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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 1, 1987)
LAMBDA RISING BOOK REPORT - 2 F e a tu re s TELLING ST O R IE S.................................................................... 1 by John Preston CONTRASTS: Joe Orton & Denton W elch............................. 1 by David Bergman WOMEN IN THE ARTS..............................................................3 B est W ishes for U s All "Review of Books” or at least "Book Review.” That is my only criticism. I passionately support your project. I admire your energy and ambition. I would love to contribute to the Report. Businesses like Lambda Rising are what keeps lesbian and gay writers alive. In doing so, you sustain and nourish our whole culture. My good wishes for you are my wishes for all of us... LEE LYNCH Sunny Valley, Oregon 7b the LRBR: I ’ve looked over your packet and am impressed. I must honestly say that I would not have chosen the title “ Book Report”...but then I suppose it might be a common and humorous reference. In any case, I would have gone for the more stately title of Ed. 's Note: We thank Ms. Lynch for her wishes. For a response to her comment on the name of this pub., please see Publisher’s Perspective on pg. 6. Also, please see At Press Time, below--Ms. Lynch has given voice to editorial policy. A Crisp Send-off 7b the LRBR: Best wishes on the publication of the Lambda Rising Book Report. Do it with style! QUENTIN CRISP New York, New York by Tee Corinne OVER THE EDGE: Kellerman’s Latest Thriller.................... 3 by Jack Garman THE GIRLS: John Bowen Writes a Lesbian Mystery . . . .4 by Laura Markowitz THE HUMAN SEASON: Catcher R evisited........................... 4 by David Perry CHILLING WORDS FROM FIERY DWORKIN..................5 by Jane Troxell PUTTING THE SQUEEZE ON A I D S ....................................5 by Kent Fordyce PUBLISHER’S PERSPECTIVE................................................6 by L. Page Maccubbin BOOKS ON CASSETTE.............................................................. 9 It is very late. Tomorrow-no, by Robert Dirmeyer later this morning-the art director, Jim, will be struggling with me and last min ute snafus before he hurries the lay outs D e p a rtm e n ts for this rag to the lab, so we can get stats AT PRESS TIME: From the E ditor.......................................... 2 to the printer. “A.S.A.P.” will be scraw BEST SELLERS: Lambda Rising’s M o v e r s........................... 6 led in red ink all over the order. After having read all the BIRTH WRITES: Authors & Their B ir th d a y s......................6 words which comprise this thing, to BOOK BRIEFS: Reading the Jack ets......................................11 draw the whole publication together, to BOOK MARKS: Browsing the Stacks....................................... 7 establish a theme or set a tone, I figured would be the last bit written each COMMENTS & QUERIES: We Get L etters........................... 2 this time we put the BOOK REPORT to LAUGHING STOCK: Cartoon by David Brady....................13 bed-hence, this piece’s title. I just didn’t PINCKNEY’S PUZZLE: M eccas.............................................. 13 expect writing it with the bonfire breath of an art director, a publisher, and a printer melting down my neck. As you PROTOTYPE ED IT IO N , MAY, 1987 - COPYRIGHT 1987 can probably guess, I’ve missed dead THE LAMBDA RISING BOOK REPORT IS PUBLISHED B Y LAMBDA RISING, INC., lines. I will be amazed, as you are read 1625 CONNECTICUT AVE., N.W., WASHINGTON, DC. 20009. REPRODUCTION IN ing this, that you are reading this. WHOLE OR IN PART B Y A N Y TECHNOLOGY IS PROHIBITED WITHOUT W RITTEN Welcome to the LAMBDA CONSENT OF THE PUBLISHER. "LAMBDA RISIN G BOOK REPORT" AND “LAMBDA RISIN G " A R E REGISTERED TRAD EM ARKS AND/OR PROTECTED B Y RISING BOOK REPORT. I believe we are the only publication which focuses COPYRIGHT. A LL RIG H TS RESERVED. exclusively on the review of literature of ED ITO R IA L POLICY interest to both lesbians and gay men. As you will see, the theme of this issue The LAMBDA RISING BOOK REPORT is a gay and lesbian book review journal which is not is quite general, we have not scrutinized restricted to any one viewpoint regarding gay and lesbian issues. The BOOK REPORT will seek to represent as wide a spectrum as possible of gay and lesbian perspectives, in the books any one genre, nor have we hitched up chosen for review, within the reviews themselves, as well as in the various articles. Since all with any fad, or political shenanigans, or o f our thinking and writing takes place in different social contexts, we believe no individual or season (only two, while I was expecting party can speak for all gay men and lesbians, their families and friends. We aim to reflect and the lot, of my reviewers mentioned nurture the diversity of the community. Sexist, racist, homophobic, or otherwise “great beach reading”--small blessings). discriminatory writing will not be published in the BOOK REPORT. Views expressed represent the opinion of the individual authors. Publication of names, photographs or I foresee this sweeping approach hap likenesses of any person, organization, event or business should not be taken as indication of pening often in the future; but, from sexual orientation. The LAMBDA RISING BOOK REPORT cannot be responsible for time to time we will glue our reading unsolicited manuscripts, art or photographs. eyes onto certain types of books, or we will grasp certain themes which will A D V E R T ISIN G POLICY encompass a variety of types of books. The LAMBDA RISING BOOK REPORT will not accept advertising which is inappropriate As with any first publication, to the goals of a gay and lesbian publication, which is sexually explicit, or fails to meet our this one is flawed. I think I know what design standards. Publication of an advertisement does not represent endorsement by the they are; and I have given, at least, some LAMBDA RISIN G BOOK REPORT of the goods, services, or claims made by the advertiser. tooth-brushing or walking-to-work time to plan strategy for their eradication. ST A FF Since I ’m discussing flaws, Publisher: let’s immediately focus on the “Comm Editorial Staff: L. PAGE "DEACON" MACCUBBIN ents & Queries” department just above. R. KENT FORDYCE I want you to use it. Comment on any Editor: aspect of this journal. Comment on any JANE TROXELL ROBERT DIRMEYER aspect of the literary scene. Don’t think ANTHONY DEAN that only lauds will be printed. We want Art Director: Advertising: ROBERT DIRMEYER to consider any and all thinking, and if JIM BLAKESLEE necessary change our ways, in order to Distribution: PAUL WEBB make this paper more comfortable, more PAGE/BENNETT ASSOCIATES useful for you, the reader of books. Also, authors and researchers, use that col umn to query our readers for informa GAY AND LESBIAN tion which may help you round out (or PRESS ASSOCIATION completely disintegrate) your work. I want to be a good host, esp ecially now since it’s your first visit; but I don’t want to be a bore. There is noth ing here arcane or obscure; in fact, the whole idea of the BOOK REPORT is so simple that I risk getting caught in some confounded, unendable sentence or par agraph trying to prove it. So, here is my introduction to you: Let the table of con tents guide you through the various “Departments.” Hopefully, I ’ve been descriptive enough in the “ Features” section of the contents that you’ll be able to home in on the stuff you like. Be sure to read the advert ising and editorial policies-they’re over there just to your left (my right). We feel these policies are pretty gayforward; but let me add a smidge more. Lee Lynch (see letter excerpt above), though she was a continent away and we’ve never met, managed to draw my nebular thinking about a certain aspect of editorial policy into a compact and shiny star. She articu lated my thought as well, or better, than I could have; “ ...on the matter of reviewing. Though I make criticisms where I find them necessary, and though I have written at least one ’’bad“ review because I felt the book to be dangerous to gay people, for the most part my reviewing philosophy is simple: matching readers with books. We writers know our weaknesses. All too much criticism in our presses is actually trashing or even, I’m sorry to say, sour grapes. I try to review books about which I feel primarily positive and will seek out the positive points both, as I say, to reach potential readers, and to help nurture an artistic population which suffers enough at other hands.” So be it. And so be the end of this until next time. The BOOK REPORT has come out. It was just a little less arduous than explaining to my military officer father that I was queer (I exagerate). We hope you enjoy. If you do not, we hope you will tell us why not. - r. dirmeyer