Stephen Elliott's 'Sex for America'

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 1/31/8 | Violet Blue

[SmithL]

Will American politics ever be sexy? Violet Blue thinks Elliott's new book might make it so -

Local writer Stephen Elliott has never been the kind of boy to hold back. That is, unless he's all tied up, literally. The New York Times Book Review called his book "Happy Baby," "surely the most intelligent and beautiful book ever written about juvenile detention centers, sadomasochism and drugs." In 2003, Elliott went all gonzo on us and went on the road with John Kerry's presidential campaign, detailing every angry inch in "Looking Forward to It: Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the American Electoral Process." His previous book's title described its memoirs perfectly: "My Girlfriend Comes to the City and Beats Me Up." This is by no means all our city denizen has pecked out on laptop and desktop, but you get the picture. Elliott is as gifted a writer as he is gritty, unapologetic and skilled at telling stories that stagger and bemuse in equal measure.

He's an interesting guy; cute enough, too — we went on one heated date, knowing we'd not be seeing the last of each other professionally or otherwise anytime soon (and not just because we tend to run into each other at Kink.com parties). So when I heard his newest book — this time a collection he's edited — was bound and about to hit the stores, it made me want to do the same to him. Metaphorically, of course.

"Sex for America: Politically Inspired Erotica" is Elliott's latest salvo; a collection of erotic fiction by authors ranging from Jerry Stahl and Steve Almond to the local Michelle Tea and even James Frey (finally in the fiction genre, are we?), the book...

[SmithL]

Violet seems to be a female Morfordite wannabe. And they are STILL fixated on Karl Rove. Go figure.

[garyhope]

“surely the most intelligent and beautiful book ever written about juvenile detention centers, sadomasochism and drugs.”

Gee, just what I’m looking for in some nice relaxing, light reading.

I think not. No thank you. Goodbye.

[metmom]

Sounds like trash. This is the way the enlightened elite talk about stuff that is vile, vulgar, and totally mindless, as if it’s too sophisticated for the unwashed masses to appreciate.