The Factsheet Five Zine Reader: The Best Writing from the Underground World of Zines
One of the many collections of articles from the world of zines,The Factsheet Five Zine Reader,has the distinction of being edited and selected by R. Seth Friedman. Friedman is the zine fanatic behindFactsheet Five,the world's leading source of zine information, and the first zine dedicated solely to the subject of, well, zines. Commencing with a brief, informative history of his subject, Friedman then goes on to present 73 extracts from almost as many little magazines. Some of the most surprising include the pieces from two different Momzines (magazines dedicated to the subject of motherhood); some good advice on how to sell out; and a disturbing compendium of the 25 partners that Sky Ryan, of the zineHow Perfectly Goddamn Delightful It All Is,amassed in the two years since she lost her virginity. Although you'll also find the usual assortment of articles on '70s pop culture, lounge music, eight-track tapes, and Hello Kitty, this collection offers quite a few pleasant surprises, and would be a good introduction to the world of zines, in case you're looking for a hipifying gift for your Aunt Hettie.