anyone know of any books on escorting?

[Guest jon guy]

Am looking to do some research on history/cultural significance of escorting - there must be something written out there, but have not come across anything explicitly academic on the subject. Would be interesed in any suggestions or speaking to anyone who has looked into this area.

 

Do check out my new web site by the way.

 

jon (london) http://www.jonguy.com

[FrancoDiSantisxxx]

TWO

 

Matt Adams and the one about escorting by Aaron Lawrence. There are also several other books, including one of more essay and fiction like pieces by Mr. Lawrence, several by John Reechy, the Happy Hustler and a few others but if you are a gay male escort, the Matt Adams and Aaron Lawrence books are the most pertinent.

 

Good luck!

 

 

I will let you into my dreams if I can be in yours.

 

http://www.gaydar.co.uk/francodisantis

[woodlawn]

If you are looking for something of academic quality, the two books by Matt Adams, which are 'Hustlers, Escorts and Porn Stars' and 'Business Tips from the World's Oldest Profession,' are not it. Both contain a lot of conclusory statements about the subject without much if any data to back them up. For a lot of what he says there is no way to know whether it is truly based on his observations or just made up to sell the book.

 

If your interest is serious rather than a search for some kind of titillation try 'Global Sex Workers: Rights, Resistance and Redefinition' by Kempadoo and Doezema (editors). It is a collection of essays about prostitution in various countries from various points of view and is considered valuable by both academics and activists.

[Rod Hagen]

Preston, John "Hustling: A gentleman's guide to the fine art of Male Prostitution".

It's 60% guide, 40% Defensive piece. It's one of the best because there's not much of the arrogance you find in other books on the subject. ---->Hustling positive

 

It's been out of print for a few years now. Find it used or borrow my copy (I'm in LA)

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1563331373/qid=1027520681/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-8311135-8411267

 

Whitaker, Rick "Assuming the Position: A Memoir of Hustling"

 

More a tale of drug abuse than hustling, there are nevertheless many late-night hotel visits that I could certainly relate to (sober, however). He's a pretty angry man, and he likes his philosophers cynical. Good read, but not at all uplifting.----->Hustling Negative.

 

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1568581238/qid=1027520835/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/002-8311135-8411267

 

Lawrence, Aaron " Suburban Hustler: Stories of a Hi-Tech Callboy" Like 20 tales from Aaron's first few years in the biz. Not great literature by any means, but a fun read if you're an escort because his blasé attitude about some of the worst parts of escorting make you say "Come to think about it, it's not so bad". ------>Hustling Positive

 

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0966769104/ref=pd_bxgy_text_1/002-8311135-8411267

 

 

Lawrence, Aaron "The Male Escort's Handbook: Your Guide to Getting Rich the Hard Way " The most practical guidebook available on the biz. The dollar amounts he addresses offend some people (like the next author in this list) and truth be told if every escort was as organized and fiscally aggressive as him, we'd probably price ourselves out of the market. But if you really want to be a professional and make something of this career, this is definitely the "How To" of all "How Tos". ---->Hustling doable.

 

Itiel, Joseph "Sex Workers As Virtual Boyfriends " He's been hiring nearly 40 years now, so you'll at least get some benefit from his experience. I don't really understand what this book was supposed to accomplish. It could have just as easily been called "Lonely, and on Death's Door? You've got nothing to lose". But I hate this man so much. And if he read this he'd think it's because of how well he's done haggling with escorts through out his nearly 40 years of hiring. But I'm way passed that. If people want to be cheated, that's there problem. What I dislike about shit-for-brains Itiel is his attitude. Let me set up one great example. He's in the apartment of an escort who's also a bank teller. The escort is very busy with lots of phone calls while Itiel's waiting patiently in the living room. Bad form of course and the escort tries to smooth things over by giving Itiel some cake. After the sex Itiel asked the escort where the delicious cake came from. The escort said that he'd had lunch that afternoon at the St. Francis with his mom, and they'd both liked it so much he brought one home to share with clients. Now this is what Joseph says "The St. Francis! I thought you were a Bank Teller". It's one thing to say a fucking ignorant thing like that, but to not even realize while typing it out, that you'd REALLY fucked up and behaved VERY rudely, well let's just say I'd like to take HIM to lunch (not at the St. Francis) and just chew him out for a couple hours. What a dickhead. ---->Hustling PATHETIC

 

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1560239476/qid=1027521927/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/002-8311135-8411267

 

Itiel, Joseph "A Consumer's Guide to Male Hustlers"

More of the same. What an asshole.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1560239476/qid=1027521927/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/002-8311135-8411267

 

Adams, Matt " Hustlers, Escorts, and Porn Stars : The Insider's Guide to Male Prostitution in America " Since Preston's book has been out of print for some time, Adam's book was the definitive guide until Aaron's hit the scene. It's still worth reading, and it's a big part of the reason I became an escort because while reading it in route to a long weekend in NYC I realized 'I could do this". The only thing I don't like is his obsession with that shithole of a city, Vegas (before you trash LA, I've already stated several times that there's no place dumber on earth) and the tobacco smoking escorts you generally find there, and also I'm just tired of the tales of all these 'secret' escorts who make 10's of thousands a month by being sponsored by some very special, what, Saudi Princes? It's 99.999999% fantasy and I just don't understand why the hustling press insists on maintaining the fantasy. But I know Adams reads this site, and I wouldn't be an escort if it wasn't for his book and his advise on my handle (yes he's to blame!). So Thank you Matt, and I really think anybody researching the subject will get quite a bit out of it. ---->Hustling positive.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0966579623/qid=1027522340/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/002-8311135-8411267

 

Edmonson, Roger "Boy in the Sand: Casey Donovan All-American Sex Star" This doesn't make it on the list very often, but It's an interesting look at one of those people, I think we all know one or two, who is smart-dumb. Mr. Donavan was a very skilled traveler, and had a decent appreciation of performance art, but he really lacked common sense. Poor man. I'm sure many of you here knew him, and I really enjoyed reading about the first GREAT escort. He sounds like he would have made a queeny, but helpful, and entertaining companion. It's a shame he's dead.

 

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1555834574/qid%3D1027522482/sr%3D11-1/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/002-8311135-8411267

 

It's also a shame John Preston's dead. I would have liked to meet him. I honestly do want to have lunch with Itiel, and I promise to behave civilly. So if any of you SF residents know him, please put him in contact with me at [email protected] Also, I'm still looking for Rick Whitaker. He's such a wonderfully morose bastard, I wanna buy him some coffee and talk about anger issues. Put me in contact if you're friendly with him, PLEASE.

 

And that's about it. There are lots of books about female prostitution, but yucky icky poo, right? None of these books is remotely involved, and it shouldn't take you more than 2 hours to get through any of them. You WON'T need your "Oxford Guide To Difficult Words". Good summer readings. Enjoy,

[Rod Hagen]

ok, Don't know what happend. I'll try one more time.

 

Preston, John "Hustling: A gentleman's guide to the fine art of Male Prostitution".

It's 60% guide, 40% Defensive piece. It's one of the best

because there's not much of the arrogance you find in other

books on the subject. ---->Hustling positive

 

It's been out of print for a few years now. Find it used or borrow

my copy (I'm in LA)

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1563331373/qid=102

7520681/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-8311135-8411267

 

Whitaker, Rick "Assuming the Position: A Memoir of Hustling"

 

More a tale of drug abuse than hustling, there are nevertheless

many late-night hotel visits that I could certainly relate to (sober,

however). He's a pretty angry man, and he likes his

philosophers cynical. Good read, but not at all

uplifting.----->Hustling Negative.

 

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1568581238/qid=1027520835/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/002-8311135-8411267

 

Lawrence, Aaron " Suburban Hustler: Stories of a Hi-Tech

Callboy" Like 20 tales from Aaron's first few years in the biz. Not

great literature by any means, but a fun read if you're an escort

because his blasé attitude about some of the worst parts of

escorting make you say "Come to think about it, it's not so bad".

------>Hustling Positive

 

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0966769104/ref=pd_bxgy_text_1/002-8311135-8411267

 

 

Lawrence, Aaron "The Male Escort's Handbook: Your Guide to

Getting Rich the Hard Way " The most practical guidebook

available on the biz. The dollar amounts he addresses offend

some people (like the next author in this list) and truth be told if

every escort was as organized and fiscally aggressive as him,

we'd probably price ourselves out of the market. But if you really

want to be a professional and make something of this career,

this is definitely the "How To" of all "How Tos". ---->Hustling

doable.

 

Itiel, Joseph "Sex Workers As Virtual Boyfriends " He's been

hiring nearly 40 years now, so you'll at least get some benefit

from his experience. I don't really understand what this book

was supposed to accomplish. It could have just as easily been

called "Lonely, and on Death's Door? You've got nothing to

lose". But I hate this man so much. And if he read this he'd think it's because of how well he's done haggling with escorts through

out his nearly 40 years of hiring. But I'm way passed that. If

people want to be cheated, that's there problem. What I dislike

about shit-for-brains Itiel is his attitude. Let me set up one great

example. He's in the apartment of an escort who's also a bank

teller. The escort is very busy with lots of phone calls while Itiel's

waiting patiently in the living room. Bad form of course and the

escort tries to smooth things over by giving Itiel some cake. After

the sex Itiel asked the escort where the delicious cake came

from. The escort said that he'd had lunch that afternoon at the St.

Francis with his mom, and they'd both liked it so much he

brought one home to share with clients. Now this is what

Joseph says "The St. Francis! I thought you were a Bank Teller".

It's one thing to say a fucking ignorant thing like that, but to not

even realize while typing it out, that you'd REALLY fucked up and

behaved VERY rudely, well let's just say I'd like to take HIM to

lunch (not at the St. Francis) and just chew him out for a couple

hours. What a dickhead. ---->Hustling PATHETIC

 

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1560239476/qid=1027521927/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/002-8311135-8411267

 

Itiel, Joseph "A Consumer's Guide to Male Hustlers"

More of the same. What an asshole.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1560239476/qid=1027521927/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/002-8311135-8411267

 

Adams, Matt " Hustlers, Escorts, and Porn Stars : The Insider's

Guide to Male Prostitution in America " Since Preston's book has

been out of print for some time, Adam's book was the definitive

guide until Aaron's hit the scene. It's still worth reading, and it's a

big part of the reason I became an escort because while

reading it in route to a long weekend in NYC I realized 'I could do

this". The only thing I don't like is his obsession with that

shithole of a city, Vegas (before you trash LA, I've already stated

several times that there's no place dumber on earth) and the

tobacco smoking escorts you generally find there, and also I'm

just tired of the tales of all these 'secret' escorts who make 10's

of thousands a month by being sponsored by some very special,

what, Saudi Princes? It's 99.999999% fantasy and I just don't

understand why the hustling press insists on maintaining the

fantasy. But I know Adams reads this site, and I wouldn't be an

escort if it wasn't for his book and his advise on my handle (yes

he's to blame!). So Thank you Matt, and I really think anybody

researching the subject will get quite a bit out of it. ---->Hustling

positive.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0966579623/qid=1027522340/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/002-8311135-8411267

 

Edmonson, Roger "Boy in the Sand: Casey Donovan

All-American Sex Star" This doesn't make it on the list very often,

but It's an interesting look at one of those people, I think we all

know one or two, who is smart-dumb. Mr. Donavan was a very

skilled traveler, and had a decent appreciation of performance

art, but he really lacked common sense. Poor man. I'm sure

many of you here knew him, and I really enjoyed reading about

the first GREAT escort. He sounds like he would have made a

queeny, but helpful, and entertaining companion. It's a shame

he's dead.

 

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1555834574/qid%3D1027522482/sr%3D11-1/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/002-8311135-8411267

 

It's also a shame John Preston's dead. I would have liked to

meet him. I honestly do want to have lunch with Itiel, and I

promise to behave civilly. So if any of you SF residents know

him, please put him in contact with me at

[email protected] Also, I'm still looking for Rick

Whitaker. He's such a wonderfully morose bastard, I wanna buy

him some coffee and talk about anger issues. Put me in

contact if you're friendly with him, PLEASE.

 

And that's about it. There are lots of books about female

prostitution, but yucky icky poo, right? Have fun. None of these

books is remotely involved, and it shouldn't take you more than 2

hours to get through any of them. You WON'T need your "Oxford

Guide To Difficult Words". Good summer readings.

[Bilbo]

Rod - Wonderful, very well thought out and presented annotated listing of the main books about what we might call the cultural significance. However, jon's origional question also asked for books about the history of the profession. I would be very interested in you or anyone could provide us with the same high quality list about those. I imagine that it will be more of a question of books about female sex workers with maybe a chapter on the men. I know very little bits and pieces - some about male prostitutes in ancient Greece, the title of a book I once saw in a library somewhere - A Cry of Strumpets - which I really wish I had read. The author must have had a sense of humor to come up with that title. (Elizabethan reference - Shakespeare's staging notes often refer to a cry of trumpets.) But I really know nothing to speak of and would love to learn.

[FrancoDiSantisxxx]

History

 

I was going to look it up, but I am sure someone else will be able to find it better. A while back Foxy or someone else inquired about the HISTORY of escorting, quite a long thread in the Lounge, approximately June or late May, which while it contained a lot of personal observation and perspective, I believe could be a good starting point regarding recent history.

[+ deej]

<<Edmonson, Roger "Boy in the Sand: Casey Donovan

All-American Sex Star">>

 

I'm glad you mentioned this one, Rod. It's well-written and an interesting read even if you're not looking for information on sex workers.

 

Casey Donovan is often credited as the first "modern" pornstar and Boys in the Sand is often cited as the beginning of "modern" gay porn. While telling that tale, though, he comes off as utterly likeable. (Although, as you say, he was smart-dumb.)

 

Well worth the read, when you can find it.

[Bilbo]

RE: History

 

Yeah, but Franko, what I'm really hoping I could find out more about is long-range history. Having been an escort off and on since 1973 (Experience counts!) I've basically lived most of what I would want to hear about recent history. }>