—j

Review:
An Intimate
Wilderness,

edited by Judith Barrington. Oregon: The Eighth
Mountain Press, 1991.

Moira

I am absorbed by all the genuine words,
the familiar questions, the fullness of the
lesbian experience that these 45 writers
have created in An Intimate Wilderness.
Edited by Judith Barrington, this collec-
tion is a response to the question she rais-
es: “How was art reflecting life — that is
literary art and lesbian life?” Barrington
looked for writers who were not merely
arousing, but who illuminated our sexual
lives. She says in her introduction that
until now lesbian sex has been in-
articulate. In creating this anthology she
challenges women to find new language
to express our intimate experiences.

This collection of works includes both
fiction and non-fiction as well as poetry.
A wide range of styles, ideas and at-
titudes are included. Barrington address-
es the need to incorporate sexuality into
our whole identities. In light of very real
homophobic fears this is not an easy task.
All in all, Barrington has put together a
collection that feels very genuine, a true
collection of the lesbian voice.

The book starts with a non-fiction essay
by Marilyn Frye. She writes about a
study done on couples by Blumstein and
Schwartz. In this survey it is stated that
lesbian couples “have sex” far less often
than heterosexual or male homosexual

couples. Frye explores what is considered
as “having sex” between lesbians. She is
at times quite humorous, other times ab-
solutely enlightening, while looking into
the cultural and psychological reasons for
the slanted results of the study. She
speaks of the need for a new vocabulary
to explain our unique experience as les-
bians. She also sees the need to maintain
a sense of humor about “foolish studies
that lesbians don’t have sex as often as,
aren’t as sexual as, and use fewer sexual
techniques than other folks.”

There are quite a few good short stories
in the collection. One that is especially
entertaining was written by Sarah Schul-
man, titled The Penis Story. Yes, it’s hi-
lariousl We find Ann, who’s desperately
in love with Jesse, awakening one mom-
ing with a penis. The author tells us, “By
the time Ann finished riding on the F
train she had developed a fairly in-
tegrated view of her new self.’ She was a
lesbian with a penis. She was not a man
with breasts. She was a woman. This was
not androgyny, she’d never liked that
word. Women had always been whole to
Ann, not half of something waiting to be
completed.” Funny, very funny, but a lot
more.

Along with insightful nonfiction and de-
lightful short stories, there are poems.
One poem was simply exquisite. Written
by Suniti Namjoslii, it’s titled I Give Her
The Rose.

May 1992

I give her the rose with unfurled petals.
She smiles And crosses her legsl give
her the shell with the swollen lip
She laughs. I bite
and nuzzle her breasts.
I tell her, “Feed me on flowers
with wide open mouths,”
and slowly,
she pulls down my head.

This collection is filled with such pro-
vocative, beautiful expressions of les-
bian love. The writers also cover many
of the hidden areas of sexuality. Themes
of incest appear in works by Louise
Wisechild, Maureen Seaton and Leslea
Newman. All very personal and honest
in their content. Another area deals with
a woman’s illness and subsequent body
changes, written beautifully by Barbara
Rosenblum, Melanie Kaye and Sandra
Butler. Themes of loving someone
who’s married or straight are expressed
in pieces by Janice Gould, Irene Klep-
fisz and Emma Peraz. There are also
marvelous love stories and poems from
Pat Parker, Marilyn Hacker and
Adrienne Rich.

In glancing through the biographies of
the 45 contemporary writers, I see wom-
en of different backgrounds, ages and
ethnic groups. Diversity is shown here,
but commonality is more apparent. That
commonality is a commitment to the
word and the expression of new ideas.
For those of us out in the wilderness,
this work is greatly appreciated. V

Where to Find OITM

Bennington Free Library Bennington Project EXCEL, Lyndon State College Lyndonville
Brattleboro Food Coop Brattleboro Northshire Bookstore Manchester Center
Cahoois Brattleboro Middlebury Natural Food Coop Middlebury
Common Ground Brattleboro Bear Pond Books Montpelier
Everyonc's Books Brattleboro Horn of the Moon Cafe Montpelier
Burlington College Burlington Woman Centered . _ Montpelier
Chassman & Bern Burlington Morristown Centenmal Library Moi-nsville
Fletcher Free Library Burlington Moore Free Library . _ Newfane

Partners in Recovery & Growth Burlington Northeast Kingdom AIDS Coaliuon Newport

Peace & Justice Center Burlington Brown Public Library Nonlifield

Pearls Burlington Social Alternatives for Gay Men Norwich

Planned Parenthood Burlington Woman's Stud)’ Program Plamfield

STEP Learning Center Castleton Putriey Library _ Fume)’

Craftsbury Public Library Craftsbury Kimball Pubhc Library Randolph

Rutland Area Gay/Lesbian Connection E. Middlebury PFLAG . Rutland

Inriwood Manor East Bamet Rutland Free Libr313’ Rmland
Greenhope Farm East Hardwick LUNA/NEV_G.ALR c/o Umbrella St Johnsbury

Fair Haven Free Library Fair Haven Natural Provisions t St. Johnsbl-IT)’
Buffalo Mountain Coop Hardvsdck Regional Library St Johnsbury
Galaxy Books Hm-dwick St. Johnsbury Athenaeum St. Johnsbury
Jon's Automotive Lyndonville F00d for Thought S“’YV° . ,

WRJ Books White River Junction