Review - Doris Anthology

Really, this isn’t a review. I thought I’d write one about this book I got at Expozine but then I went to the Doris page on the Microcosm website and was heaped with passionate thoughts and words from dozens of other reviewers and now I sort of feel speechless. But actually, that’s what I was going to say about Doris: something about the speechlessness this ink-ridden pouring out of secrets leaves me with. There’s barely breath in her narration, it’s like it all falls out of her at once, just once, for each issue and we’re lucky she writes it down and passes it around to strangers. It’s a complicated, raw, beautifully-phrased leap of faith. But if I read too much in one sitting I get dizzy.

It’s almost assaultively honest.

I gave this anthology of the seminal Doris zine by nomadauthorscribelady Cindy Crabb to my little teenage sister for the holladaze. I think she’s ready for it, and I don’t believe in hiding the truth about things (sex, abortion, treehouses) from young people anyway, but still I kind of worry about her reading all this heart breaking truth from her suburban home. I hope it doesn’t hurt her to meet this blazing anarchist punk anger; I try to give gifts that challenge in a joyful, not traumatic way.

Trying to do my big sis best I told my gift’s recipient this, and I’ll tell you too, in case you’re interested: If you decide to put Doris between your hands or ears, embrace this book for the window it gives, complete, unedited, bold, eloquent immersion and a flood of information about lives and ways to live, and if it hurts you, pair her righteous anger with your own. Take what you need and use it to steel your will as you continue on your own awesome change-the-world-make-it-a-better-place trajectory. Ok?

No pressure.