Customer Reviews

Obscene Profits: The Entrepreneurs of Pornography in the Cyber Age

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Don't let the (literally) clueless title turn you off. This is an impressive tour de force. The first half is a concise, entertaining, and enormously informative history of technology and its effects on our social customs and ways of looking at the world. Lane's grasp of mountains of material and his ability to concisely summarize it are awesome. Since I am in a related field, I intended to skim it, but was drawn into reading every word. The second half is more specialized, but is only tangentially devoted to "obscene profits" (that awful title looks like a publicists's handiwork). It poignantly conveys the ways the new technology reveals for the first time that men's obsession with pornography is of epidemic proportions.

Ever since I was a little boy, I was interested in the world surrounding pornography business. Do they ever have an economic downturn or require a bailout? I have grown older and even more intrigued, it is amazing to find out how this cottage/back alley industry, has grown to be a major influence in today's society and economy. Obscene Profits neatly illustrates the hard changes the porn industry has had to make to last the distance and in the meantime fueling many would-be Hollywood actress's dreams. Even for people who are disgusted by pornography will be interested in this book's portrayal of an industry that has touched almost everyone and created its own entrepreneurs.

This is an excellent book, written with a lawyer's research habits and a computer scientist's discipline. For anyone interested in the most profitable industry segment of the new economy, this is required reading material. It is interesting, entertaining, and informative. Pick it up, but know the following. Money doesn't mean power. It means freedom.

I used this book as a reference for a graduate level sociology class, and it was invaluable. The information was rich and accurate. I really enjoyed the writer's perspective.

Frederick Lane approaches the history of pornography with the eye of a scholar and the ear of a storyteller. Obscene Profits is both informative and entertaining -- no small feat considering its subject. From stag films to Jen-dave.com, Lane introduces the players and the controversies, backed by an informed look at the political, social and cultural happenings at the time. The result is an impressive debut that, above all, manages to "follow the money" while maintaining a lively perspective on one of the most contentious subjects in American society.

This book was not my cup of tea - to much law and stuff. I would love to have seen more advice regarding the adult biz but turns out this book is more of a history book and 2257 regulation book. But for people working in a law firm dealing with the adult industry I guess this book is perfect.

Great coverage of this billion dollar industry- from the mom-and-pop business to the big-dog major players in the porn world. Quite a good book.

There is money in sex, lots of it, and this book is helpful to anyone who would like to understand more about this booming industry.

Obscene Profits is the first book to pick up when researching about or doing business with the adult entertainment industry. Mr. Lane seems to have an insider's point of view coupled with an academician's intellect...which makes for engaging reading. For those fascinated by the biggest moneymaking sector on the Internet, this is a must-read.

From Lane's perspective on pornography, he should have surfed more porn and read fewer Time Magazines. Although he provides a very useful and entertaining history of porn in America, he lacks a real "insider's" experience. This could have come with more actual interviews with porn business pornographers other than over-publicised Danni Ashe.

This is not to say the book is bad. We all know the state of porn - or atleast you would if you're interested in reading this book. For what I required, Lane's book was almost perfect. He organized time, theme and place well, offered may other online sources and had a good chronology of events. If you're writing a TV pop documentary on the porn industry, it's a great resource. Lane's book ain't too heavy -but it's a good source for ideas.