Results 1 to 22 of 22

Thread: Dance to Despair: Book

  1. #1
    Featured Member former_LV_dancer's Avatar
    Joined
    Jan 2005
    Location
    New York City
    Posts
    794
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 8 Times in 2 Posts

    Default Dance to Despair: Book

    OK, I saw this post about the book: Dance to Despair (Memoirs of an exotic dancer by Rebeckka Sathen Black)
    I actually just read it this past week. There have been a few books out recentely like this. Still the best one is by Lilly Burnana, Strip City, I think it's called. I read that a while ago.
    This book just seemed too far fetched. I was reading it thinking, come on....granted this all supposedly happened years ago....it was kind of unbelievable, many parts of it were. I'm sure some was based on real events. But it read like fiction to me. I was disappointed in it.
    I toyed with writing a book back in 2003 after I quit dancing and it seems many girls have jumped on that bandwagon. I couldn't believe how many books I found on Amazon about "stripper memoirs".
    More power to this author, but the book was a dissappointment for me.
    Has anyone else read it yet?

  2. #2
    God/dess doc-catfish's Avatar
    Joined
    Nov 2002
    Location
    123 Tornado Alley Way, Hooterville USA
    Posts
    6,322
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 36 Times in 30 Posts

    Default Re: Dance to Despair: Book

    I haven't read the book, but went to Amazon to check out the customer reviews there. They're uhh, quite interesting, to say the least. Either this gal is trying to give her book fake acolades to market it (spamming our boards for example), or someone is really out to get her.


    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/059...books&v=glance
    Former SCJ now in rehab.

  3. #3
    Featured Member scorpio's Avatar
    Joined
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Chicago
    Posts
    868
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts

    Default Re: Dance to Despair: Book

    About the Author
    As a long-term survivor of the adult industry, Rebeckka brings unique insight and honesty to a subject few ever see. Her journey through the seedy maze of nightclubs is filled with both humor and profound tragedy. Rebeckka currently resides in San Diego California and has successfully reentered mainstream society
    This quote says it all. Sounds like strippers are convicts or aliens or something.

  4. #4
    God/dess Deogol's Avatar
    Joined
    Dec 2003
    Posts
    5,493
    Thanks
    120
    Thanked 50 Times in 35 Posts

    Default Re: Dance to Despair: Book

    Do you expect her to be able to sell a book based on waking up, feeding the kids, getting dressed for work, hustle 20 or 30 guys with stories and fake attention for the next six hours, come home, take a shower, watch some tv and go to bed?

    Society wants it like this book. They want the lie and the untrue. Just read some celebrity shit magazine.

    It is scary how more and more americans want the lie "they know to be true" than the truth. It is this that will destroy america - it is even showing up in our news organziations these days.

  5. #5
    madmaxine
    Guest

    Default Re: Dance to Despair: Book

    The only "Dance to Despair" in my life is that I let my credit card debt get so bad...being naked for a living is cake by comparison!!!!!!!!
    PS I remember telling a single mom I met about how dancing would be good for her to support herself & her child. She said "UH, no..." and continued to grift & steal from others to survive. Sad.
    God gave me a nice body to please people with & to support my ass. No shame here.

  6. #6
    God/dess colleen's Avatar
    Joined
    Sep 2004
    Location
    South Chicago Suburbs
    Posts
    2,059
    Thanks
    11
    Thanked 139 Times in 62 Posts

    Default Re: Dance to Despair: Book

    Quote Originally Posted by Deogol

    Society wants it like this book. They want the lie and the untrue. Just read some celebrity shit magazine.

    It is scary how more and more americans want the lie "they know to be true" than the truth.
    I completely agree with you Deogol. America is the land of the lazy mind. But as far as we strippers are concerned, it's jsut fine with me if they think this. then wehn they meet me, I am the refreshing exception to thier rule, which puts me in a better light.

    If you can't beat ignorence, best to use it to your own advantage.


    My MySpace Page:


    When you perform... you are out of yourself--larger and more potent, more beautiful. You are for minutes heroic. This is power. This is glory on earth. And it is yours, nightly.

    --Agnes De Mille

  7. #7
    Featured Member former_LV_dancer's Avatar
    Joined
    Jan 2005
    Location
    New York City
    Posts
    794
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 8 Times in 2 Posts

    Default Re: Dance to Despair: Book

    The problem I had with it was her supossedly being a 23 veteran of the industry herself, she really fed all the negative stereotypes about the industry. Yeah, titillation sells, but I just hate the age old all strippers are drug addicts, whores, were molested blah blah blah......and this book is very negative.
    The very last quote from the book is: "Psychiatric studies have indicated that a majority of the women who have worked in the sex industry as prostitutes, exotic dancers, or strippers for any significant length of time were more often than not psychologically damaged for life".....oh dear oh my, the use of the words "damaged for life"....AHHHHHHH..... I've met more seriously messed up people here and there throughout my life that never were involved with the "sex industry".
    And of course throughout all the "wild" tales in this book, about 99% of all the other dancers were all giving extras and all on drugs, except her of course.......It seems to be a very slanted fake view of reality in my opinion. It shouldn't be catagorized under non fiction that's for sure.

  8. #8
    madmaxine
    Guest

    Default Re: Dance to Despair: Book

    Ironically a much better sex industry book was written by a prostitute- "Working" by Dolores French/Fox. It's out of print now, but she came from a normal background, had an education, & actually started later than the average working girl. She makes no bones about her job (no pun intended) and actually talked about people who had positive life improvement from the oldest most taboo job.
    No one wants to hear about the stripper who paid her way through college & got married & had kids like everyone else did. Bor-ing! Everyone wants to see the train wreck.

  9. #9
    God/dess Sirona's Avatar
    Joined
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Massachusetts
    Posts
    3,012
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 46 Times in 27 Posts

    Default Re: Dance to Despair: Book

    Quote Originally Posted by madmaxine
    Ironically a much better sex industry book was written by a prostitute- "Working" by Dolores French/Fox. It's out of print now, but she came from a normal background, had an education, & actually started later than the average working girl. She makes no bones about her job (no pun intended) and actually talked about people who had positive life improvement from the oldest most taboo job.
    No one wants to hear about the stripper who paid her way through college & got married & had kids like everyone else did. Bor-ing! Everyone wants to see the train wreck.
    I own that book! It's excellent!



  10. #10
    Featured Member
    Joined
    Feb 2005
    Location
    SoCal (aka the Evil Vortex of Doom)
    Posts
    1,617
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts

    Default Re: Dance to Despair: Book

    Anyone read Tracy Quan's "Diary of a Manhattan Callgirl"?
    "Doc still loved true things, but he knew it was not a general love and it could be a very dangerous mistress." - John Steinbeck, Cannery Row


    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

  11. #11
    Veteran Member scarlett623's Avatar
    Joined
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Detroit, MI.
    Posts
    225
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post

    Default Re: Dance to Despair: Book

    Quote Originally Posted by madmaxine
    Ironically a much better sex industry book was written by a prostitute- "Working" by Dolores French/Fox. It's out of print now, but she came from a normal background, had an education, & actually started later than the average working girl. She makes no bones about her job (no pun intended) and actually talked about people who had positive life improvement from the oldest most taboo job.
    No one wants to hear about the stripper who paid her way through college & got married & had kids like everyone else did. Bor-ing! Everyone wants to see the train wreck.
    I have this book too! I love it. I've reread it several times.

  12. #12
    God/dess threlayer's Avatar
    Joined
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Syracuse
    Posts
    5,921
    Thanks
    369
    Thanked 419 Times in 290 Posts
    My Mood
    Fine

    Default Re: Dance to Despair: Book

    About the Author
    As a long-term survivor of the adult industry, Rebeckka brings unique insight and honesty to a subject few ever see. Her journey through the seedy maze of nightclubs is filled with both humor and profound tragedy. Rebeckka currently resides in San Diego California and has successfully reentered mainstream society
    That is the marketing schtick by the publisher, not necessarily her story.
    I loved going to strip clubs; I actually made some friends there. Now things are different for the clubs and for me. As a result I am not as happy.

    Customers are not entitled to grope, disrespect, or rob strippers. This is their job, not their hobby, and they all need income. Clubs are not just some erotic show for guys to view while drinking.

    NOTE: anything I post here, outside of a direct quote, is my opinion only, which I am entitled to. Take it for what you estimate it is worth.

  13. #13
    Curious Guest
    Joined
    Dec 2005
    Posts
    1
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts

    Default Re: Dance to Despair: Book

    WE ARE A GROUP OF EXOTIC DANCERS CURRENTLY WORKING IN mADISON
    WISCONSIN WHO RECIEVED WORD OF THE BOOK dANCE TO dESPAIR VIA
    FLYERS THAT WERE SENT TO THE CLUB THAT WE WORK AT..a MAJORITY OF US
    ( NOT EVERYBODY) ORDERED THE BOOK..AND WE LOVED IT...THIS WAS NOT
    ABOUT A WOMEN WHO WAS MARRIED WITH KIDS...THIS WAS ABOUT A WOMEN WHO LIVED ON THE STREETS IN CHICAGO UNTIL SHE BEGAN STRIPPING...ITT
    WAS AN EXCELLENT READ...
    SIGNED...ineeda man
    fantasia
    godiva
    vICILANA
    sANTANA

  14. #14
    God/dess
    Joined
    Sep 2002
    Posts
    8,031
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 143 Times in 42 Posts

    Default Re: Dance to Despair: Book

    ^^"AnD OBVIUSHLY WEE REEAD ALOTT!!"

  15. #15
    Featured Member former_LV_dancer's Avatar
    Joined
    Jan 2005
    Location
    New York City
    Posts
    794
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 8 Times in 2 Posts

    Default Re: Dance to Despair: Book

    ^^ Sounds much too much like the fake kudos it gets on amazon.com

  16. #16
    God/dess VenusGoddess's Avatar
    Joined
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Home
    Posts
    13,598
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 28 Times in 23 Posts

    Default Re: Dance to Despair: Book

    I read the synopsis of this book. If it's as "exciting" as the synopsis sounds, I'd much rather watch my hair grow while slowing picking away at the quick under my finger nails with broken glass.

    Why are you trying to pass off this book on STRIPPERS???? We've been there, we know what it's really like.

    BTW...TYPING ALL IN CAPS ONLY PISSES PEOPLE OFF. BEFORE YOU GO AROUND TOUTING A (BAD) BOOK, WHY DON'T YOU DO SOME READING AND EDUMACATE YOURSELF ON THE INTERNET ETIQUETTE?

  17. #17
    Featured Member pixiepower329's Avatar
    Joined
    Oct 2005
    Posts
    791
    Thanks
    2
    Thanked 915 Times in 302 Posts

    Default Re: Dance to Despair: Book

    One of my favorite "stripper" reads was Ivy League Stripper by Heidi Mattson......pretty good book
    !

  18. #18
    Featured Member
    Joined
    Feb 2005
    Location
    SoCal (aka the Evil Vortex of Doom)
    Posts
    1,617
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts

    Default Re: Dance to Despair: Book

    ^I read it a long time ago, but I thought Ivy League Stripper sucked. I just hope Heidi Mattson was more talented as a stripper than she is as a writer...

    Her tone was imbued with a really obnoxious combination of "poor me" and "Aren't I fascinating and wonderful?" ...It was very off-putting, imo.

    Lily Burana did a good job with Strip City, though...
    Mary Gaitskill writes excellent short stories about women who work in various sectors of the industry...
    Danielle Willis is a poet; her "Dogs In Lingerie" (Zeitgeist Press) is about as real as it gets...
    There was a book called "Some of My Best Friends Are Naked" that was pretty decent, but I think it may have been self-published.

    "G-Strings and Sympathy," written as part of a Master's thesis in sociology, and available on Amazon, is an interesting treatment of the subject. It focuses on customer motivations and expectations...but it's quite scholarly and not exactly great fun to read.

    I wasn't crazy about Bare (didn't read the whole thing...)

    The problem, I think, is that smart strippers are so determined to overcome the stereotype of the Brainless Bimbo that they totally overcompensate: They endeavor to come across as Intellectual Giants, and so their books end up being far more boring than they should be.

    I really wish someone (preferably me! ) would do for stripping what Anthony Bourdain did for professional cooking with his Kitchen Confidential--that book is soooo much fun to read! I can't think of a book about dancing that even comes close to being that entertaining. Strip City comes closest, I'd say...

    It's kind of amazing how very few decent treatments there are of this subject. Prostitution actually fares a little better than stripping in terms of inspiring decent fiction and memoir... (I know of Dolores French and have read some of her writing, but I haven't read Working.)

    The very best depiction I've recently read of a dancer can be found in the title essay of the book "The Bird Man and The Lap Dancer," by Eric Hansen. I was so impressed that I actually wrote an e-mail to him to thank him. (He wrote back!) I highly recommend this book. You can get it through Amazon, or look for it in the Travel Narrative section of Borders.
    "Doc still loved true things, but he knew it was not a general love and it could be a very dangerous mistress." - John Steinbeck, Cannery Row


    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

  19. #19
    Veteran Member StevieStar7's Avatar
    Joined
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Texaco
    Posts
    539
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts

    Default Re: Dance to Despair: Book

    The very last quote from the book is: "Psychiatric studies have indicated that a majority of the women who have worked in the sex industry as prostitutes, exotic dancers, or strippers for any significant length of time were more often than not psychologically damaged for life".....oh dear oh my, the use of the words "damaged for life"....AHHHHHHH..... I've met more seriously messed up people here and there throughout my life that never were involved with the "sex industry".


    ...you can just turn on any talk show (dr. phil, oprah, springer) or reality show (esp. the bachelor ...lol) and KNOW that there are DEFINITELY more seriously messed people out there!!! and that's a FACT!

  20. #20
    madmaxine
    Guest

    Default Re: Dance to Despair: Book

    I think the world just resents honestly "mercenary" women. Millenia of conditioning women to keep homes for free & produce offspring in a steady stream is turned on its head by women grabbing cash & running to be contenders against men.
    Of course a book telling everyone what they want to hear is going to sell versus the plain honest truth, that some women enjoy empowerment & can healthily marginalize men. People are allergic to truth these days.

  21. #21
    Veteran Member TarynJolie's Avatar
    Joined
    Oct 2005
    Posts
    572
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts

    Default Re: Dance to Despair: Book

    I have also been meaning on reading Strip City but have not got around to it yet . This one sounds interesting as well. Anyone want to make a recommendation on which to read first ?

  22. #22
    Featured Member former_LV_dancer's Avatar
    Joined
    Jan 2005
    Location
    New York City
    Posts
    794
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 8 Times in 2 Posts

    Default Re: Dance to Despair: Book

    Originally Posted by TarynJolie
    I have also been meaning on reading Strip City but have not got around to it yet . This one sounds interesting as well. Anyone want to make a recommendation on which to read first ?
    Read Strip City. Don't waste money on Dance To Despair...seriously it was the biggest waste of $12 or whatever I paid for it. Strip City is good and worth your time. Despair is horrible.
    I hate when I buy a book thinking it's going to be good then it sucks.

Similar Threads

  1. niteflirt but despair!
    By primula in forum Other Work
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: 05-20-2011, 06:32 PM
  2. Replies: 16
    Last Post: 10-16-2008, 09:25 AM
  3. Replies: 3
    Last Post: 03-16-2008, 01:13 PM
  4. Since we were on the topic of the Idiots book for exotic dance....
    By Andygirl in forum Stripping (was Stripping General)
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 07-19-2007, 06:57 PM
  5. Best Pole Dance Instruction vid/dvd or book ?
    By SunDancer in forum Stripping (was Stripping General)
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 07-31-2005, 08:34 AM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •