For the First time, Gay or Lesbian traveller to Europe this book is fun and insightful. It gave us some great ideas and we enjoyed the stories.

As the carefully selected cover might infer this book gives much homage to lesbians of the lipstick variety (a worthy subject no doubt). However, on their trip to the "heart of lesbian america" physical beauty is singled out as the most important way to these women's hearts. Initially they do a good round-up of lesbian culture and hotspots. But they fluctuate between humor that touches all of us at one time or another and humor that is at the expense of lesbians that didn't make the Miss America cut. One woman's appearance is compared with a gorilla. On another occasion they go on a bender about "hefty bag ladies." On top of this the interviews are carefully worded so that we can be constantly reminded that none of the interviewees hate men (as if that should be such a focal point in a book about culture by and for women). Just to figure out where these ladies were coming from I picked up an issue of Allure (van gelder is an editor for the mag). Well the only thing I could find that she wrote was a nice little piece about how to make eyeshadow work with your complexion. Low blow? Maybe but these women hit below the belt everytime. If you want an interesting and smart look at lesbian culture and history take a look at Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers by Lillian Faderman.

This book is an excellent resource for the burning question "how do i meet people like me?" It is an excellent look at the lesbian/gay lifestyle in the US today, while being both very entertaining and educational. Many of the stories and places mentioned seem to center around the Southern California area, with specific club names and local contributors. I loved this book and all of the stories that these two intelligent women had the courage and humor to tell. I would recommend this book to anyone hoping to learn more about themselves or loved ones.

This is a clever, informative book that attempts to explore the lesbian experience in the US without taking itself too seriously. The authors' breezy, almost conversational tone makes this a fun and educational read. Far from being elitist, the authors have attempted (and succeeded, IMO) to portray to vast diversity within our culture, from the Birkenstock-clad Michigan womyn to the lipstick crowd at Dinah, and everything in between. They sometimes poke gentle fun at some of the absurdities of lesbian society, without being critical or judgmental. I highly recommend this book for anyone, gay or straight, who wants to learn something about lesbian life and culture.