The History of Lesbian Hair [Paperback]

Mary Dugger (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1996

In The History of Lesbian Hair, Mary Dugger delivers an unrelentingly hilarious view of the modern world. The redoubtable Ms. D. offers an uproarious array of illustrated essays, diagrams, and short takes, subdivided into Life ("The Downside to Lesbian Chic", how to "Build Your Own Lesbian", "So You Want to Be a Straight Girl", and the ultimate definition of children - "pets with thumbs"), Liberty ("Far Right Trading Cards", the ethics of outing, and an irrefutable argument proving that if homosexuals really do make up only 1.5 percent of the population, then every gay person in Chicago spends an average of $13.11 on liquor every single day), and The Pursuit of Happiness (the birth of the indomitable alter ego Marie DuGuerre, and her ongoing search for love, romance, and a decent vacation).

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

With the rise of violence against gay people, the "don't ask, don't tell" military policy and the homophobic rhetoric of the right-wing, sometimes there doesn't seem to be very much fun about gay and lesbian life. That is, until you read Mary Dugger's The History of Lesbian Hair. Dugger has a sense of humor that knows no boundaries -- from instructions to how to build you own lesbian (complete with Birkinstocks) to how to collect right-wing demagogue trading cards to how all lesbian haircuts have evolved from Patsy Cline's original 1950s do -- she is unafraid of poking fun at everyone from right-wing hate-mongering to the dyke in the bar with a bad attitude. Dugger has a sense of humor, and she knows how to use it.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Main Street Books; 1st edition (September 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385480377
• ISBN-13: 978-0385480376
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.2 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #896,881 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amusing, crazy, fun, and entirely un-LC (Lesbianly Correct), November 12, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The History of Lesbian Hair (Paperback)

The author definitely saved the best for last when she ended "The History of Lesbian Hair" with the those hilarious, yet oh-so-true traffic signs.... Not to say that the rest wasn't outstanding. I paraded this book around to all of my friends for weeks, and not one could keep a straight face as they read the chapter on "How to Build a Lesbian". It's also refreshing to see an honest dyke who's not afraid to use lesbian stereotypes as a foundation for her jokes; after all, we can't ALL be these PC, feminist, barbaric types ALL THE TIME, and this book gives us a look into the other side - cool dyke humor.

25 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Cliched and Flimsy, January 3, 2000

By 

Mmy Moon - See all my reviews

This review is from: The History of Lesbian Hair (Paperback)

I bought this book after reading the reviews, but I had some misgivings -- and they were justified.

This book MIGHT have been funny, years ago. True, it got a laugh or two out of me, but it's really just composed of the SAME tired jokes. Lesbians and softball. Lesbians and hair. PC lesbians. The Religions Right. Yawn.

The sad thing is that she doesn't even present the same old jokes in an amusing way, she just slaps up some clip art and goes "Look! Fat lesbians playing softball!" "Gay men acting like queens!" "Them wacky straight people!"

Ha, ha, ha.

Everything in the book gives off a very negative tone. Not angry and interesting, just bored, apathetic, and non-satisfied. I wasn't left feeling amused, I was left felt feeling disgruntled.

And the book has no form -- it's as if the author just decided to slap it together at 3 AM. It's just a series of page-length "articles" thrown together in a heap. It's tiny -- a slim paperback, but even thinner in content, since the clipart and layout takes up most of each page. The author claims that this makes the book enjoyable, but it just seems like an excuse to create an entire book out of very little content.

Personally, I wish I hadn't wasted my money. If you want to read this book, I suggest you find a friend who owns it and borrow it, or just read it at her house, if you have twenty minutes.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding! I've rarely laughed so hard., February 17, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The History of Lesbian Hair (Paperback)

I started reading this late one night while I was coming down with the flu. I knew I had to get some sleep, but I could not put the book down. They do say that laughter is the best medicine. Well, I got sick anyway. The book, though, is a scream. From a flowchart of the Lesbian decision-making process to instructions on how to become a straight woman ("this means combing your hair, daily") to why gay men love the phone ("Because it takes the epitome of gay-boy technology and makes it a sex toy"), it provides devastating satire and true wit. It's now the favorite book at the office