Carnival Strippers

From 1972 to 1975, Susan Meiselas spent her summers photographing and interviewing women who performed striptease for small town carnivals in New England, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina. As she followed the girl shows from town to town, she portrayed the dancers on stage and off, photographing their public performances as well as their private lives. She also taped interviews with the dancers, their boyfriends, the show managers, and paying customers. Meiselas' frank description of the lives of these women brought a hidden world to public attention. Produced during the early years of the women's movement Carnival Strippers reflects the struggle for identity and self-esteem that characterized a complex era of change. Originally published in 1976, this book is considered a pioneering publication for it's frank and honest look at women on the margins of society. Original editions of the book now sell for up to $900.00 on the rare book market.This revised edition contains a new selection of Meiselas' black-and-white photographs together with the original excerpts from the interviews. Additionally an Audio-CD with a collage of voices from many participants and a 1977 interview with the photographer is included. Essays by Sylvia Wolf and Deirdre English reflect on the importance of this body of work within both the history of photography and feminism.