
Fight Back!: At Work 1995: I met David at a conference in Philly on fraud and senior citizens where he was a keynote speaker earlier this year. I was impressed with his sheer brain power, bizarre sense of humor, and genuine concern for others. As a consumer activist, he seems more like the Ralph Nader of the 1990s. When I got his book, I was even more impressed.
*Fight Back* is for all of us. Whether we've personally experienced a Scrooge-type boss or a sexually-degenerate old man who won't stop with the off-color jokes, we've all been abused somehow -- urine tests, telephone surveillance, discrimination, reverse discrimation -- the list never ends. David and co-author Dana Shilling tell you your rights provided by federal law and legal options should conflict occur.
It's a must resource for any concerned employee, but would be best supplemented by continuing updates, as laws do change.
$9.95 Each to David Horowitz, Dell Publishing, 1540 Broadway, New York, NY 10036 (240 Pages/JJF) No trades/no ads/
Fish Dog Bird
Fleabites Issue 6: Maddalena publishes these wonderful little books and she takes a lot of care to make each one lavish and unique.
This one, titled "Bestiary," is just what you'd think. One animal for each letter of the alphabet was chosen and the contributors made an illustration and wrote either a short jingle or a description for it. Most of them have quite a twist. The page "D is for Demon" told the story of an aged demon who is creaky and tired and doesn't even stink as much as he used to.
Delightful and a bit creepy.
$4 + 2 stamps Each to Maddalena Polletta, P.O. Box 20229, Tompkins Sq. Station New York, NY 10009 (56 Pages/M/CWB) back issues/no ads/
Free Dogs in the Galaxy
Gaslighting: How to Drive Your Enemies Crazy 1994: In the Haydukian spirit, revenge ace Victor Santoro shows you how to destroy your enemy's confidence, self-esteem, and reputation. Victor talks about causing disorientation and confusion, making me think this book should be on any college reading list that already includes Sun Tzu's *The Art of War* or Machiavelli's *The Prince*.
The book's title comes from the 1944 movie, *Gaslight*, in which a manipulative husband convinces his wife that she's losing her mind. Rather than using physical means of revenge (e.g. bombs, gags, etc.), Santoro recommends psychological warfare. Wanna' mess someone up? Why not swipe the mark's newspaper every now and then? That should cause some grief. Or how about disabling your mark's ATM card by running a magnet over any ATM card's magnetic strip? Better yet, if your target is an officemate, then "borrow" his/her keys and switch them with similarly cut keys, thereby utterly confusing your target? All great ideas! What Victor doesn't discuss is how you can gain intimate access to your mark's belongings *without* getting caught. Perhaps that will be Victor's next book.
Until then, I would strongly recommend that revenge afficionados add this manual to their revenge collection.
$12.95 + $4 Each to Victor Santoro, Loompanics Unlimited, PO Box 1197, Port Townsend, WA 98368 (113 Pages/JJF) No trades/no ads/
German Roasted Almonds: The Insider's Guide to Covington, Kentucky: A strange and haphazard guide to Covington, Kentucky and their big annual Octoberfest. Very cynical, almost to the point of being rude, but still funny. Lots of pictures of the downtown food court, the local cops, and the local hotspot, The Town Cafe.
trade only Each to Michael J., Funky Soul Malcusa Enterprises, P.O. Box 5572, Albany, NY 12205-0572 (16 Pages/S/RSF) no ads/
The Golden Age of Comic Fandom: by Bill Schelly: A pure labor of love, Bill created this comprehensive book that covers the Golden Age of comic fandom, from the fans to the fanzines to the comic convetions. Sure this covers the Golden Age, but I have to admit what I really liked was all the research into the early history, tracing fan culture as far back as the early 1930s
This section includes information and incredible reprints of of things like the first comic fanzine *Comic Collector's News*, published in 1947; examples of EC fanzines; and two pages from *Foo*, the comic fanzine published by Charles Crumb and featuring some early work by his brother Robert (perhaps you've heard of them). I'm often asked questions about the origins of fanzines, and now I have a place to turn to for the answers. Of course the main focus of the book is on the later years, primarily 1960-1972, where Bill goes into detail of all the fans and they lengths they go to in paying tribute to their favorate comic characters and artists. An absolutely fascinating volume that's highly recommended to anyone interested in the history of comics or fandom.
$11.95 + $3 Each to Bill Schelly, Hamster Press, P.O. Box 27471, Seattle, WA 98125 (146 Pages/S/RSF) No trades/no ads/
The Great American: Road Trip Guide and Planner
Guerrilla Marketing Online: The Entrepreneur's Guide to Profits on the Internet 1995: Jay's at it again! This ad-man-turned-marketing-guru who made his name by publishing the Guerrilla marketing books as well as the get-a-job-books for slackers (e.g. *Earning Money Without a Job* and *555 Ways to Earn Extra Money*) now shows those same people how they can make lotsa money on the Internet.
Have a home page, be an active participant in a newsgroup, establish yourself as an expert ... all good tips from Jay. In other words, exploit the information highway to the max, but don't get flamed!
Although the Internet is changing daily, the advice Jay gives is timeless.
$12.95 Each to Jay Conrad Levinson, Houghton Mifflin Co, 215 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10003 (303 Pages/JJF) No trades/no ads/
Half Empty: by Jeff Meyers
Halves and Eighths: From the mad genius that gave us the book of math puns comes a rather humorous collection of musical notation puns. Now I don't read music, but my 12 year-old son does. He was giggling and laughing out loud and thinks the thing is pretty damn funny. So take his word for it. You must be able to read music and appreciate puns.
$6.00 Each to Paul Yearout, Sympun Publishing, 828 D Street, Gearhart, OR 97138 (64 Pages/JP) No trades/no ads/
Hidden Dimensions 1994: Have you ever passed one of those suburban mall kiosks that had mobs of teenagers trying to decode that 3-D, subliminal art? I know I have. And to this day, I still can't figure it out. Probably you can't either. But don't fret -- Dan Dyckman is off to the rescue. After detailing the history of 3-D, Dan cuts to the chase with his chapter, "How to Stereoview."
He shares two techniques that should help us see those hidden vibrant arrays of patterns and colors. Method 1: Hold the picture in front of your face, so your nose is touching, and slowly move away, until you're eight inches away. If that doesn't work, he suggests Method 2: From eight inches away, blur your vision, and blink your eyes. I don't know. Neither technique worked for me. Perhaps Dan should consider my fail-safe method: Get sloshed on Jack Daniels, pop a 'lude, or blow a doobie. Then, I *guarantee* you'll see something.
Filled with colorful art, all designed by Mr. Dychman, *Hidden Dimensions* should save you a trip to the mall.
$14.50 Each to Dan Dychman, Harmony Books, 201 East 50th Street, New York, NY 10022 (64 Pages/JJF) No trades/no ads/
Hiking and Backpacking: A Complete Guide 1995: Though Karen doesn't mean to be condescending, I fell off my chair when I saw the beginning chapter on learning to walk. It's a good thing I didn't stop there, though, because Karen makes a lot of solid points about blister-busting tips and the right footgear to choose. For instance, wearing socks made of fabric such as polypropylene or thermax will precent blisters by keeping out the moisture that cotton socks don't.
When I got to the chapter on "no-trace camping," I was quite impressed. Other than suggesting we wear brown, gray, or dull green colors, Karen developed a step-by-step plan to ensure that one can have a private hike. These steps can be naturally be exploited by privacy advocates.
An overall encyclopedia on hiking, filled with tips, tricks, and nifty color pictures, this definitive guide is small enough to fit in your pocket, where it belongs on your next hike.
$17.95 Each to Karen Berger, New Media, Inc., WWW Norton & Co., 500 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10110 (224 Pages/JJF) No trades/no ads/
The History of American: Constitutional or Common Law 1995: Many people see a deterioration of our rights and freedoms, and the fine people at the Message Company are trying to do something about it by putting out this useful reference manual. Chocked full of court arguments, briefs, notices, and other legal tidbits, this book appears to be most relevant to those concerned about unreasonable search and seizure. Written by three legal scholars, this book is a good start for those who are unaware of their common law rights and sovereignty.
$11.95 Each to The Message Company, RR 2 Box 307 MM, Santa Fe, NM 87505 (142 Pages/JJF) No trades/no ads/
How To Develop A Low-Cost...: ...Family Food-Storage System: If you're a survivalist, or just like to be prepared for disruptions in your food supply, this book will get you started with your own storage system.
Anita Evangelista covers a lot of ground, discussing food preservation, the benefits of bartering, gardening possibilities, and the mechanics of storage. Some of the discussion has a very apocalyptic tone (it is after all, a Loompanics book), but the information is just as applicable to everyday life, as Anita knows. When a terrible ice storm cut her family off from the outside for several weeks, nobody went hungry thanks to Anita's foresight.
$10 + $4 Each to Loompanics Unlimited, P.O. Box 1197, Port Townsend, WA 98368 (114 Pages/D/CWB) No trades/no ads/
How to Legally Obtain a Second: Citizenship and Passport -- and Why You Want to 1995: Adam tells us that having American citizenship and an American passport is wonderful, but that having a second citizenship and a second passport is even better. Why is this? Well, if you've ever been in trouble with parole or probation, the subject of a federal warrant for arrest, or in debt to the IRS, you probably already know. You can be denied departure from the US -- that is, if you travel with your American passport. Also, if you're on a highjacked plane, a second passport might save your life if the terrorists have a grievance against Uncle Sam, says Adam.
Dual nationality carries its disadvantages, also. To quote the late Frank Zappa, "I don't wanna' get drafted." Unfortunately, if you carry dual nationality, you might have to serve in the second country's military, even if you are female. Dual nationality can also make divorce complicated. Adam tells us that every year, thousands of children are abducted from their U.S. parents, particularly by North African or Middle Eastern parents. Obviously, the decision to have dual citizenship isn't an easy one. If you are in the fortunate position of qualifying for dual citizenship or if you would like to, *How to Legally Obtain a Second Citizenship and Passport* will help you sort out the issues and organize your strategy.
$ Each to Adam Starchild, Loompanics Unlimited, P.O. Box 1197, Port Townsend, WA 98368 (131 Pages/JJF) No trades/no ads/
I've Written a Letter: A mainstay of zine publiblishing is the obligatory "letter to corporate America." While this is turning into a cliche, I still enjoy reading the perverse letters concocted by zine publishers and the bland corporate responce. John Sanchez has attempted to set up ongoing dialog with these monoliths. After getting back the bland form letter he wrote back a friendly responce directed at the person who "signed" the orginal letter. Unfortunately none of the companies have taken him up on his offers but he's certainly a creative writers.
After reading so much of this correspondence in so many zines, I'm starting to get a chilly feeling that this isn't so much a game where we can toy with the minds of these executives. I'm starting to feel like the corporations don't care. They don't care if we use an electric drill to cut holes in our head (see *Crank*) or if we chow down on cat food (as described in John's collection). All they want is for us to continually buy their miserable products and don't sue them. Go ahead, write and print these letters, their absolutely hilarious, but for God's sake don't buy any of this shit. If they care so little about the people who buy their products that they can't even pay someone six bucks an hour to write a personal letter, then don't support their endeavers.
to John Sanchez, P.O. Box 0573, Chicago, IL 60690-0573 (24 Pages/S/RSF) No trades/no ads/ Email:jsanchez@interaccess.com
The Ideology of Information: Some Considerations for Academic Librarians: Ronaldo Perez has produced a tiny book that's packed full of information and ideas. He appears quite radical, almost like a luddite, in his attacks on computer technology. He argues the difference between "knowledge" and "information" and how we allow scientists to tell us that there is no difference between the two. He proposes various responsibilites of accademic libraries, including preservation, literarcy, and education. An interesting book that's a vital source of ideas for librarians and archivists.
$5 Each to Ronaldo Perez, Stranger Books, P.O. Box 605, Cooper Square Station New York, NY 10276 (71 Pages/M/RSF) No trades/no ads/
If This is Seattle...: ...Where's Eddie's House? Summer '95: This is a very impressive guide to all the music-related historical sites of Seattle. I have no idea where Ann came up with all this information, but it is amazingly detailed. I used to live in the city and only knew a fraction of this stuff.
This book is most fun to just flip open and read whatever you stumble on. Every site has some historical anecdote or quirky piece of nostalgia behind it; under Crocodile Cafe we learn how REM played an unannounced show there, under Edgewater Inn we find out what room the Beatles stayed in and where the infamous Led Zeppelin mudshark incident occurred, and for Seattle General Hospital we find Jimi Hendrix's birthplace. Many pictures and almost 100 entries, a large bulk of them dedicated to the recent wave of Seattle bands who have made it big.
$2 cash or stamps Each to Ann Druffner, 2300 Lincoln Park West #812, Chicago, IL 60614 (36 Pages/D/CWB) No trades/no ads/ Email:sukian@aol.com
If You Don't Like the News ...: Get Our and Make Some Of Your Own 1994: Wes has been reporting on counterculture since the late 1960s. Among his credits, he has interviewed John Lennon and Timothy Leary, among other hippie icons. Now, in a loosely structured, semi-autobiographical format, Wes aims to tell the story of a generation that went from beautification to hippification to New Age. Filled with lots of insightful anecdotes, quotations, and opinions, *If you Don't Like the News* attempts to capture Wes' generation.
Whether it succeeds or not, the reader will have to decide.
If you thrive on wry views and fringe living, I guarantee you'll like this book.
$14.95 Each to Wes "Scoop" Nisker, Ten Speed Press, PO Box 7123, Berkeley, CA 94707 (196 Pages/JJF) No trades/no ads/
Imagenes/Ludovico Issue 3: Two more publications from Banco de Ideas Z. that showcase the work of two different artists. The first one, *Imagenes*, is devoted to Edson Fernandez Sanchez. His work is dark and mysterious, combining mideval concepts and modern technologies.
The second one features the bold graphic work of Eugenio Blanco Rodriguez. He creates inages of fanciful creatures in a thurougly modern style.
to Abelardo Mena, Banco de Ideas Z, calle 19 no. 1362, apto 15, e/24 y 26 Vedado, C. Habana 4, CP10400 Cuba (45 Pages/L/RSF) No trades/no ads/ Email:ideasz@tinored.cu
Indian Summer: Oil, Decline, and Spiritual Revolution: I love these giant, grandiose works born of obsessed minds. Doug has been working on this for ten years and although I couldn't read it in its entirety, it seems like quite a wild opus.
He gives a full economic and political analysis of the world's oil supply, ultimately to propose a new model for understanding resource scarcity. Instead of the old assumption that technology will continue to advance and provide us with a steady supply of oil, Doug asserts that there are real limits to what we can expect. He ties in our economic decline directly to our energy crises and says things have been going downhill since 1973, the year of our first oil shock. At this point in the book, Doug wanders off into the spiritual realm, giving the energy crisis a symbolic meaning. He says that to end our society's cycle of oil addiction, we need something similar to a twelve-step method used to fight alcoholism. Only by embracing a higher power and admiting helplessness before God can we find our way out.
A bit kooky, but if you can follow resource policy and economics, it'll be thought-provoking.
$17.95 Each to Doug Reynolds, P.O. Box 11353, Albuquerque, NM 87192-1353 (311 Pages/S/CWB) No trades/no ads/
Indie Release Guide '95
Infinity Points April, 1995: A beautiful novella of a week in the life of a group of young Canadians in an unnamed, mid-sized city. Everything is here: dumpster diving, annoying (both verb & adjective) yuppies, long cups of coffee, corn bread, punk gigs, zines, backpacks, ever-changing hair, the 2:00 am to 7:00 am shift at a college radio station, working at a copy shop that everyone knows and loathes, unrequited love, pizza for breakfast, and more cornbread. The characters are lovable, believable and do the sorts of things you and I do (or did). Jim is an absolute god when it comes to this type of writing, and someone should be paying him serious money to keep doing it.
$4.00 Each to Jim Munroe, Lickspittle Ventures, 66 Greyhound Drive, Willowdale, OT M2H 1K3 Canada (78 Pages/JP) No trades/back issues/no ads/ Email:ao168@torfree.net
Internet Secrets 1995: It's a big world out there, and you probably need some help navigating around. Whether you're doing business on the 'Net, gabbing away in Internet Relay Chat, or publishing your own Web page, there's just too much going on. *Internet Secrets* tries to help. Levine, along with co-author Carol Baroudi, provide expert tips from the premier Internet authors on how to exploit the Internet to its fullest.
I found the chapter on Internet privacy and security to be one of the most comprehensive ever, discussing a variety of encryption techniques as well as firewalls. Does the book fulfill its goal of making you a power Internet user? Yes and no. It may qualify as an expert as of Summer 1995, but, as with all these thousand page get-'em-while-its-hot-Internet-guides, the half-life is 3 months max. The field is changing on a daily basis, and as far as I am concerned, your best bet is to download free Internet guides from your favorite Web site.
If you must keep up with the Joneses and get a paper-based product, this is one of the better ones.
$39.99 Each to John R. Levine, IDG Books Worldwide, Inc., 919 East Hillsdale Blvd, Suite 400 Foster City, CA 94404 (990 Pages/JJF) No trades/no ads/
Internet.Underground.Guide November, 1995: This is great, and *English* book from the folks at _Nueral_ (the Italian version of _bOING-bOING_). It's a good, solid, basic guide to the Net, with some accurate history, terms, references, resources and capsule reviews of hundreds of sites, newsgroups and mailing lists. The reviews are grouped into categories like Activism, Rave, UFO. It also comes with a CD of over 200 downloaded sounds (to which I am listening now as I type this review). It's typical of the stuff found on the Net - mostly TV samples spiced with some original music. The extensive track list also provides the source of the sound and, when possible, email address of the poster. Unfortunately, the weak dollar makes this book a bit pricey for most Americans. For our English speaking European readers, though, this is an essential guide.
$22.00 Each to Alessandro Ludovico, Minus Habens Records, via Palmieri 31, 70125 Bari, Italy (80 Pages/JP) No trades/no ads/ Email:a.ludovico@agora.stm.it
It's All True: The Best of True Artist Tales: Scott Gilbert's strip has been running in *The Public News* since 1987. This book compiles his 50 favorites from the series.
I was expecting the same autobio stuff that has been recently popularized by Harvey Pekar, Chester Brown, and Joe Matt. But Gilbert's stories are often obtuse, based more on emotions and observations of life than on routine occurences. His art and layout are superb, but sometimes the social messages are a little heavy-handed, like comparing the zombies of *Dawn of the Dead* to the soldiers of Vietnam and the Gulf War.
$4.95 Each to Apeshot Studios, 5715 Cornish, Houston, TX 77007 (50 Pages/HL/CWB) No trades/no ads/
Joey Automatic: Drive-by Book Issue 4 June '95: This is Robert's book series, featuring longer chapbooks of fiction and poetry.
This is a sorta compendium of material from which to construct Robert's Character of Joey Automatic, a tough guy mafia hitman. Through short stories, poems, and newslips, Robert brings back shades of *Pulp Fiction* and dimestore noir novels.
$2 Each to Robert W. Howington, Homemade Ice Cream Press, 4405 Bellaire Drive S. #220, Fort Worth, TX 76109 (20 Pages/D/RSF) No trades/back issues/no ads/Age Statement. Email:Robert.howington@chrysalis.org
John Lydon: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs 1994: "God save the queen," once chanted Johnny Rotten, along with his Sex Pistols cohorts. After reading these ruminations reminiscient of cows chewing the cud, it's more like "Spare some change? I've got a lot of time on my hands" That's how I felt after reading this authorized biography of Rotten, who now goes by the name John Lydon. Between the Sex Pistols, Public Image Limited, and other short-term bands, Lydon has always been (and will continue to remain) outspoken on every topic from squatting to his anarchistic tendencies. When it comes to fashion design, Lydon praises "street urchins, bums, [and] tramps" for their sense of decorum. It was the bums who influenced Lydon to slash perfectly good suits, safety-pin them back together, put the rags on, and then get beaten up for looking that way. His father told him, "John, you look like a fucking tramp," to which he would respond, "Yes, Dad! I've got style." Perhaps I expected more, Johnny, but methinks this book is a lame attempt to make something out of nothing. But considering the O.J. jurers are telling their stories too, I guess you're entitled to tell your story, too. , tells his life story.
$14 Each to Picador USA, 175 Fifth Ave, New York, NY 10010 (329 Pages/JJF) No trades/no ads/
Justin Green's Binky Brown Sampler Issue 2 Spring 1994: Justin Green may be recently found haunting the page of Tower's *Pulse* but his history with underground comix goes *waaaayy* back. Art Spiegelman credits Green with inspiring to produce *Maus* but the inspiration and influence doesn't stop there. In many ways Justin Green can be credited with being the father of the autobiographical comix genre.
This is a collection of the best *Binky Brown* stories, including the infamous *Binky Brown Meets the Holy Virgin Mary* created back in 1972. It's a compelling 40-page comic story about growing up and discovering one's own sexuality, all under a repressive Catholic environment. We also get stories inspired by his days as a sign painter, childhood street play, and responding to ads in the back of comic books.
A crucial book featuring some the early work of this influencial artist.
$16.95 Each to Last Gasp, PO Box 410067, San Francisco, CA 94141 (96 Pages/S/RSF) No trades/no ads/Age Statement.
Keep What You Own 1995: "They aren't any magic bullets," confides Adam Starchild, when it comes to protecting your money, property, and family from courts and ganefs. According to Starchild, over 100 million cases are being filed a year; yet, despite these statistics, most people think they are safe from lawsuits. You couldn't be further from the truth, warns Starchild.
Only comprehensive planning will succees in protecting you. The days of "secret" banks for Americans are long gone. Instead, Delaware limited partnerships, legitimate Swiss annuities and asset protection trusts are some of the current "safer" bets.
If you've worked hard for what you have, Adam will show you how to protect it.
$15 + $4.5 Each to Adam Starchild, Paladin Press, PO Box 1307, Boulder, CO 80306 (168 Pages/JJF) No trades/no ads/
King of the Roadkills: By Bucky Sinister: From the backwoods of Arkansas to the hipster-strewn streets of San Francisco, Bucky Sinister chronicles the lives of the desperate, the stupid, and the slightly off kilter. This collection of stories and poems showcases his gritty work perfectly, highlighting his sure hand with character development and sense of place and showing off his way with words. The poetry is personal and immediate, illuminating what it's like to live now. The fiction is populated by people like Pegboard, who can climb one faster than anybody and drinks "to get the nails out of my head" and Mario, the nine-fingered used car lot clown, an ex-boxer whose philosophy was that it was "better to have a humiliating job than none at all." But my favorite piece, "Arkansas Summer," leaves the disappointments of being an adult behind. It's a horrifying tale of coming-of-age that reads like *River's Edge* for the pre-teen set. It feels real, and, like much of the collection, grips you by the collar, forcing you to read it, even while you want to look away.
$9.95 Each to Manic D Press, P.O. Box 410804, San Francisco, CA 94141 (156 Pages/B/MLW) No trades/no ads/Age Statement.
Libro Arte Promocional Issue 3: Banco de Ideas Z is a Cuban arts orgaization that has been organizing and documenting some of the most intersting art in Havana.
This is the third collection of graphic art, showcasing a variety of works, ranging from the comic to the surreal to the spiritual. The work appears in pairs. Sometimes two different illustrations from the same artist, sometimes two different pestpectives of the same idea. I like the more political pieces, especially the portraits of Cuban life. Lots of abstract and experimental stuff too. Best of all his how it's printed on the most incredible recycled paper I've seen. I guess it's hard to get virgin white paper in Cuba but this stuff (that sorta reminds me of twilltone) gives it a honest handmade feel.
According to them you can import up to $500 in artwork into the U.S. but I'm not sure how much they're asking for this book.
to Abelardo Mena, Banco de Ideas Z, calle 19 no. 1362, apto 15, e/24 y 26 Vedado, C. Habana 4, CP10400 Cuba (45 Pages/L/RSF) No trades/no ads/ Email:ideasz@tinored.cu
Loser: The Real Seattle Music Story 1994: I've been waiting for this book for a while, and seeing it now, it's way more than I expected. Clark Humphrey (creator of *Misc.* and columnist for *The Stranger*) goes way back to the birth of rock and follows it through the indie rock boom of the early 80's, up until the time when Pearl Jam takes over the world.
I skipped over the early stuff covering Bing Crosby and Jimi Hendrix but was sucked in when he hit 1978 with the birth of punk rock, *OP*, and Sub Pop. From there he covered the developent of the entire scene up to the explsion with *Nevermind*. Reading this I get understand how Seattle grew up outside the NY/LA axis but very much parralleled what was going on in small underground scenes all over the country. The real gem is the design. Posterist Art Chantry designed the entire book using the wealth of material from his own archives. Each page explodes with a dynamic arrangement of band photos, portraits, zine reprints, album cover illustrations, and most importantly, concert flyers that covered every telephone pole in town. Clark Humphrey put so much research into this book that it's almost a history of the entire pop underground. It filled in the blanks of all the previously-unanswered questions I had about zines and indie music. If you have any question about where this all came from, Clark has answered it here.
$16.95 Each to Adam Parfrey, Feral House, P.O. Box 3466, Portland, OR 97208 (228 Pages/S/RSF) No trades/no ads/ Email:feralhouse@aol.com
Magick 1994: Revised, enlarged, and repackaged, *Magick* is your one-stop shop to magick rites and incantations. Chocked full of ripe information on the theory and practice of magick, *Magick* serves both the beginner and the expert. Hardcore students of magick will particularly enjoy the extensive diagrams and photocopies of original documents.
Brian Gendler, creator of *Phurba*, an occult journal, has called Crowley's work "a good compendium for people who don't already have all the original material." But Brian cautions, "However, the book may only be worth the $50 or so to serious students and collectors who are after the footnotes."
Meanwhile, a novice like me found this book to be intriguing, if not overwhelming.
$49.95 Each to Aleister Crowley, Samuel Weiser, Inc., PO Box 612, York Beach, ME 03910 (808 Pages/JJF) No trades/no ads/
Memories of a Hotel Man: by Jimmy Harrington: Another piece of vintage erotic from Mad Dog Productions.
S.C. Taylor tracked down this fully illustrated erotic novel and is producing xeroxed facimalies for our daytime and nighttime enjoyment. It's such an incredable book I can only imagine that it fuctioned as a street-wise sex manual. It contains descriptions and illustrations of lesbianism, oral sex, group sex, and a miltitude of positions, published long before you could get a "straight" sex book at your local bookstore. Absolutely fascinating and funny.
to S.C. Taylor, Mad Dog Productions, P.O. Box 2263, Pasadena, CA 91102 (53 Pages/D/RSF) No trades/takes ads/
Memotoallemployees: Poetry by Daniel X. O'Neil May '95: Some people think words carry all the weight in the world, regardless of how they're presented. In my book neatness counts, especially when the words are presented in such a uniquely enjoyable volume such as this.
The covers are stamped on exra thick cardboard, giving the book the feel of importance and permanence. Inside you'll find poems that are surgically designed on the most advaced computer systems without all the clutter ususally associated with overdesigned high-tech mags. His poems are vibrant, political, and full of life. I particularly like his "found poems," finding and transforming exquistite language.
$12 + $3 Each to Daniel X. O'Neil, Juggernaut, P.O. Box 3824, Chicago, IL 60654-0824 (0 Pages/J/RSF) No trades/no ads/
Mindblowing Sex in the Real World: Hot Tips for Doing It in the Age of Anxiety 1995: Sari has the mind of Dr. Ruth Westheimer and, as the back book cover shows, the face and body of a *Baywatch* lifeguard. This 24-year-old ivy league educated sex expert answers such difficult questions as whom you should have sex with and whether it's okay to go to a prostitute (Hugh Grant might want to read this section!).
What I particularly enjoyed was her attention to hot-chat rooms and other forms of computer sex. "If you don't care what other people think of things you write," then you might as well go for it, urges Sari. As an added bonus, Sari tells us that computer sex (at $2.50 to $4.00 per hour) is a lot cheaper than phone sex.
I don't know, but I s'pose nothing substitutes for the real thing. But in this *Age of Anxiety*, it's the safest way to go.
$10 Each to Sari Locker, HarperPerennial/HarperCollins, 10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022 (258 Pages/JJF) No trades/no ads/
Murder Habit/Typing Out the Dead: Drive-by Book Issue 6: A split chapbook published by Robert Howington, featuring work from Tony Bledsoe and Bill Shields.
Tony wrote these very gritty, almost disturbing short stories, while Bill composed some violence-filled poems -- all in the style of Howington.
$2 Each to Robert W. Howington, Homemade Ice Cream Press, 4405 Bellaire Drive S. #220, Fort Worth, TX 76109 (20 Pages/D/RSF) No trades/back issues/no ads/Age Statement. Email:Robert.howington@chrysalis.org
The MVR Book: A Motor Services Guide 1994: Title 30 of the Clinton Crime Bill of 1994 will make it illegal in mid-1997 for any schmoe off the street to go into a DMV office and get your driver's license, driving record, or auto registration information. But until then, many states allow anyone to obtain that information for a price.
*The MVR Book* is extremely useful to those involved in skip-tracing. Filled with current addresses and phone numbers of DMV officers as well as access procedures, regulations, and privacy restrictions of driver and vehicle records for all 50 states, this book makes it easy for skip-tracers, private investigators, and even *Factsheet Five* readers to quickly obtain DMV records. I've used this resource quite often to help me obtain the the street addresses of jerks who've cut me off in traffic. Who knows what you'll use it for!
$17 + $3 Each to Public Record Research Library, BRB Publications, Inc., 4653 S. Lakeshore #3 Tempe, AZ 85282 (256 Pages/JJF) No trades/no ads/
Native Speaker: Teach English and See the World: Here's a good introductory book that covers a lot of ESL basics. The author, Elizabeth Reid, taught English in Latin America for eight years, so she knows her subject well.
Teachers will appreciate her advice on getting established in a country, possible problems with local bureaucrats and police, and how to structure lessons. Lots of organizations and schools are listed to give some first contacts. Not too much practical in-the-classroom information, but a good overview of the whole ESL experience.
$7.95 Each to In One EAR Publications, 29481 Manzanita Dr, Campo, CA 91906-1128 (94 Pages/D/CWB) No trades/no ads/
Nice Little Stories Jam-Packed: with Depraved Sex & Violence: Ya know, the title alone should suffice. Just take out the word "Nice" and substitute "Six" and you have *exactly* what this book is. This is the first book published under the unholy union of Jasmine Sailing of _Cyber-Psycho's AOD_ and Wayne Edwards of _Palace Corbie_. This work is the yang to the yin of *Star Bones Weep the Blood of Angels*: full of anger, sex, violence, rage, sex, blood, pain, rape...I think you get the idea. This is a bloody car-crash of a book, with half-naked victims repellently fascinating in their torment. And for you long-time afficiandos of the outre in the zine world, Full Force Frank wrote the introduction last Christmas.
$6.50 Each to Michael Hemmingson, Cyber-Psycho's AOD, PO Box 581, Denver, CO 80201 (74 Pages/JP) No trades/no ads/
Nikola Tesla's Earthquake Machine: With Tesla's Original Patents: Living in this title certainly grabs my attention but Tesla's device really doesn't create earthquakes. As a physist and amateur Tesla scolar, I was really intriged by what the is book has to offer.
I never heard of this device until I saw this book, but all all the things Tesla invented, this one is more toward the "rational" end of the spectrum. It's a simple piston device, powered by electrisity or compressed air, that can oscilate at any frequency. The power in the device is it's adapability for fining a structure's resonant frequency. By amplifying the resonant frequency the device is capable of causing the object to shatter -- be it a wine glass, building, or bridge. That kind of powerful results may be a lot trickier to accomplish then it put forth here, but tesla insists that it was a device such as this that destroyed his research lab at 48 East Houston Street. Constructon of the device seem a bit tricky. Implimentation of the device seems even trickier, but any Tesla head will certain enjoy reading all that's in here.
$16.95 Each to The Message Company, RR 2 Box 307 MM, Santa Fe, NM 87505 (176 Pages/S/RSF) No trades/no ads/
The Opposition Research Book: A Guide to Political Investigations 1993: Wanna' dig up some dirt on a political candidate? Larry Zilliox, who *Factsheet Five* readers would be interested to know had co-authored *How to Investigate Destructive Cults and Underground Groups*, has assembled what he calls a very basic manual on how to do it. After reading it, I'm so convinced about its comprehensiveness that I'm about to input its forms into my database program for any future profiles I might compile. Filled with techniques you can use to create a candidate profile, *The Opposition Research Handbook* would make Machiavelli proud.
Most of us are aware of the tremendous amount of valuable personal information we can obtain from a good public or university library -- books like *Who's Who* and *The Combined Federal/State Disclosure Directory*; CD-ROMs such as *Select Phone*, *PhoneDisc*, and *Nexis*; and other resources. Most of us, however, don't know about programs like *Project Vote Smart*, which answers questions on candidates and campaign spending. To the serious political researcher (or the serious amateur investigator, for that matter!), *The Opposition Research Book* may help you find that missing link.
$20 + $4.5 Each to Larry Zilliox, Jr., Paladin Press, P.O. Box 1307, Boulder, CO 80306 (100 Pages/JJF) No trades/no ads/
Oral Sex: Bad Taste and Hard to Swallow 1995: Those familiar with the weekly *Ask Isadora* column -- look out! Across the Atlantic comes British competition. Author Vernon Coleman, who has a length list of sexual Q&A chapbooks, entertains us with his witty subtitles, carefully planted double entendres, and one-line responses to some of the most bizarre questions you'll ever read. Think Dr. Ruth was eccentric? Just wait till you get to know Vernon. After all, who else could have come up with the title "Two girls and a dildo?" (It sure beats "Four weddings and a hooker!") Before you rush out to buy this book, keep two facts in mind. First, at the beginning of the book -- in little print -- is mention that some of these questions appeared in *The People* newspaper; so you're getting recycled material. Second, and more importantly, if you're on a cheap budget, you can probably get just as much satisfaction from downloading a few messages from a session in the Internet newsgroup "alt.sex."
$12.95 Each to Blue Books, PO Box 30, Burnstaple Devon, EX32 9YU U.K. (237 Pages/JJF) No trades/no ads/
Outing Yourself 1995: Ready to come out of the closet? If so, then Michelangelo has several steps for you to follow. First, you have to come out to yourself; then to other gays; then to your straight friends; then to your family; and finally, to your coworkers. Each of these steps has several sub-steps. For instance, when coming out to your family, you should first tell your family, and then let the discussion keep going. At a convenient time afterwards, you should bring home you gay friends and family (God, it sounds like a queer MCI plug!).
This book has received international attention, and deservedly so. It takes an increasingly popular, yet extremely difficult task and provides a reasonable way to implement it. The problem, though, is that Michelangelo's 14-step process cannot and should not work for everyone. Gays have struggled not to be stereotyped, and proposing one exclusive series of steps to "come out" takes away the individuality that each gay and lesbian has. It unintentionally clones the way in which gays out themselves. Used as a general roadmap, though, *Outing Yourself* provides tremendous value.
Though clearly not a purpose of this book, for those gays who wish to remain in the closet, this book could be turned around to learn ways to shield your sexual identity.
$20 Each to Michelangelo Signorile, Random House, 201 East 50th Street, New York, NY 10022 (172 Pages/JJF) No trades/no ads/
Outposts: A Catalog of Rare & Disturbing Alernative Information 1995: If there's one catalog of fringe sources that you're going to buy, this is it! I couldn't be more emphatic. Not since Ivan Stang's *High Weirdness by Mail* or former Factsheet Five publisher Mike Gunderloy's *The World of Zines* has anything this comprehensive and powerful come out. Filled with over five hundred reviews, *author Russ Kick -- who once claims to have been abducted by aliens -- gives you the lowdown on sex, drugs, conspiracies, censorship, religious and political extremism, illegal activities and other taboo topics. While *Outposts* supplies a lot of valuable addresses and ordering information -- which change quite often, the book has lasting value. After speaking personally with the author, who has indicated that a Volume 2 is currently scheduled for Summer 1996, I can't be more enthusiastic about this book. Run to your local bookstore and get it now, before the Feds pull it off the shelves.
$18.95 Each to Carroll & Graf, 260 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10001 (264 Pages/JJF) No trades/no ads/
Passion and Betrayal 1995: "I liked to meet Bill at the door wearing nothing but this white bustier, garter, and high heels. It was his favorite outfit," Gennifer tells us, below a picture of the aforementioned lingerie. Like a lot of other Genny-come-lately alleged mistresses who try to milk their masters for all they are worth, Gennifer makes it quite clear that her life revolved around Bill Clinton.
It's strange that practically every first sentence of each new chapter has the words "Bill Clinton" in it. Either Gennifer has no life of her own or the editors at Emery Dalton figured guilt by massive association. I'll let you decide. Meanwhile, I felt like puking when Gennifer feels the Penthouse experience left her feeling frustrated and vulnerable. Give me a break!
Donna Rice, where are you when we need you?
$19.95 Each to Gennifer Flowers, Emery Dalton Books, 1110 Camino del Mar, Suite C Del Mar, CA 92014 (166 Pages/JJF) No trades/no ads/
Pentacle: Oh man is this one awesome book, a modern high fantasy oozing with more occult references than a convention of O.T.O. lodges at a Kenneth Anger film festival. Not so much a novel, but a collection of stories featuring the same two protagonists: an unnamed necromancer who lost his lover to the Dark Arts, and his demonic familiar named Self, a mere child of Purgatory with intimate knowledge of the Dukes of Hell and their innumerable spawn, and an unquenchable bloodlust. They travel from place to place in America, like some supernatural buddies on Route 666, exorcising the Named Demons of Hell, but failing to exorcise the guilt of Danielle's death and hellish afterlife. The Necromancer carries and uses a potent arsenal of knowledge, from Dee's E