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The key distinction between Al Goldstein and Hugh Hefner is that the last thing on earth Al would be caught doing is taking himself seriously. Otherwise, given the amount of trouble Al has seen, his autobiography reads more like a tragedy than the absurd, uproarious comedy it is. Like a fat tiger with nine lives, Al Goldstein constantly collides with his own mortality, yet has survived for 69 years, so far. Recently, after finally succeeding in cannibalizing his entire fortune, Goldstein toughed his way through a full year homeless on the streets of New York — merely his latest accomplishment. Al's list of priors involve two dozen arrests, four ex-wives, Mafia hit contracts, thousands of death threats, innumerable medical procedures, and constant legal attack throughout his 34 years publishing Screw. Al's blood enemies include politicians, D.A.'s, CEO's and religious officials. When Goldstein was acquitted on pornography charges in Wichita, Kansas, in 1978, he flew the entire jury to New York to celebrate at Plato's Retreat, and took them all out to dinner on the anniversary of his acquittal. This landmark victory thereafter insured the right of Americans to view buck-ass naked sex with or without redeeming social value.
Anonymous
Posted October 23, 2006
I had high hopes of finding an entertaining read when I picked up this book, but was fully and completely disappointed. The story, if you can call it that, was muddled, poorly written, and difficult to follow. There was no cohesive story, and what is here could have been written as a magazine article. Instead, what should fill only about a dozen pages of text has been stretched out to a few hundred pages of filler, including some stories that are too ridiculous to even be regarded as titilating in any way. Goldstein is regarded as a first amendment warrior, but you wouldn't care about it even from reading his own autobiography! It's as if someone else wrote it and his own 'autobiography' makes him come across as a meaningless little man. I would line my birdcage with this text, if I had a bird. Instead, I'll probably just tear out the pages and put them down for my paper-trained dog. Next time I'll have the better sense to read about Hefner, Flynt, or Guccione. Buyers of this book are the ones really getting screwed.
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Posted October 16, 2006
Great American rags to riches to rags story. Terrific 1st amendment fight that should be taught in colleges!
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Overview
The key distinction between Al Goldstein and Hugh Hefner is that the last thing on earth Al would be caught doing is taking himself seriously. Otherwise, given the amount of trouble Al has seen, his autobiography reads more like a tragedy than the absurd, uproarious comedy it is. Like a fat tiger with nine lives, Al Goldstein constantly collides with his own mortality, yet has survived for 69 years, so far. Recently, after finally succeeding in cannibalizing his entire fortune, Goldstein toughed his way through a...