Money Shot

a journey into porn and censorship
Jeff Sparrow

'Looking for book about porn/censorship to jangle nerves? Money Shot by Jeff Sparrow is a cracker.'

Antony Loewenstein

'A highly readable feat of narrative journalism ... Essential reading for anyone interested in how the idea of choice, the free market economy and the internet are shaping censorship and pornography ... This excellently researched and nuanced book should generate debate.'

Australian Bookseller and Publisher

View all reviews

'Like Theroux, Sparrow has thrown himself wholeheartedly into his study, putting himself in the proverbial shoes of a range of interviewees and launching himself into some unusual and occasionally surreal situations.'

Courier-Mail

'Redefines the terms of the two-sided debate of strange bedfellows into something more constructive – how to best empower all of us in a society where porn will invariably play a part.'

Daily Life

'Revealing ... deftly explores the relationship between pornography, censorship and society'

Herald Sun

'Fascinating'

Krissy Kneen

'A terrific read, a combination of on-the-ground reportage and philosophical inquiry.'

Phillip Adams, Late Night Live

'One of the most thought-provoking, intelligent and entertaining non-fiction books I’ve read in a long time ... I would urge anyone, regardless of their standpoint on these issues, to read this insightful and comprehensive analysis.'

Readings

'Helps disentangle the idea of sexual liberation and shows why neither porn nor censorship have anything to do with the struggle for women’s liberation.'

Solidarity

'Money Shot is an important book ... Sparrow's analysis of the economic and political context of porn is incisive'

Emily Maguire, The Age

'I was captivated.'

Portia Lindsay, The Australian

'Sparrow is a radical and very articulate writer ... Although this is an Australian book, and deals mainly with that country's censorship - or lack of it - of pornography, the issue is one that concerns all First World countries.'

Wanganui Chronicle

'Jeff Sparrow has a keen eye for our culture's flash points ... An entertaining, perplexing, and telling guided tour through the world of censorship and porn.'

Sophie Cunningham

'Brilliantly untangles the absurdities of the porn industry and the people who breathe it ... Funny, brutal, and razor-sharp, Money Shot shows Sparrow is — hands down — one of our best writers and journalists.'

Benjamin Law

'A wry and absorbing philosophical enquiry into pornography and society. Read before watching.'

Chloe Hooper

'A truly outstanding must-read for anyone who wants to think about the phenomena of pornography in our lifetime.'

Jacinta Le Plastrier

'A highly informative and entertaining book'

ABC Canberra

In the spirited tradition of Louis Theroux, Jeff Sparrow sets out to explore the relationship between porn and censorship, and what it reveals about our social values.

From the internet revolution to raunch culture, Sparrow’s quest takes him through contemporary Australia: the sparkly booths of Sexpo; grimy adult cinemas; the loud, pro-virginity rallies of Pentecostal youth groups; and the depths of the Australian desert, where the Intervention has led to prohibitive restrictions in Indigenous communities.

Along the way, Sparrow interviews some key figures, from religious lobbyists and porn stars to feminist activists, convicted pornographers, and those on the censorship board — who spend their days watching porn to evaluate what ‘the average person’ would think of it. Through their stories, he uncovers the hypocrisies and blind spots in a system that seeks to encapsulate the community’s views, but endorses cultural and social prejudices in doing so.

In a time of fervour and moral panic, when old divisions between Right and Left are breaking down, Money Shot probes the contradictions of our relationship to sex and censure, excess and folly, erotica and vice. By turns moving, enlightening, and terrifically funny, it will show you a new side to the debate about censorship — whatever your views.

'Looking for book about porn/censorship to jangle nerves? Money Shot by Jeff Sparrow is a cracker.'

Antony Loewenstein

Australian Bookseller and Publisher

View all reviews

Courier-Mail

'Redefines the terms of the two-sided debate of strange bedfellows into something more constructive – how to best empower all of us in a society where porn will invariably play a part.'

Daily Life

'Revealing ... deftly explores the relationship between pornography, censorship and society'

Herald Sun

'Fascinating'

Krissy Kneen

'A terrific read, a combination of on-the-ground reportage and philosophical inquiry.'

Phillip Adams, Late Night Live

Readings

'Helps disentangle the idea of sexual liberation and shows why neither porn nor censorship have anything to do with the struggle for women’s liberation.'

Solidarity

'Money Shot is an important book ... Sparrow's analysis of the economic and political context of porn is incisive'

Emily Maguire, The Age

'I was captivated.'

Portia Lindsay, The Australian

Wanganui Chronicle

'Jeff Sparrow has a keen eye for our culture's flash points ... An entertaining, perplexing, and telling guided tour through the world of censorship and porn.'

Sophie Cunningham

Benjamin Law

'A wry and absorbing philosophical enquiry into pornography and society. Read before watching.'

Chloe Hooper

'A truly outstanding must-read for anyone who wants to think about the phenomena of pornography in our lifetime.'

Jacinta Le Plastrier

BUY EBOOK

Details

Format:Paperback

Size:210mm × 135mm

Extent:320pp

ISBN (13):9781921844973

RRP:$29.99

Pub date:22 Aug 2012

Rights Held: World

High-res cover:Download Image

AWARDS

2013 John Button Prize - Long-listed A Readings Top-Ten Non-fiction Book of the Year - FAW Barbara Ramsden Award For Writer and Editor - Runner-up Manning Clark House Cultural Award - Short-listed

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AUTHOR

Jeff Sparrow

Jeff Sparrow is a writer, editor, and broadcaster, and an honorary fellow at Victoria University. He writes a fortnightly column for The Guardian and contributes regularly to many other publications, as well as being a member of the 3RRR Breakfasters radio team. Jeff is the immediate past editor of the literary and cultural journal Overland, and the author of several books, including Communism: a love story and Killing: misadventures in violence.