“The Zine Yearbook isn’t a book, it’s a zine,” says editor Jen Angel, who also puts out Fucktooth and Maximumrocknroll, punk zines that are not for the faint of heart. “It’s the only independently produced zine `book’ this year. Isn’t that disappointing?”

Well, no, unless you’re expecting a sedate visit to the fringe. Without a commercial publisher, this anthology is — unsurprisingly — edgier than the other new zine books.

Not recommended for newbies, The Zine Yearbook rants a little louder and digs deeper into punk culture and topics ranging from womyn in rock (from the zine Stifled) to non-monogamy (“Fucktooth”) to sponge tampons (“Aunt Franne”) to enlightened consumerism (“Icarus was Right”). One of its most informative pieces is an interview with Christina Kelly, former editor of Sassy magazine (“Noise”).

For a copy of The Zine Yearbook, send $5 and your return address to: Jen Angel, PO Box 590514, San Francisco, 94159. — Stuart Wade

This article appears in October 10 • 1997 and October 10 • 1997 (Cover).

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