I don't remember when I first became fascinated with the (admittedly mostly youth-filled) zine culture. In a way, I always have been -- making my own little newsletters for as long as I can remember. It wasn't until recently that I found that it was an established "movement" -- one that included not only newsletters, but art books and journals and stories.

After putting together one of my own -- or attempting to, at least -- I figured I could use some help. I surfed DIY (do-it-yourself) sites and looked at several books before settling on this one, for a few reasons: Not only is it more of a practical guide to making your own zine, it's also done in a visual style that shows off how "real" zines are done. The authors, Hillary Carlip and Francesca Lia Block, are long-time zinemakers, and stress the fact that it's not so much how it looks, but that you say what needs to be said ... and that everyone has something to say.

Aside from the DIY section, there are several chapters that outline the history of the genre, as well as profiling some of the superstars, so to speak. It tells the reader not only where to get them, but also what they mean to the human empowerment movement. There's even a section on picking your zine's name -- which, from what I understand, has spawned quite a few titles.

This is a cheerleader-book. You simply can't read it without wanting to jump up out of your comfy chair and start writing your own. It peps you up, pushes you to let your voice be heard, and encourages you to use your creativity. More than that, it's accessible, friendly and practical. You can dispense with all the artsy stuff and read exactly how to do this, if that's more your style.

Voices need wings. This book helped give them to mine, and at it's cover price of around $20, everyone can buy their own, too.

[ by Elizabeth Badurina ]