I just finished reading what may be the first anthology ever written by a collection of prostitutes and strippers explaining proper etiquette to their would-be clients. What a shame that it's so redundant.
I thought perhaps this book might give me a special glimpse into the world of prostitution. It did, but the view was neither racy and titillating nor as informative as I might hope.
The essays rapidly become tedious as the realization dawns on the reader that all these escorts and prostitutes and strippers and phone sex workers pretty much want the same thing. For most of them, it boils down to the one word essay written by a writer calling herself Koko: "Bathe."
The rest of the advice is so mundane ("Smile. Be friendly.") and obvious ("Don't stalk me.") that I'm left wondering what sort of person actually requires this advice and, if there is someone who didn't know that it was bad form to stalk his favorite stripper, is he literate enough to benefit from this book?
Overall, Paying For It is an interesting novelty, possibly even a very funny gag gift, but don't expect to learn much about prostitutes and strippers beyond the idea that they all want to be treated with respect.
I feel that I learned more about prostitutes from reading other books, including: Whores and Other Feminists by Jill Nagle, Tricks and Treats by Matt Sycamore, and Sex Work: Writings by Women in the Sex Industry by Frederique Delacoste and Priscilla Alexander.
Article comments
1 - justontimewithmyself
Hi,
I know that the fast way to destroy an great friendship is to tell them that you're in love with them. The last thing that I desired was to ruin the relationshipthat I had with him. Ok, I sometimes wonder if I'll never know someone who does me feel the sensations I felt when I was with them and have them feel exactly the same way about me, evne when he speal something about keywords adsense. What if you are with a men that you believe is the one to marry. That just a
nnoyed me for the rest of the time I was there so I had to put that in this journal so somebody could feel the same desire that I tried when I discover it, that man is fine though. And I did make that for you and though of you while doing so. It was meaning that if you have trouble forgiving a man for bad things they did to you, then it's necessary to thinkof something equal that you have done to someone else, and see why they did what they did, or at least try. I don't know if I am able to do it.
Anne