When I start thinking about The Urban Hermit, I have a really hard time being eloquent. I start drooling and grunting in monosyllabic glee.

It's strange, because this zine is pretty much everything that turns me off in a zine. It's political (with a personal bent, rather than the other way around). It's hand-written. There's no illustration or anything to balance the large blocks of text.

Still, TUH is just plain amazing. It's like reading a hilarious book, first-draft, by an author that you just love.

It's not for the G-rated set, I should warn. Hermit's a woman who passes as a man, and talks very frankly about Burning Man, politics, hitch-hiking and her girlfriend. There's a few "objectionable" words that Microsoft's spell-check would beep for, but for the most part, the only thing that might be a turn-off for the more conservative among us is the content.

And let's talk content, shall we? This thing is huge. All text. Around 80 pages, half-size, in fact. With one $3 purchase, you can read for a good few days. It lasted me three bus rides and a dentist's waiting room, during which time I drew more than my share of strange looks while I giggled out loud.

Though it's relatively visually dull, this is probably one of my favorite zines of all time. (The series, not just this one, though this one is one of the better ones, I have to say.) To see for yourself, write TUH at 1122 E. Pike #910, Seattle, WA 98122, or send an e-mail to alienpeapod@yahoo.com.

[ by Elizabeth Badurina ]
Rambles: 7 June 2002