Burning Man Live: 13 Years of Piss Clear, Black Rock City's Alternative Newspaper [Paperback]

Adrian Roberts (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 2, 2009

From 1995 to 2007, the alternative newspaper Piss Clear covered the colorful culture of Black Rock City with a cheeky, sarcastic tone that earned the paper its reputation as the “Vice magazine of the playa.” From its start as a sassy festival survival guide, Piss Clear developed into a Burning Man reality check, chock-full of hard-hitting articles, acerbic rants, witty commentaries, and funny lists. Along the way, it documented in real-time the evolution of the Burning Man festival.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Re/Search Publications; 1st edition (February 2, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1889307181
• ISBN-13: 978-1889307183
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #399,008 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The GENUINE story of Black Rock City, June 16, 2009

By 

MoonTrout "MoonTrout" (San Francisco) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Burning Man Live: 13 Years of Piss Clear, Black Rock City's Alternative Newspaper (Paperback)

Forget all the hype from those arty documentary films and the pretty picture books that feature naked titties a little too often; this is the real story of the Burning Man Festival. Piss Clear was never afraid to speak the truth, never cowed down to King Larry Harvey, and always wrote about what you wanted to learn: will I hook up on the playa? will I get busted? will my cats respect me when I get home? In its quest for legitimacy (and cash) The Burning Man Festival has towed the straight line for far too long. Piss Clear never saw that line, couldn't tow it if they could, and furthermore would have snorted it before breakfast!!! This book is entertaining enough to let you skip the whole messy event that takes place way out in the Nevada desert every August. Just stay home in comfort and laugh your butt off in your Lazy Boy.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's a peak behind the curtain and an echo from the past, July 4, 2009

By 

R. Alinder (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Burning Man Live: 13 Years of Piss Clear, Black Rock City's Alternative Newspaper (Paperback)

Apparently I'm the only non-staff member who purchased this book so far, and that is a DAMN shame!

My first year at Burning Man was 2004 and I was handed a Piss Clear issue from a prior year by one of the Greeters. I read it while waiting in line and was instantly hooked. I found the issue to be way more useful as a Burning Man survival guide then anything doled out in the 'official' welcome pack. I was a virgin mind, who knew little of the history of the Piss Clear project, or Burning Man, or anything. Piss Clear oriented me with humor and style. (an aside - I instantly thought this Adrian person, whomever he (she? wtf?!) was, was a hottie!)

Since 2004, through attending, participating in the BM community at the playa and at home, I've become significantly more acquainted with the history of of the event - its watersheds, evolution and permutations. I can say with confidence that this book is quintessential Burning Man! It's a live, sometimes raunchy, always hilarious, chronicle of an event that defies simple categorization or description through some of it's earliest and most tumultuous years. Piss Clear serves as an invaluable snapshot of what Burning Man must've been like in each of it's incarnations between 1994 and 2007. But the real treat is that Piss Clear didn't tow the party line or tell you what the organizers wanted you to know. The newspaper went out of it's way to tell the (biased) truth about Burner Culture, what was happening on the ground, warts and all. You'd never get this info from the Burning Man Organization, and they probably wouldn't want you reading it!

The book itself is gorgeous, printed in black and white and looks just like it did when printed on the Playa. It's laid out in sequential order with an agreeable editors note by Adrian for each year. I do wish these snippets would've been fleshed out a little to provide more insight about the mores, general impressions, and hot button issues of that particular year on the playa, but what's provided is adequate and fun to read none the less.

When I got my copy I went out onto my apartment's oppressively hot and sunny deck, sprinkled a little playa dust all over myself and started reading. It was just like being back on the playa. That alone is worth the price!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Piss Clear is the REAL Burning Man!, July 5, 2009

By 

A. Drugay "Space Traveler, Part-Time Genius, ... (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Burning Man Live: 13 Years of Piss Clear, Black Rock City's Alternative Newspaper (Paperback)

Snarky, sexy, and always *spot on*, Piss Clear was the only thing at Burning Man worth reading - if you were in any state to read, that is! Nobody told the real behind-the-scenes stories like they did (the real cost of art on the playa? ahem), and no other publication - well, wait? Were there any other publications? The Black Rock Gazette doesn't count (that's like reading your church bulletin) and neither does the What/Where/When guide... so, I guess that means that Piss Clear can really be said to be the ONLY publication on the playa! Too bad they're kaput! Boo hooooooooo. But no crying yet, because this book has ALL the sex, drugs, and rock & roll (er, thumping techno beats) that 13 years of Piss Clear produced. Plus, more! Articles that never made it to the playa are included! Censored bars over naked girl parts are included! Adrian and the rest of the Piss Clear crew did a stellar job producing this year after year after year.

Long live Piss Clear!!