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dilchh's review against another edition
2.0
I was beyond excited about this book. I have a massive interest on history, obviously I am intrigue to know about the history about prostitution. No matter in which part of history you are reading (okay, I’m not sure about prehistoric ages, but hey, how can you be so sure, right?), there’s always a mention of prostitution. To look into the history of the world’s oldest profession is something you would not past up, right? Well, I was excited only to get disappointed halfway through the book, because I don’t feel like I’m getting the history of PROSTITUTION itself, and more into several names of people who are dabbing into the profession itself. So, it was a solid okay for me.
The good
This book was so funny. It was so effortlessly funny, I feel like I was having a close friend reading it inside my head. And honestly when you’re reading something about prostitution, you would want to have it all told in a way that is funny without being condescending or a know-it-all, wouldn’t you?
The bad
After awhile it gets quite boring, because it was just series of titbits or trivias about famous people (or not so famous people, but pretty famous in their line of work). You enjoy the light tone of the book, but after series of names and a glimpse of their histories, you want to know more than just names and events, wouldn’t you?
The ugly
The outline of the book was a recipe for boredom. Honestly. I honestly gave the book up two chapters before it ends. I felt like I wasn’t going to get anything specific or fun anymore apart from, again, titbits and names and events and the whole enchilada that I’ve been getting from the first chapter.
The good
This book was so funny. It was so effortlessly funny, I feel like I was having a close friend reading it inside my head. And honestly when you’re reading something about prostitution, you would want to have it all told in a way that is funny without being condescending or a know-it-all, wouldn’t you?
The bad
After awhile it gets quite boring, because it was just series of titbits or trivias about famous people (or not so famous people, but pretty famous in their line of work). You enjoy the light tone of the book, but after series of names and a glimpse of their histories, you want to know more than just names and events, wouldn’t you?
The ugly
The outline of the book was a recipe for boredom. Honestly. I honestly gave the book up two chapters before it ends. I felt like I wasn’t going to get anything specific or fun anymore apart from, again, titbits and names and events and the whole enchilada that I’ve been getting from the first chapter.
jmrivera's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
3.75
foxwrapped's review against another edition
4.0
I don't know why, but when I first picked up this book I thought it was going to be one of those dryish intellectual histories about sex which seem to be like, everywhere. I guess I have been trained by all those times when I pick up something about sex and it's like, "A Serious Look on..." which is understandable if I'm reading about sexual minorities or women's lives but damn, every single time? It's like the camera is panning towards softly blowing curtains, forever. Especially with a subtitle like "A Revealing History of the World's Oldest Profession" and a cover picture of like, a medieval woodcut. Practically screams, "I'm a bit bashful about the whole sex thing, sorry."
But instead it is like a very long cracked.com list. and I love cracked.com! A cracked.com "6 things you didn't know about prostitution" that is 250 pages.
Here are two things I learned:
1. There is a whorehouse kinda near Area 51 which is sci-fi/alien themed, called The Alien Cathouse. Yes, there do appear to be hos body painted green, and the bar has a "Quark's Bar" sign. I went to the website, and it is disappointing, actually :(
2. Mary Jane "Bricktop" Jackson. She stabbed any guy who dissed her with her specially made double-stabby knife (a blade at each end, like darth maul). There was a man who called her a whore, that's a stabbin'. Then there was a guy who told her and her friends to stop using foul language at the bar they hanging out in, so he got a stabbin'. Then there was this really tall guy (like 7 feet), they argued over what direction he might fall after she stabbed him, so she stabbed him to prove she was right (he fell forward). And then this story:
After going to prison for a bit for the foul language stabbin', she met prison guard John Miller. John Miller had lost an arm, and replaced it with a iron ball and chain (!!!). These two, knowing that they had found in each other a soul mate, took to luring johns to secluded areas where they will be beaten with their pants down (by a man with with a freakin' MACE ATTACHED TO HIS ARM). One day, Mr Miller thought he should show Bricktop who's boss by whippin' her. HA! Bricktop took control of the whip and started whippin' his ass. When he tried to hit her with his mace arm, she grabbed it! and started draggin him around the room by his ball. Then he tried to stab her, but come on. Bricktop stabbed him. She went to jail, but only served a few months of her sentence until the civil war broke out, then I guess I governor of Louisiana was like, fuck it, and let 'em all out. And she was never heard from again.
But instead it is like a very long cracked.com list. and I love cracked.com! A cracked.com "6 things you didn't know about prostitution" that is 250 pages.
Here are two things I learned:
1. There is a whorehouse kinda near Area 51 which is sci-fi/alien themed, called The Alien Cathouse. Yes, there do appear to be hos body painted green, and the bar has a "Quark's Bar" sign. I went to the website, and it is disappointing, actually :(
2. Mary Jane "Bricktop" Jackson. She stabbed any guy who dissed her with her specially made double-stabby knife (a blade at each end, like darth maul). There was a man who called her a whore, that's a stabbin'. Then there was a guy who told her and her friends to stop using foul language at the bar they hanging out in, so he got a stabbin'. Then there was this really tall guy (like 7 feet), they argued over what direction he might fall after she stabbed him, so she stabbed him to prove she was right (he fell forward). And then this story:
After going to prison for a bit for the foul language stabbin', she met prison guard John Miller. John Miller had lost an arm, and replaced it with a iron ball and chain (!!!). These two, knowing that they had found in each other a soul mate, took to luring johns to secluded areas where they will be beaten with their pants down (by a man with with a freakin' MACE ATTACHED TO HIS ARM). One day, Mr Miller thought he should show Bricktop who's boss by whippin' her. HA! Bricktop took control of the whip and started whippin' his ass. When he tried to hit her with his mace arm, she grabbed it! and started draggin him around the room by his ball. Then he tried to stab her, but come on. Bricktop stabbed him. She went to jail, but only served a few months of her sentence until the civil war broke out, then I guess I governor of Louisiana was like, fuck it, and let 'em all out. And she was never heard from again.
bookofcinz's review against another edition
3.0
I saw this on my Goodreads timeline and the name drew me in. I figured I would give it a good, take a break from my usual reads. I must say this was an interesting read, I learned a few new things. I would have preferred if the stories were just a little entertaining but overall an interesting read.
caidyn's review
3.0
Do you want a trashy book about prostitution? This is your best bet.
None of it is PC, so if you're looking for that, run far away. Some of the stuff had me cringing, but I appreciated Smith coming out and saying that I shouldn't look for that. Because, there is nothing PC in here. And, that's not a bad thing, especially when you're ready for it. Besides, what more can you expect from this book?
It's written in a very impersonal way, which is something I don't typically like, but it's not bad. At times, it was pretty funny with the jokes, but the humor got old fast like usual. However, this is chock full of information, besides prostitution jokes. This is comprehensive, covering mythical history all the way through modern times.
If you want to read about famous prostitutes, this is the book to go with. Although, be warned, it's not PC. Nor is it in any semblance of historical order. Just a complete jumble of time periods.
None of it is PC, so if you're looking for that, run far away. Some of the stuff had me cringing, but I appreciated Smith coming out and saying that I shouldn't look for that. Because, there is nothing PC in here. And, that's not a bad thing, especially when you're ready for it. Besides, what more can you expect from this book?
It's written in a very impersonal way, which is something I don't typically like, but it's not bad. At times, it was pretty funny with the jokes, but the humor got old fast like usual. However, this is chock full of information, besides prostitution jokes. This is comprehensive, covering mythical history all the way through modern times.
If you want to read about famous prostitutes, this is the book to go with. Although, be warned, it's not PC. Nor is it in any semblance of historical order. Just a complete jumble of time periods.
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