Books

Books and stories always played a major role in my life. Learning how to read and write was one of the most amazing experiences of my childhood. From that moment on, I've never stopped reading. I read in the library, and on the way home, and when I finally got home, I had to go back to the library again. Literature was my favorite subject, and later on I celebrated when I discovered a new skill: reading English books.

Different books have influenced my life in different stages. Some of them I read over and over again, at different times, and each time saw them from a new angle. Such were My Michael by Amos Oz  that I studied in high school and The Lover by A. B. Yehoshua  which I first read when I was 16, the same age as the heroine, Daffi, from the latter novel. Virginia Woolf's A Room of One's Own and  Two Guineas had helped shape my identity as a Feminist, as did Of Woman Born by Adrienne Rich and Woman's Room (and other books) by Marilyn French. I have read Closing the Sea by Yehudit Katzir many times, as well as Savyon Liebrecht's books, that were, and remain a great source of inspiration for me. I mostly identify with the characters in Bisexual and Lesbian literature. Sometimes I identify with literature that deals with gay men and transgender people too. They make me and many GLBTs feel at home, like no other kind of literature.    

The first Lesbian book I read was Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown. Then I immediately bonded with Alison Bechdel commix books series Dykes to Watch Out For. Even after all these years, it's still fabulous! While exploring my queer identity, Foucault and Judith Butler have opened new horizons for me, and when I became a witch, it was Starhawk's remarkable book, The Fifth Sacred Thing, that made it possible for me to dream about a different, more egalitarian and matricentric world. I want to translate it into Hebrew. The Chalice and the Blade by Raine Eisler, has already been translated into Hebrew and explains why such a world is so essential.

The following list contains the books that influenced me the most, and those I just love, including Hebrew books that were translated into English. I never read them in English, so I can't comment on the quality of the translation, but I hope you will be able to enjoy the book as much as I did. If you are interested in reading it, you can click and get straight to Amazon (and I'll get a nickel or two for this site...)

Hebrew Literature

Yehudit Katzir. Closing the Sea.
This collection got its name from the last story, that got its name from an old Life Savers joke. I read it over and over again, before and after I came out. Something in Ilana, whose need in Tammy's love was so desperate, touched me deeply. Yehudit (or Judith) Katzir wrote more books, but nevertheless, this is the one that touched me the most.

Savyon Liebrecht. Apples from the Desert.
                                   A Man and a Woman and a Man.

Only those two books by Savyon Liebrecht were found in Amazon. However, she is one of the greatest Israeli writers living today (until 120 years old, as we say in Hebrew). "Apples from the Desert" came out in Israel the very same year as "Closing the Sea", and they both influenced me deeply. Liebrecht always takes on long winding journeys into her characters' minds. It seems nothing almost happens, and then it does. How rich is the texture of her stories and how complex!

 SY Agnon. Only Yesterday.
Agnon won a novel prize for literature,  and sometime I wonder weather it's really possible to translate his language. It has so many layers and sub-layers, and the text itself has so many meanings. It resembles the Bible, in that way. "Only Yesterday" is my favorite of all his works. I love the depiction of the two cities, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, and even if it all happened in the 1920s, I can still feel the Agnonian magical spirit when I walk through some of the actual streets depicted in the book. 

Amos Oz. My Michael.
"My Michael" is more than anything, a novel about Jerusalem. This is what my literature teacher used to say. I felt like that too, when I lived in Jerusalem, but there's also that delving into Hanna's soul, that Oz does in such a mysterious, fascinating way. It's so real, I'm always a little scared when I hold this thin books in my hands.

A. B. Yehoshua. The Lover
A novel where each character describes what s/he is going through, and thus the plot unfolds. It takes place mostly during the 1973 War (Yom Kippur War). It's rooted in time and place, and yet has something very fantastic about it.

 Yona Wallach. Wild Light  
How can one translate Yona Wallach? Can you duplicate a spirit of a poetess like her into English? If Linda Zisquit, the translator, managed to give the English reader a hint of what Wallach's sensual, amazing, gender-bender, mind-blowing and psychedelic poetry tastes like - it's worth it.

 Literature in English

 Queer Lit.

Virginia Woolf. A Room of One's Own
                            Three Guineas
                            Orlando            
                            The Complete Shorter Fiction of Virginia Woolf
                         The Letters of Vita Sackville-West to Virginia Woolf
Naturally, the first two books would appear in "Other Kinds of Literature" and not here, but how can you separate them in the case of Woolf? She was the first Lesbian I knew about, and long before I read her books, she represented it all for me, with that long skinny figure of hers. One of the greatest writers of 20th Century, and the greatest Feminists. "Room of One's own" with "Three Guineas" created, in a simple and verbal  text (unlike her fiction) the base of feminism: that women need their own space to develop, and that if women have power, they can change the world. Other books only expanded on that, and the beautiful, tenderly told story of sex changing "Orlando" was queer literature long before Queer Theory was born. Orlando was dedicated to her lover and long time friend, the gender-bender Vita Sackville West, who was the inspiration for the book. Last but not least, "Moments of Being: Slater's Pins Have No Points" from the "Complete Shorter Fiction" is a rare piece of literature that encompasses complete worlds in one moment in life.

 Gertrude Stein. Lifting Belly
                               The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas
One of the Literary geniuses of the 20th Century.  An American poetess, a writer, and a great patron of the arts who lived with her partner, Alice B. Toklas, openly in Paris, in early 20th century. Her poetry is so sensual, so suggestive, and yet so simple. Think about Lifting Belly. think about "Rose is a rose is a rose". Taste it.

Rita Mae Brown. Rubyfruit Jungle.
The first Lesbian book I read after I came out. Many of us share the same story, that same inconvenience in the role allocated to us, the will to break the mold, go out and create our place in the universe. The book ends in the late 1960s, with the Hippy revolution, that left our heroine detached. However, as we all know, our revolution was soon to come. Those of us who were born then are left with the mission to continue it.

Starhawk. The Fifth Sacred Thing
                    Walking to Mercury
"The Fifth Sacred Thing" is a sexy adventure story, in which anybody can love anybody, with no conditioning and no labels. To me,  if there's a "Bible" for the Goddess religion, this is the one. But the events that are described in it, haven't happened yet, and might still happen. It takes place in mid 21st Century, in an eco-feminist society, built on principals of peace and love. However, the neighboring society is under a tyrannical and violent regime, where women, as usual, are oppressed and silenced. The book also shows ways of peaceful resistance, and The Declaration of the Four Sacred Things, serves as the motto of the book, and truly, sums up my beliefs.
The second book, "Walking to Mercury", is a pre-sequel that starts in 1969, and reaches the 1980s. It's the story of Maya, the 100 years old priestess from The Fifth Sacred Thing, and in many ways, it's the story of the Hippy movement. It includes a beautiful love story between two women. There is also a man, a child, and a trip to Nepal in the plot. A new brand of a family, if you like. 

Leslie Feinberg. Stone Butch Blues
The title speaks for itself: this is the very sad  (and autobiographical) story of Jess Goldberg a Stone Butch, a tough masculine Lesbian who is trying to find her way in a dichotomist society, where even amongst Gays and Lesbians, you have to choose a gender role. I wish I could translate it, make it into a movie, a play, whatever - to get it to as many people as possible. A must for every Lesbian, Transsexual, Gay and Bisexual person, and to everyone who is interested in questions of identity, gender and sexuality.

Audre Lord. Zami, A New Spelling of My Name: A Biomythography.
Audre Lord, who decided at the age of 8, to spell her name differently, became one of the important Feminist Lesbian authors in the US. The book  tells the story of her childhood, teens and early twenties. Unsurprisingly, she was born under the sign of Aquarius, known as the boundary breaker  (Martin Luther King, Dana International). That feeling, of a spirit that aspires to break through beyond the rigid limitations that were forced on her by her family and by society as a Black Lesbian woman from a poor Caribbean immigrant family, feels the book. A beautiful book - I would love to translate it into Hebrew one day.

 Tom Robbins. Even Cowgirls Get the Blues.
The incredible adventures of Sissy, the women with the huge thumbs, in the Rubber Rose Ranch, and in the big city, with feminist cowgirls, a transvestite cosmetics tycoon, a horny Japanese-American hermit, a semi Native American painter, and other characters... Basically it's a story about being different, and all the things it brings to this crazy world. I'm still waiting for a Hebrew publisher to ask me to translate it.

Annie Sprinkle. Annie Sprinkle. Post Porn Modernist: My 25 Years as a Multimedia Whore.
Annie is the greatest. She was and is everything you can think about: a sweet little girl, a lusty whore, a slut and a goddess, a feminist and a porn star. A very fun and sexy (well, it goes without saying...), with lots of pictures, and tons of humor. The editors of Ha'ir gave the article I wrote about her: "Annie, the Adult Version". 

Ellen Galford. Dyke and the Dybbuk
The first book I ever translated into Hebrew. A funny thriller, very Lesbian and very Jewish too, filled with marvelous depictions of the capitalist demons corporations, where Cocus, the  Lesbian Dybbuk ends up, after being locked 200 years in a tree. She insists to keeping her contract and haunt Rainbow Rosenblum, the descendent of her original target.  But Rainbow can't be scared that easily...

Alison Bechdel. Dykes to Watch Out For
                               More Dykes to watch Out For
                               New! Improved!
                               Spawn
                               Unnatural
                               Hot Throbbing
                               Split Level
                               Post Dykes
                               Dykes and Sundry Other Carbon-Based Life Forms to Watch Out For
A 17 years old commix series - and still going strong - about a bunch of Lesbians. It keeps up with time, and during the last decade one of its main characters was discovered as a bisexual, and an F2M (Female to Male transgender) and even a straight male character joined the crew, for Goddess sake! But whatever happens, Mo always bitches about politics, Lois is looking for a new kind of sex, and Ginger always has a dog.  What can I tell you? They are an inseparable part of my life. Up-to-date strips are available at :Lesbian Connection magazine. It has no URL, but you can get a subscription at   elsiepub@aol.com,  and there's more than one reason to become a member.

 Diana DiMessa, Hothead Paisan: Homicidal Lesbian Terrorist.
Well, a pacifist like me isn't supposed to read or recommend this commix book, but even we pacifists get mad sometimes, and this is a very good way of letting it out. Hothead does all you wished to do to that asshole that cut you off out the corner, and dared to challenge your driving, or to the boss that calls you "sweetie" in a patronizing and harassing tone, and to every man who thinks his penis gives him some privilege over the rest of the world. One of the funniest strips is the one where Hothead is trying to find ways to use it...

Eric Orner. The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green.
                       The Seven Deadly Sins of Love.
                        The Ethan Green Chronicles.
                        Ethan Exposed
Another vintage commix series. Ethan Green is maybe a Jewish American Gay guy who lives in San Francisco and has lotso'fun but we know the truth. He's a Jewish mother in costume. The whole world is against him, and we find it funny. He also has a cool Lesbian friend, and a couple of fags with a moustache. When will he find a nice Jewish boy and get married? 

 Henry Abelove et al, eds.  Lesbian and Gay Studies Reader
Michel Foucault.  The History of Sexuality: An Introduction.
Tamsin Spargo. Foucault and Queer Theory.
Judith Butler. Gender Trouble.
If I  could have added a longer list of books here. I studied mostly from the first one: essays by Adrianne Rich, Judith Butler, Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, Monique Wittig - everything an intellectual Lesbian (and some other queers) can dream about - when she doesn't dream about her dyke professor, that is. Foucault, in my eyes, is one of the most intriguing scholars I've ever read. Never too late to start.

                      Other Kinds of Literature
 

Ram Dass. Be Here Now
                   Still Here: Embracing Aging, Changing and Dying.
If you haven't heard about Ram Dass, you can read my translated article about him here. Be Here Now was the first book he wrote after returning from India, a book whose title coined the famous expression. It became one of the most influential books of the New Age. The first part of the book describes his path, from Dr. Richard Alpert, a Harvard Psychology professor to Ram Dass, a teacher and disciple of spirituality; the second one is an illustrated book of ancient wisdom, and the third part is a guide to those choosing the spiritual path.
The title of the book that came out 30 years later declares "Still Here". It deals lovingly and compassionately with difficult issues such as aging, sickness, death and dying. Ram Dass, who is over 70 years old, is a wonderful story teller, especially when its his own life. He calls the stroke he had "Stroke Yoga" and explains the grace he earns through it. A healing book.

Starhawk. The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess.
                   The Twelve Wild Swans : A Journey to the Realm of Magic, Healing and Action.
                 Truth or Dare : Encounters with Power, Authority and Mystery. 
                     Dreaming the Dark : Magic, Sex and Politics.
                  Webs of Power : notes from the Global Uprising.

I must admit it, I haven't yet read all the books this great Witch has written. I believe she is a world healer, one of those who are making our world a better place. The first book on this list, The Spiral Dance, is also her first book. When it came out at 1978, it was one of the first books who inspired the Goddess religion, eco-feminism and Earth-based Spirituality, you name it. The second one, "The Twelve Wild Swans" continues the work started with The Spiral Dance, and adds  more than 20 years of work and of experience to it. The three latter books  are about connections between women's spirituality and our power(s). Webs of power, the last book, is comprised of journey diaries, that unravel Starhawk's activity in the Anti Globalization movement all over the world. Learn and teach.

Adrienne Rich. Of Woman Born:  Motherhood As Experience and Institution.
Another great feminist book, this time about motherhood. Rich, a mother of four sons, a Lesbian - and a Jewess too - writes a personal account of her own experience as a mother, while unfolding the patriarchal use of motherhood as a way to keep women powerless throughout history. Don't become a mother before you read this book!

Marilyn French.  Women's Room: a Novel.
                               Her Mother's Daughter: A Novel.
                               The Bleeding Heart: A Novel.
                               Beyond Power:  On Women, Men and Morals.               
 I read the first book at least three times. and each time I realized again, how young Feminism is, and how many things in my life are not obvious.  In the first three books, who have a strong autobiographical element,  French unravels the lives of women who were part of the first wave of feminism - now in their 70s - and the questions and problems they had to face after they had left their former lives. The last book is a Herstory book, which depict the history of patriarchy and suggests a different, better future. All the books fiction and non-fiction are fascinating beautifully written.                                

Riane Eisler.  The Chalice and Blade: Our History, Our Future.
A revolutionary book, one of those that can change the world. It is a rather scientific book, that establishes the notion about a Goddess prehistoric world - and that we can restore to it and create it in our times. Amen.

 Timothy Leary. Flashbacks, An Autobiography: A Personal and Cultural History of an Era.
Timothy Leary, "The LSD Prophet" describes in his autobiography the revolution America went through in the 1960s, from the eye of the storm. This is also a fascinating life story, of a person who was always restless, always looking for new ways. He was an outlaw, who did time in jail and escaped it, and while doing that, managed to change a whole generation's consciousness. The word "Flashbacks" refers to a side effect of LSD, but also to the way the book is constructed.

 Nina Graboi. One Foot in the Future: A Woman's Spiritual Journey.
Nina Graboi too had a unusual life story, and like Leary's story, it is the story of the 1960s in America, my favorite period, as some of you might guess. Born to a Jewish family in Vienna, Nina managed to escape with her husband from war torn Europe, to the Land of Limitless Possibilities, where she became a suburbian housewife. Her endless searches lead her to a spiritual path, and when she met Leary she dropped out, and left her middle class life style, and became the Mother of the Hippies. Her physical and astral journeys that changed her life, are powerfully portrayed, and the prologue is a true literary pearl.

Robert Anton Wilson and Miriam Joan Hill. Everything is Under Control: Conspiracies, Cults and Cover-Ups.
A fun encyclopedia of conspiracies and other weird phenomena. Wilson explored that territory all his life, and here he shares his findings with his readers, in his associative way, believing there is no one complete truth, but different stages of probability. The book's motto is: "Just because you're not paranoid doesn't mean they're not plotting against you". The co-author if this book is the love of my life, who helped me a lot creating this site.

David Jay Brown & Rebecca McClen Novick. Mavericks of the Mind: Conversations for the New Millennium.
David Jay Brown & Rebecca McClen Novick. Voices from the Edge.
Two volumes of interviews with very special people, pioneers and world healers, some of which I mentioned before. Each one of the interviews opens a door to their lives and visions, and you can brush some of it. Inspiration, that is, and I wish it to each and every one of you.