Americana is in a weird place these days. We are nostalgic to the point of sometimes having no identity other than those wacky things we remember from "back in the day." We have a strange fascination with things from 20 years ago. Right Wing politics and religion are on the rise (even still, can you believe it?!?). Another sexual revolution is taking place with women being even more in charge. Yep, that's right. We're back in the 70's again. And with all things in entertainment becoming nostalgic they way the are, you knew that it wouldn't take that long for somebody to write a comprehensive guide to the history of adult films and all things associated with it.

Seth Grahame-Smith has written such a book and once you get past the tacky cover, it's actually a pretty good read. In The Big Book Of Porn, Seth takes us through a carnival ride through the world of the adult entertainment industry from its history, its stars, its problems, where it is now, where you can find it, what the world thinks of it, and tips on making your own (if you are adventurous enough).

The Big Book Of Porn begins with an overview of the history of the adult film sighting highlights and "limp moments" over the years. It's also a great way to introduce the reader who doesn't really know much about the industry's history and about the people whose lives would cross paths though this world. From the torrid twenties, through the terrible thirties (that would see the beginning of The Hayes Code), through the loosened sixties, and - let's face it - slutty seventies and beyond, this book attempts to fill us in on as much info as it can while including photos and interesting layout design.

The next two chapters discuss the classic films and legendary (and infamous) actors and directors of the genre. I think I like the section on the classic films the best for the great reprinted original poster art. It's this chapter that confirms this as coffee table material...a very liberal coffee table, mind you. There is also a section on the weirdest adult films of all time, but it feels like it was edited down for space, only including two films; Let My Puppets Come (a porn flick starring puppets which the book doesn't mention was director Gerard Damiano's answer to legal and censorship troubles he was having at the time) and Kate & The Indians (which I agree is impossible to explain). I think this book is perfect for fans of the genre who prefer to fast forward through the actual sex scenes and thus I feel that they really should have included more weird and strange films in this section for fans of kitch.

I found the section on pornography around the world to be pretty interesting, but it does have some info that may not be so current. For example it talks about how people can buy used panties in Japanese vending machine. Oddly enough, I already knew about this and when we went to Japan, we were hoping to find such a machine to takes pictures (seriously, I'm not THAT weird), only to find that they had been declared illegal (strangely enough, they were declared illegal because it was found that people were selling "faked" used undies...).

I don't know how handy the "Make Your Own Porno" section would be to your average Joe or Jane. It's interesting though. The "Extra Features" section is pretty fun with it's porn glossary, selections of porn dialogue, and where and when the biggest porn conventions are around the world.

I think old kitchy porn is funny, but I just can't get into the whole world of porn as a hobby. Still, I really enjoyed this book and it was a fun (and funny) way to learn about the industry inside and out. I like the layout and illustrations. The writing is funny, but sometimes includes a crude or bad joke or two here and there. There are lots of photos; some topless, but no shots of genitalia. As I said above, I think the cover art could have been a LOT better. I think they'll lose some potential readers because of it. Overall, Seth Grahame-Smith did a good job putting this guide to the adult business together. I can see this as a good gift to give your open minded friends. I doubt anyone will come close to putting together a guide this comprehensive and entertaining for a long time.

Quirk Books, 215 Church Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, www.quirkbooks.com

The sort of unyielding book I wish I'd been given in high school. Even though I finally read it well into my twenties it maintains the sort of impact that forces you to re-evaluate your entire existence. The lead character, Charlie, faces life's biggest quandaries while attending his freshman year in high school. His awkward, lonely ranting filled my head with the sort of problems, questions and answers that I've faced in years past. The narrative voice Chobsky uses to breathe life into Charlie was seemingly every sort of rant I've had inside my very own head at some point or another. It's a fresh awakening to the sort of 90210, The O.C., Saved by the Bell teenage existence that's been put forth in the media in the last ten years. Charlie's character shows the sort of didactic growth needed in writing leading to bigger and better literary accomplishments.

Mtv Books, http://www.shop.mtv.com

Stab at Sleep is a collection of short stories, poems and monologues by Seattle-based actor / writer Jason Anfinsen. In the best tradition of Beat generation scribes like Kerouac and Ginsberg, Anfinsen roams the bars and back alleys of America and the world gathering stark moments of reality, chewing them into bite-sized thought-bits and spitting them back at the reader in a steady stream of speed rap free association rants which flow down the page like a bum's blood in a gutter, almost entirely innocent of stodgy bullshit conventions like periods and commas and suchlike.

Anfinsen takes chances with his life as well with his writing, searching for weed in Singapore and taunting street thugs into beating him on camera for a school project. His prose and vision are unique, but very often Anfinsen gets so drunk on the sheer power and beauty of language that he loses his point and ends up raving incoherently to himself, forgetting that readers are depending on him to sober up before he hits the keyboard and edit the pretty-word flowers so they don't overshadow the actual meaning of what you are trying to say.

Jerk Alert Productions, 100 E. Pike, 3rd Floor, Seattle, WA 98122, www.jerkalertproductions.com

In this short book of poetry newcomer Eric Collins sets forth to show the wholeness of everything empty. He presents his poems with a sort of tearing away at the excessive use of language. Collins's work displays itself as social commentary on the excess of society and life not only in the work itself, but through his ability to shave away the use of erroneous language. It's a ravenous challenge to break apart seemingly expansive situations through cleverly woven words. His splendidly cohesive pieces merge as one to display his ability to hack at the meat of a situation thereby slicing off the excess, unusable fat.

One Legged Cow Press, http://oneleggedcowpress.org

The covers seem to indicate a return to an old style of comic book making; thick lines drawn in an almost woodcut design with subjects that definitely don't seem to come from this decade. But something seems off... A snake attacking a man on the cover of issue #1... and...Is that a tiny toy robot lurking in the shadows on the cover of issue #2?

Tales Designed To Thrizzle is a surreal / absurdist comic book by illustrator/writer Michael Kupperman. Each issue (and hopefully following issues) feature several short stories and advertisement parodies that seem to flow in and out of each other. These stories are also sectioned off in each book by age. In fact you can't get to the Children's Section until you pass through the Adult Section.

Reading through Issue #1, you realize how easily this could be turned into a show for the Cartoon Network's Adult Swim programming. Entering the issue you are greeted by an ad for strange pubic hair stencils featuring celebrity spokesperson Mickey Rourke (who is also the creator of the company). Also included are stories like "Snake 'N' Bacon" (familiar to fans of Kupperman's work) about a time traveling snake and his friend Bacon - an actual strip of bacon (who talks about being a piece of bacon)- who get to meet Casanova, "Boybank" about a hot new boy band, "Buzz Aldrin Mysteries" where Buzz has to solve a murder case on the moon. None of these stories have what could be called "resolved endings" Sometimes stories veer away from the plot a couple panels after they start,...many times earlier.

And sometimes the stories find themselves interviewing as I said above. In Issue #2 we constantly revisit Toy Robots like 4-Playo "The Amazing Foreplay Robot" or Spankio "The Amazing Spanking Robot". "Johnny Silhouette" is a story told all in silhouette until the sheer number of characters in silhouette makes it impossible for the narrator to continue to tell the story. "The Adventures Of The Silver Knight" is a take on the Shazam story that ends in death and inexplicably into an ad for banana rolls. The best way to describe this series is to say that it can't really be described at all. You just have to read it yourself. If you're a fan of David Sedaris, Strangers With Candy, Mr. Show, or Wonder Showzen, this is just the comic book for you. You should be able to find it at your local comic book shop. If they don't have it, stare at them as if they killed your baby.

Fantagraphics Books Inc., 7563 Lake City Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115, www.fantagraphics.com

Generally, we like to receive 2 copies of CDs (1 for review and one for possible airplay on No-Fi "Radio"). Please do not send original masters, nor any payola (we do like stickers and any other promotional materials though). DO NOT send us MP3s via e-mail. We would accept them on CD or zip disc, but our e-mail accounts can not handle the size of MP3s at this time.