Valencia is a memoir that captures a year in the life of Michelle Tea as she navigates love, heartbreak, and self-discovery within the vibrant and often chaotic lesbian community of San Francisco's Mission District in the early 1990s. The book is known for its vivid descriptions of radical women, relationships, and the cultural landscape of the time.
Mary Gaitskill's "Because They Wanted To" is a collection of short stories exploring themes of desire, power, and the complexities of human relationships. Her writing is known for its unflinching portrayal of female sexuality and its exploration of the darker aspects of human nature. The stories often feature morally ambiguous characters navigating challenging situations. Gaitskill's prose is both sharp and evocative, capturing the nuances of emotion and experience with precision. Her work has earned her critical acclaim and a devoted following.
Brontes Purnell's "A Hundred Boyfriends" is a unique work that blends poetry, memoir, and short fiction to create a captivating exploration of identity, sexuality, and the Bay Area experience. The book is characterized by its witty and insightful observations on relationships, love, and the complexities of modern life. Purnell's writing is both humorous and poignant, capturing the nuances of emotion and experience with a distinctive voice. The book's experimental structure and genre-bending approach make it a refreshing and engaging read. It's a celebration of individuality and a testament to the power of self-expression.
San Francisco author Brittany Newell’s novel “Soft Core” explores the city’s underbelly — while making its tech bros minor characters. With pinpoint descriptions of the sweat on a west-bound Muni in October, the ceiling of the sometimes-cool, sometimes-not Makeout Room and the vinyl seats of the now-shuttered Silver Crest Diner, Newell writes of the city as lived by her protagonist, a stripper and dominatrix. And she pushes back on the negative narratives of the city she loves, drawing from San Francisco’s rich history of sex and love to argue the city’s not dead — and not just for the very rich. She joins us to share her San Francisco and to hear yours.
Guest:
Brittany Newell, writer and performer living in San Francisco, author of the new novel, “Soft Core”
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
KQED's Forum 
