Eye to Eye: Portraits of Lesbians

April 12th, 2021 | Uncategorized

Okay, first of all, I am BESIDE MYSELF to see so many of the old gang back here! I’m really touched to hear from you all again, and delighted (but not surprised) that it took about ten minutes for the Maoist Orange Cake to crop up. And hard on its heels, the Trotskyist Key Lime Pie.

I just listened to a really great episode of the Slate podcast Working, in which June Thomas had a conversation with Joan E. Biren (JEB) about the recent reissue of JEB’s groundbreaking 1979 book.

JEB’s been doing a lot of events recently, including one with me a couple weeks ago for the bookstore Women and Children First. (Virtually, of course.) But I feel bad that I didn’t ask her better questions. June does a great journalistic job of getting to the heart of things, asking JEB what the process of taking the pictures and making the book was like. Definitely worth a listen. (And if you’re a Slate Plus member, there’s an added segment that’s worth the price of a Slate Plus membership–it involves counting penises.) Anyhow Eye to Eye was a hugely formative book for me as a young dyke, so it’s nice to see it back in print and getting some attention.

6 Responses to “Eye to Eye: Portraits of Lesbians”

  1. Josiah Rowe says:

    This seems an appropriate place to raise a glass for a member of the old blog gang who is no longer with us: to Maggie Jochild, of blessed memory.

    Margot posted on Facebook that today would have been her and Maggie’s 10th anniversary. Since they met in the comment section here, I figured this was the place to honor Maggie: a true Dyke to Watch Out For.

  2. Capsmars says:

    I watched that conversation you did with JEB, that was so moving. I’m just so happy that this book is going to print so people my age can actually see for themselves. I’ve been trying to order a copy for years but it’s just so hard to get a hold of one!

    You can click Here! to listen to Alison and Jeb’s conversation.

  3. Diamond says:

    Thank you for that reminder Josiah. I have fond memories of Maggie and Margot from this blog the last time around and will light a belated candle.

  4. Alison Bechdel says:

    Yes, Josiah! Here is to dear Maggie, and to Margot! Thank you for that connection. Amazing, and sad, that yesterday would have been their 10th anniversary.

  5. Capsmars says:

    Dear Alison,

    So sorry to ask this here, but is there an email address where I can reach you?
    I tried this address: accismus@alisonbechdel.com, but it seems like your mailbox is full.

    [[Hi Capsmars (and other folks):
    AB asked me to say that at present, especially given the run-up to the release of
    “The Secret to Superhuman Strength”, that she’s simply kind of lost the bandwidth to manage email, but that she would be very happy to receive snail mail at:
    PO Box 215,
    Jonesville, VT, 05466, USA. —Mentor]]

  6. Joanna Bryson says:

    Ha who knew that there was a Janesville in VT! Have you read the book about the one in WI?