Working: My Life As a Prostitute [Paperback]

Dolores French (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1997

This is the frank, intriguing and true account of a prostitute living and working in New York City. Dolores French had been a fund raiser and civil rights campaigner when, at 27, she decided to become a prostitute. In this controversial, humorous and explicit book, she describes her career.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Out of curiosity, and because she was bored with her middle-class life and job, French, at 27, became a prostitute. Here, with the aid of Lee ( One by One , etc.), she reviews her career and describes clients she served in Atlanta and abroad, including a period in Puerto Rican brothels. Her activities, recounted in explicit, sordid and occasionally humorous detail, provided her with independence and affluence. Now a political activist on behalf of prostitutes' rights, and a prominent figure on talk shows and at hookers' conventions, French also works as a consultant to the Centers for Disease Control and the National Task Force on Prostitution.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Victor Gollancz (August 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0575602368
• ISBN-13: 978-0575602366
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,395,309 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent job description of your profession, March 29, 2000

By 

AleasureEveMagdalene - See all my reviews

This review is from: Working: My Life As a Prostitute (Paperback)

Delores French did an excellent job protraying the profession of "working" as it is without getting into trying to talk the reader out of it. Like it or not, prostitution is a profession. Anyone who reads her very informative publication will learn this message. In her pages, Delores goes into her "pilgrimage" from working into the traditional world into the various worlds that comprise sex businesses. She describes her work throughout the world and seeks to decriminalize the field. For those who want to learn about this field and has been seeking a "career" guide, I recommend you read these pages. For those trying to talk people out of working in this field, I hope you read Delores account, as she does a good job protraying the field in it's objective light.

14 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Shatters Stereotypes, July 29, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Working: My Life As a Prostitute (Paperback)

This smart, witty, and courageous autobiography shatters the stereotypes that most people have of prostitutes. Contrary to popular opinion, the majority of American prostitutes are not abused, exploited, drug-addicted, pimp-controlled street whores with low self-esteem who have turned to sex work in desperation after a lifetime of poverty and violence. Nor is it true that prostitutes are significant transmitters of STDs or responsible for the spread of Aids. Dolores French is refreshingly candid, passionate, possesses a deep sense of justice, and genuinely enjoys what she does for a living (and how many people can honestly say that about their jobs?). While acknowledging that prostitution--like any other profession--isn't for everyone, she argues convincingly that women should be free to choose prostitution as a career without having to fear stigmatization, discrimination, police harassment, arrest, and incarceration for doing something that would be perfectly le! gal if they didn't have the audacity to charge for it. Like other sex workers' rights activists, she favors decriminalization rather than legalization.

"Working" is a perfect blend of engrossing autobiographical storytelling (Dolores has worked as an escort, in brothels, out of apartments, and on the street; she has worked in the U.S., the Carribbean, and in Europe--and she has plenty of fascinating tales to tell) and facts & stats about prostitution. This book is essential reading for anyone who's ever wanted to know what it's really like to work as a prostitute, and it should be required for individuals who are making and debating laws and policies pertaining to prostitution.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best book on subject & educational one., July 19, 2003

By 

rajesh ingale (India) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Working: My Life As a Prostitute (Paperback)

I fully agree with the author. I know best about prostitution as my mother was prostitute from age 15 to 61, my sister,wife,2 daughters are also in same business.We all are very happy & proud of this business.We have never cheated any customer. We donate for charity too.I hope that our future generation will continue this business with same honesty & dedication.We never refused aged or bad looking clients.