{"product_id":"absolute-pleasure","title":"Absolute Pleasure","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA Literary Hub Notable Small Press Book of 2025\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eQueer writers reflect on the complicated legacy of \u003ci\u003eThe Rocky Horror Picture Show\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSince its earliest midnight showings at the Waverly Theater in New York City, \u003ci\u003eThe Rocky Horror Picture Show\u003c\/i\u003e has been an underground sensation. For five decades, people around the world have dressed up and gathered in dark theaters to dance, yell, mime obscene acts, and forge connections with other queer people and weirdos.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe film shattered expectations and social norms at the time of its release. But how does its presentation of queerness—not to mention its portrayals of murder, manipulation, consent violation, and cannibalism—hold up today? The essays in \u003ci\u003eAbsolute Pleasure\u003c\/i\u003e—by queer writers including Sarah Gailey, Grace Lavery, and Magdalene Visaggio—explore the film's complicated legacy, along with queer and trans joy, sexuality, family, generational understandings of queerness, and what we do with our problematic faves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e** Features an essay from local writer, \u003cstrong\u003eM. K. Thekkumkattil\u003c\/strong\u003e which gives a shout out to our own annual local production of the Rocky Horror Show at Mad Myrna's! **\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePraise\u003c\/strong\u003e for \u003cem\u003eAbsolute Pleasure\u003c\/em\u003e:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“One of the most-central queer texts, presented in a thoughtful bouquet with the occasional marigold of critical analysis poking through.” \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003ePittsburgh Post-Gazette\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“\u003ci\u003eThe Rocky Horror Picture Show\u003c\/i\u003e rocked my world as a teenager in the ’70s, and the light it showed me over at the Frankenstein place was where I first learned I could remove the cause, and enjoy the symptom, of being trans. The essays in this expansive anthology are so many lighters, held aloft, that illuminate the enduring influence of this film.” \u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Susan Stryker, author of \u003ci\u003eWhen Monsters Speak\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Virgins and veterans alike will find something to contemplate in this wide-ranging collection, which is not afraid to interrogate a beloved classic while also celebrating its profound impact on weirdos and misfits across generations. As one of those weirdos, I’m so glad it exists.\" —\u003cb\u003eJess Zimmerman, author of \u003ci\u003eWomen and Other Monsters\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"A collection as colorful, subversive, and comforting as the film it celebrates, \u003ci\u003eAbsolute Pleasure\u003c\/i\u003e immortalizes in print \u003ci\u003eThe Rocky Horror Picture Show\u003c\/i\u003e's still-unrivaled capacity for building queer connection and community in ways both wistful and wicked.\" \u003cb\u003e—Joe Vallese, editor of \u003ci\u003eIt Came from the Closet: Queer Reflections on Horror\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“As someone with a Tim Curry tattoo on my arm, \u003ci\u003eAbsolute Pleasure\u003c\/i\u003e sent glorious shockwaves of recognition through my body with each and every soul-baring essay. I felt validated, fascinated and ‘toucha toucha’ touched by every joyous, bittersweet, libidinous, liberating, mascara-smeared confession from fellow Transylvanians.” \u003cb\u003e—Darren Stein, director of Jawbreaker\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“\u003ci\u003eAbsolute Pleasure\u003c\/i\u003e delivers exactly that! Knowing that so many fellow, lonely young outsiders were guided to the light over at the Frankenstein place and found where they truly belonged reaffirms my lifelong passion and fandom for all things \u003ci\u003eRocky Horror\u003c\/i\u003e. I smiled so much while reading this that my face began to ache.” \u003cb\u003e—Peaches Christ, filmmaker and cult leader\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“\u003ci\u003eAbsolute Pleasure\u003c\/i\u003e is a poignant and timely reflection on this iconic film and what it has meant to so many, not just as a movie watched but as an experience and a cultural touchstone. At a time when our community needs it most, this collection brings playful hope.\" \u003cb\u003e—Sassafras Patterdale, author of Lost Boi\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMargot Atwell\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e(she\/her\/hers) is a writer, editor, publisher, speaker, and community funding expert. She is the former executive director and publisher of Feminist Press. Previously, she was head of publishing and director of community outreach at Kickstarter, PBC, and publisher of Beaufort Books. In 2019, she was selected as a \u003cem\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/em\u003e Star Watch Honoree and received the Digital Book World Outstanding Achievement Award. She’s the coauthor of \u003cem\u003eThe Insider’s Guide to Book Publishing Success\u003c\/em\u003e and author of \u003cem\u003eDerby Life\u003c\/em\u003e. You can find her on Twitter or Instagram at @MargotAtwell, and read her writing in her On the Books newsletter.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Feminist Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67694673100954,"sku":"NewBook-AbsolutePleasure","price":24.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0726\/6988\/8666\/files\/9781558613508.webp?v=1792194931","url":"https:\/\/www.redcurrentshop.com\/products\/absolute-pleasure","provider":"Red Current Distro - Shop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}