What I’ve been reading…
Chicken by David Henry Sterry
The Last Living Slut by Roxanna Shirazi
Brothel by Alexa Albert
I’m unsure what to even say about The Last Living Slut. I love the idea of the book, it sounded promising, but it actually just made me feel uncomfortable. The one line in particular really killed it for me? “I didn’t want to do this, but I wanted to be polite.” She’s talking about having sex with someone. Ehhh. In the beginning of the book she started off talking about how important a “female’s pursuit of sexual pleasure” is but it never really felt like it was about her pleasure, more like she was the one being used by these “rock stars” (I had no idea who half of these people were.) I’d have no problem with the book if it were more transparent from the start but various stories mention her being uncomfortable with what was about to happen. There was no grand redemption in end, I just left with a bad taste in my mouth.
Brothel started off slow but quickly picked up the pace. It was really interesting to read about a brothel from the perspective of a “square” -meaning she wasn’t a prostitute- female. Alexa Albert visited, lived with, and eventually became really great friends with the ladies of Mustang Ranch, one of the most prominent legal brothels in Nevada, while conducting a public-health study.
Chicken was my favorite from this group and easily one of my favorites from the whole year. I’ve previously read Hos, Hookers, Call Girls and Rent Boys and Johns, Marks, Tricks and Chickenhawks which are collections of writings written by… well… everyone that titles mention, both books were edited by David Henry Sterry. I’d seen him mention Chicken in those books but finally got around to picking it up recently. Oh my goodness, it was wonderful. I’ve read a lot of books on prostitution but never one by male prostitute. I highly, highly recommend it.
I’m so excited to hop into a new book. I’ll definitely be setting another reading goal for 2014. It’s so wild to think that just two years ago I thought that there was nothing else out there I’d enjoy reading other than Chuck Palahniuk. Once I got started I just kept unearthing more and more subjects I really enjoy. I encourage you to set a reading goal for the new year as well, it doesn’t matter how small. Reading one book is better than none!
xoxo
22 comments
I've surpassed my goal of one book per month for the year! Unfortunately I picked a super long one to end the year with (400+ pages) and I don't think I'm going to be able to finish it in the next two weeks, but maybe! I've been happily discovering new authors as well 🙂
Wahoo! Haha, I know how that goes, I have couple long books I've been kind of avoiding because they'll take so long to read. Buuut at least it's winter and more time inside means more reading time. I get a ton of reading done during the colder weather because I take bubble baths all. the. time.
2013 totally was a bad year for me when it came to reading – for some reason I fell out of love with it. Luckily I've just started reading Lauren Bacall's biography which delightfully has recaptured my love so fingers crossed I can work through some of my book mountain in 2014!
Good luck!!
🙂
I envy your book-reading skillz! Haha. I'm finishing up my Master's degree in English (my undergrad was English, too), and basically, I don't get to choose what I read and I have no time to read for pleasure after I've finished assigned texts. I'll be done in August 2014, and I have to say, apart from just being done, what I look forward to most is choosing what I read again!
On an unrelated note, I found these and IMMEDIATELY thought of you: http://pyropetcandles.com/
Ah! Get out of here, those are the COOLEST!!
I love the idea of setting a reading goal! I'm definitely going to do that for 2014. I'm in school full time and never take less than 19 credit hours which makes me feel guilty when I crack open a book for fun. Every time I try to read for pleasure I think about how that time could be used reading my textbooks and studying instead. Creating a reading goal might help me feel more "responsibility" to pleasure reading again. Reading a wider range of subjects might make me feel less burnt out on reading throughout the semester as well. I love your blog 🙂
No matter what you have to time some time to enjoy yourself in life! Plus, it's reading, you can't feel guilty about reading!
Hey, don't you live in Cleveland? We should get lunch together sometime.
🙂
I do! Or rather, close enough. I'm in Lakewood on the west side which borders Cleveland. Lunch sounds like fun! I'm out of state visiting family for the holidays at the moment, but I'll be back in good ole Cleveland after New Years Day!
I have so many books on my list, and I hardly got to open as many as I would have liked! (I only read 7 books, and I am currently 1/4 through number 8.) I totally blame college, though. Homework always leaves me drained at the end of the day! I really dig your eclectic taste. Reading your posts about books gives me great ideas about what I could read next! 🙂
kaylah, do you have a goodreads account? If not you should sign up, it's so fun adding all the books you've read.
I do, but I don't use it. I just never got the feel for it – plus I definitely don't need another website to keep updated.
I always love reading these posts, I'm so glad you write them! I'm on my 26th book for this year, last year I managed 38 so I'm setting a goal of 40 for 2014.
26 this year is great!!
🙂
I'm always reading something, I love reading 🙂 I think I'm between 50-60 books this year 🙂
I didn't read nearly as many books this year as I did last year, but my health has definitely been an issue for that. Although, on the other hand, it has kinda been an excuse to read lately–since I'm on bed rest right now, reading is one of the things I actually CAN do!
And Chicken is one of the books that I've really been itching to read, but hesitant at the same time. I have no idea why–the premise sounds so exciting and I'd really like to hear his POV. I guess I just feel suffocated in books right now haha.
I seriously cannot stress how much I loved Chicken! Definitely get around to reading it soon.
Hope you feel better! 🙂
Hi! I just watched a movie called Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus, check it out if you haven't already seen it. It just felt like it could be your kind of a movie 🙂
I've never heard of it but I'll be sure to check it out. Thanks!!
'The Last Living Slut' was one of the books I've read this year. It shocked me and expanded my mind and made me laugh and wretch all at the same time. I think Roxana is brilliant!
Maybe I will set a goal for reading in 2014. Thanks for the idea! 😀
"The Last Living Slut" sounds intriguing, and one I may have to try and read next year! Thank you for these posts, I love new book recommendations and reviews!
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