Flesh for Fantasy: Producing and Consuming Exotic Dance

The editors of this anthology—all academics who have worked as exotic dancers— start out slowly and save their best for last. In other words, readers should skip the long-winded introduction and head straight for the entertaining account of how Miss Mary Ann and her co-workers at San Francisco's Lusty Lady formed the Exotic Dancer's Alliance: the descriptions of the lawyers hired by the club's management in an attempt to bust the union are priceless. Jamie Berger's description of his peep-show going (and the guilt induced by his politically correct upbringing) is also a don't-miss read in the section called "Flirtation," which explores club life from the patron's perspective. Respect for dancers and the customers who understand what they are—and aren't—buying when they enter a club or peep show booth is evident throughout. But conspicuous by their absence are the voices of owners and managers; derogatory comments about management in several of the essays go unanswered. That's a shame, as the editors have otherwise done a remarkable job offering real-life pictures of an industry that is usually sensationalized, misunderstood or misrepresented. (Feb.)