Icon

Whose poster hung on your wall as a teenager? Whose record did you wear out? Whose life story could you not resist? Fascination works in mysterious ways—it can be born out of inspiration, or repulsion, or both. In these daring essays, some of the most provocative writers of our time offer a private view on a public figure. In the process, they reveal themselves in beautiful and unexpected ways, blurring the line between biography and memoir.

Original essays:

• Introduction by Amy Scholder
• Mary Gaitskill on Linda Lovelace
• Rick Moody on Karen Dalton
• Johanna Fateman on Andrea Dworkin
• Danielle Henderson on bell hooks
• Hanne Blank on MFK Fisher
• Kate Zambreno on Kathy Acker
• Justin Vivian Bond on Karen Graham
• Jill Nelson on Aretha Franklin
• Zoe Pilger on Mary Gaitskill