Customer Reviews

Dick for a Day: What Would You Do If You Had One?

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4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I bought this book partly out of shock value, and I kept it on my coffee table for probably a year. Most visitors who came to my house spent at least a few minutes with a story or two. There are some gems here (Adequate Dick, 1-800-yor-dick, and a few others) but many of these stories are sadly dull. Perhaps 50 women was too many to ask, as many of them had the same things to say. Most certainly an entertaining read and a great conversation piece, but at the same time it's little more than brain candy and mostly forgettable.

Let me just say something about the best of the lot. Senator Sin's 1-800-yor-dick. Even though it reads like a female view of what is would be like to have one - hey, that is the purpose to the book...is it not? - I howled at the Senator's escapades. The price of the book is almost (not quite) worth this one poem. And I do think the book cover is clever and all...But, better luck on a second coming.

Questions of gender and transgender experimentation might seem to open up innumerable and even fascinating discussions about sex and the sexes, but if the writings and illustrations in "Dick for a Day" are representative of women, penis envy is not a particularly imaginative pastime. The topic sounds provoking and the jokes are good for a cheap laugh, but the contributions within this book are the stuff of talk shows and adult party games.

OK, a few of the selections are boring. But the entire premise is fascinating, and this book makes readers think outside the box. As a woman, I felt validated by some of the writings, identified with some, was saddened by the truth of some ("The Pricks in Physics: A Historical Fantasy"), laughed out loud at some, was uncomfortable with some. Only a few left me unaffected. Isn't that one of the highest goals of a book, to stimulate thinking?

52 women and 2 men wrote pieces for Fiona Giles discussing how having a penis for 24 hours might help them understand males, men, and masculinity. What Giles has collected are 17 art pieces ranging from drawings to photos and 37 written piece ranging from short essays to poetry to short stories. Among the contributors are Pat Califia whose essay addresses stereotypes and what "phallic envy" may really be about, Jane Yolen's modern fairtale, "Ask Isadora" advice column by Isadora Alman. Some of the pieces are funny, some are nasty bits of revenge, and a few are even quite insightful. I'm sure something in it will offend everyone but I also think everyone can finding it amusing and moving. Now when we have the reverse experiment?

Dick for a Day seemed to be five different repeating themes: 1. This is a dumb idea and I won't contribute (usually 1 or 2 sentences saying this). 2. Man Bashing, why men do this and women either don't need to or want to but feel they can't because they are not "equipped". 3. A light exploration of sex from the other side, with another woman, or man, or dildo, or masturbation, a few are interesting, but most are shallow and boring. 4. A brief justification for a gay/lesbian lifestyle, I have nothing against gays, but I see nothing in it either. 5. I'd call the written equivalent of modern art, hard to read, understand, follow, or simply see if there is a message in the "art". Dick for a Day was a diverting 3 hour read, but I'd suggest getting it from the library, not wasting $12 on the book

In short, I was very disappointed at the one-note interpretation of what could have been a fantastic, creative expression of being endowed with a manhood for a day. I read it once-with some effort, and gave it away.