Awards

• Winner of Lambda Literary Awards (Nonfiction) 2010
• Winner of Lambda Literary Awards (Nonfiction) 2011

Overview

With humor, rage, and confessional detail, Virginie Despentes--in her own words ""more King Kong than Kate Moss""--delivers a highly charged account of women's lives today. She explodes common attitudes about sex and gender, and shows how modern beauty myths are ripe for rebelling against. Using her own experiences of rape, prostitution, and working in the porn industry as a jumping-off point, she creates a new space for all those who can't or won't obey the rules.

Full Product Details

9781558616578

Table of Contents

Reviews

King Kong Theory is essential reading! --Dorothy Allison, author of Bastard Out of Carolina King Kong Theory brings to mind Solanas's SCUM Manifesto, Muscio's Cunt, and Plath's The Bell Jar--feminist eloquence without restraint. You will love it. --Susie Bright, author of Big Sex Little Death Finally someone has done it! The feminist movement needs King Kong Theory now more than ever. A must read for every sex worker, tranny, punk, queer, john, academic, pornographer--and for all those people who dislike them too. --Annie Sprinkle The part that isn't sassily justifying her art, vision, and situated mode of thinking is half theoretical expansion and half memoir--fusing it all into one book that's accessible, entertaining and chock full of analysis of the type of -isms that can make the heart of this feminist melt. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of pop culture moments for those of us who need that fix, but right alongside them is the nitty-gritty analysis that most commercially successful pop-feminism books tend to leave out. . . a risky, though engrossing, read. --Bitch Media Enjoyed it thoroughly. It is an urgent and overdue assessment of gender and culture. . . . An excellent book. --3: AM Magazine Part memoir, part political pamphlet, [King King Theory] is a furious condemnation of the 'servility' of enforced femininity. --The Observer [Virginie Despentes] sets her sights on saving us all from the demeaning, idiotic 'icons' we're sold on a daily basis, and she does it here in a thought-provoking and cleverly written way. --The List King Kong Theory is essential reading! --Dorothy Allison, author of Bastard Out of Carolina King Kong Theory brings to mind Solanas's SCUM Manifesto, Muscio's Cunt, and Plath's The Bell Jar--feminist eloquence without restraint. You will love it. --Susie Bright, author of Big Sex Little Death Finally someone has done it! The feminist movement needs King Kong Theory now more than ever. A must read for every sex worker, tranny, punk, queer, john, academic, pornographer--and for all those people who dislike them too. --Annie Sprinkle The part that isn't sassily justifying her art, vision, and situated mode of thinking is half theoretical expansion and half memoir--fusing it all into one book that's accessible, entertaining and chock full of analysis of the type of -isms that can make the heart of this feminist melt. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of pop culture moments for those of us who need that fix, but right alongside them is the nitty-gritty analysis that most commercially successful pop-feminism books tend to leave out. . . a risky, though engrossing, read. --Bitch Media Enjoyed it thoroughly. It is an urgent and overdue assessment of gender and culture. . . . An excellent book. --3: AM Magazine Part memoir, part political pamphlet, [King King Theory] is a furious condemnation of the 'servility' of enforced femininity. --The Observer [Virginie Despentes] sets her sights on saving us all from the demeaning, idiotic 'icons' we're sold on a daily basis, and she does it here in a thought-provoking and cleverly written way. --The List

King Kong Theory is essential reading! --Dorothy Allison, author of Bastard Out of Carolina King Kong Theory brings to mind Solanas's SCUM Manifesto, Muscio's Cunt, and Plath's The Bell Jar--feminist eloquence without restraint. You will love it. --Susie Bright, author of Big Sex Little Death Finally someone has done it! The feminist movement needs King Kong Theory now more than ever. A must read for every sex worker, tranny, punk, queer, john, academic, pornographer--and for all those people who dislike them too. --Annie Sprinkle The part that isn't sassily justifying her art, vision, and situated mode of thinking is half theoretical expansion and half memoir--fusing it all into one book that's accessible, entertaining and chock full of analysis of the type of -isms that can make the heart of this feminist melt. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of pop culture moments for those of us who need that fix, but right alongside them is the nitty-gritty analysis that most commercially successful pop-feminism books tend to leave out. . . a risky, though engrossing, read. --Bitch Media Enjoyed it thoroughly. It is an urgent and overdue assessment of gender and culture. . . . An excellent book. --3: AM Magazine Part memoir, part political pamphlet, [King King Theory] is a furious condemnation of the 'servility' of enforced femininity. --The Observer [Virginie Despentes] sets her sights on saving us all from the demeaning, idiotic 'icons' we're sold on a daily basis, and she does it here in a thought-provoking and cleverly written way. --The List King Kong Theory is essential reading! --Dorothy Allison, author of Bastard Out of Carolina King Kong Theory brings to mind Solanas's SCUM Manifesto, Muscio's Cunt, and Plath's The Bell Jar--feminist eloquence without restraint. You will love it. --Susie Bright, author of Big Sex Little Death Finally someone has done it! The feminist movement needs King Kong Theory now more than ever. A must read for every sex worker, tranny, punk, queer, john, academic, pornographer--and for all those people who dislike them too. --Annie Sprinkle The part that isn't sassily justifying her art, vision, and situated mode of thinking is half theoretical expansion and half memoir--fusing it all into one book that's accessible, entertaining and chock full of analysis of the type of -isms that can make the heart of this feminist melt. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of pop culture moments for those of us who need that fix, but right alongside them is the nitty-gritty analysis that most commercially successful pop-feminism books tend to leave out. . . a risky, though engrossing, read. --Bitch Media Enjoyed it thoroughly. It is an urgent and overdue assessment of gender and culture. . . . An excellent book. --3: AM Magazine Part memoir, part political pamphlet, [King King Theory] is a furious condemnation of the 'servility' of enforced femininity. --The Observer [Virginie Despentes] sets her sights on saving us all from the demeaning, idiotic 'icons' we're sold on a daily basis, and she does it here in a thought-provoking and cleverly written way. --The List King Kong Theory is essential reading! Dorothy Allison, author of Bastard Out of Carolina King Kong Theory brings to mind Solanas s SCUM Manifesto, Muscio s Cunt, and Plath s The Bell Jar feminist eloquence without restraint. You will love it. Susie Bright, author of Big Sex Little Death Finally someone has done it! The feminist movement needs King Kong Theory now more than ever. A must read for every sex worker, tranny, punk, queer, john, academic, pornographerand for all those people who dislike them too. Annie Sprinkle The part that isn't sassily justifying her art, vision, and situated mode of thinking is half theoretical expansion and half memoirfusing it all into one book that's accessible, entertaining and chock full of analysis of the type of -isms that can make the heart of this feminist melt. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of pop culture moments for those of us who need that fix, but right alongside them is the nitty-gritty analysis that most commercially successful pop-feminism books tend to leave out. . . a risky, though engrossing, read. Bitch Media Enjoyed it thoroughly. It is an urgent and overdue assessment of gender and culture. . . . An excellent book. 3: AM Magazine Part memoir, part political pamphlet, [ King King Theory ] is a furious condemnation of the 'servility' of enforced femininity. The Observer [Virginie Despentes] sets her sights on saving us all from the demeaning, idiotic 'icons' we're sold on a daily basis, and she does it here in a thought-provoking and cleverly written way. The List

King Kong Theory is essential reading! Dorothy Allison, author of Bastard Out of Carolina King Kong Theory brings to mind Solanas s SCUM Manifesto, Muscio s Cunt, and Plath s The Bell Jar feminist eloquence without restraint. You will love it. Susie Bright, author of Big Sex Little Death Finally someone has done it! The feminist movement needs King Kong Theory now more than ever. A must read for every sex worker, tranny, punk, queer, john, academic, pornographerand for all those people who dislike them too. Annie Sprinkle The part that isn't sassily justifying her art, vision, and situated mode of thinking is half theoretical expansion and half memoirfusing it all into one book that's accessible, entertaining and chock full of analysis of the type of -isms that can make the heart of this feminist melt. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of pop culture moments for those of us who need that fix, but right alongside them is the nitty-gritty analysis that most commercially successful pop-feminism books tend to leave out. . . a risky, though engrossing, read. Bitch Media Enjoyed it thoroughly. It is an urgent and overdue assessment of gender and culture. . . . An excellent book. 3: AM Magazine Part memoir, part political pamphlet, [ King King Theory ] is a furious condemnation of the 'servility' of enforced femininity. The Observer [Virginie Despentes] sets her sights on saving us all from the demeaning, idiotic 'icons' we're sold on a daily basis, and she does it here in a thought-provoking and cleverly written way. The List

King Kong Theory is essential reading! --Dorothy Allison, author of Bastard Out of Carolina King Kong Theory brings to mind Solanas's SCUM Manifesto, Muscio's Cunt, and Plath's The Bell Jar--feminist eloquence without restraint. You will love it. --Susie Bright, author of Big Sex Little Death Finally someone has done it! The feminist movement needs King Kong Theory now more than ever. A must read for every sex worker, tranny, punk, queer, john, academic, pornographer--and for all those people who dislike them too. --Annie Sprinkle The part that isn't sassily justifying her art, vision, and situated mode of thinking is half theoretical expansion and half memoir--fusing it all into one book that's accessible, entertaining and chock full of analysis of the type of -isms that can make the heart of this feminist melt. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of pop culture moments for those of us who need that fix, but right alongside them is the nitty-gritty analysis that most commercially successful pop-feminism books tend to leave out. . . a risky, though engrossing, read. --Bitch Media Enjoyed it thoroughly. It is an urgent and overdue assessment of gender and culture. . . . An excellent book. --3: AM Magazine Part memoir, part political pamphlet, [King King Theory] is a furious condemnation of the 'servility' of enforced femininity. --The Observer [Virginie Despentes] sets her sights on saving us all from the demeaning, idiotic 'icons' we're sold on a daily basis, and she does it here in a thought-provoking and cleverly written way. --The List King Kong Theory is essential reading! --Dorothy Allison, author of Bastard Out of Carolina King Kong Theory brings to mind Solanas's SCUM Manifesto, Muscio's Cunt, and Plath's The Bell Jar--feminist eloquence without restraint. You will love it. --Susie Bright, author of Big Sex Little Death Finally someone has done it! The feminist movement needs King Kong Theory now more than ever. A must read for every sex worker, tranny, punk, queer, john, academic, pornographer--and for all those people who dislike them too. --Annie Sprinkle The part that isn't sassily justifying her art, vision, and situated mode of thinking is half theoretical expansion and half memoir--fusing it all into one book that's accessible, entertaining and chock full of analysis of the type of -isms that can make the heart of this feminist melt. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of pop culture moments for those of us who need that fix, but right alongside them is the nitty-gritty analysis that most commercially successful pop-feminism books tend to leave out. . . a risky, though engrossing, read. --Bitch Media Enjoyed it thoroughly. It is an urgent and overdue assessment of gender and culture. . . . An excellent book. --3: AM Magazine Part memoir, part political pamphlet, [King King Theory] is a furious condemnation of the 'servility' of enforced femininity. --The Observer [Virginie Despentes] sets her sights on saving us all from the demeaning, idiotic 'icons' we're sold on a daily basis, and she does it here in a thought-provoking and cleverly written way. --The List

Author Information

Virginie Despentes is an award-winning author and filmmaker, and a noted French feminist and cultural critic. She is the award of many award-winning books, including Apocalypse Baby (winner of the 2010 Prix Renaudot) and Vernon Subutex (winner of the Anaïs-Nin Prize 2015, Prix Landerneau 2015, Prix La Coupole 2015). She also co-directed the screen adaptations of her controversial novels Baise-Moi and Bye Bye Blondie.

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