The P*rn Library
A compendium of works about the adult movie industry
Currently, I’m nearly halfway through the novel that I’m writing that’s set in the adult movie industry, a subject I’ve been writing about for a long time. Last May, I started compiling The Porn Library as part of my research. It’s a compendium of books, movies, television series, journalism, essays, podcasts, art, photography, and online works by authors, filmmakers, directors, journalists, podcasters, essayists, playwrights, artists, photographers, and other creatives about the past, present, and future of the adult movie industry. (Suggestions may be submitted here.)
A few highlights …
Books
The books include Chuck Palahniuk’s Snuff, Jenna Jameson’s How to Make Love Like a Porn Star, Linda Williams’ Hard Core, Mark Kernes’ Preachers vs. Porn, and the Jiz Lee edited Coming Out Like a Porn Star. More can be found here.
Movies
The movies include Pleasure, directed by Ninja Thyberg; 8mm, directed by Joel Schumacher; 9 to 5: Days in Porn, directed by Jens Hoffmann; Wonderland, directed by James Cox; and Lovelace, directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman. More can be found here.
TV
The series include Pornography: The Secret History of Civilisation, from Channel 4 (and featuring yours truly); The Deuce, from HBO; Porno Valley, from Sky Television; Supersex, from Netflix; and Hard, from Canal+. More can be found here.
To see the rest, visit The Porn Library.
[Update: Thanks to readers and fellow Substack authors Cyntha Gioia-Puel, who writes the Beauty and Eros newsletter, and Decarceration, who writes the From The Yard To The Arthouse newsletter, for their suggestions, which have been added to The Porn Library. Gioia-Puel suggested P by Andrew Lewis Conn and Once Upon a Time … in the Valley by Lili Anolik and Ashley West. Decarceration suggested About Cherry directed by Stephen Elliott and Her Body directed by Natálie CÃsaÅ™ovská.]
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