Rating: 
Summary: A Peek into the Mind of One Stripper
Review: I really enjoyed this book. I have always been curious about what would motivate a woman to stand up on a stage and take off her clothes. After reading this book, I now understand that there is no one reason, that both the "stripper as victim" and the "glorious empowerment" school of thought both seem to be right and wrong. In other words, there are probably as many reasons to strip as there are strippers.Finally, the tone of the book is very lighthearted. Lily seems to fill this whole book with a very healthy sense of humor. She is not the spokesperson for the entire profession., it's her story and it is fun to read. I look forward to her next book.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Hard Look
Review: Lily Burana has taken us across the country to entertain and enlighten us as to the world of the stripper. She writes well and her anecdotes are interesting and definitely hold the reader's attention, she does addresses the myriad of conflicts, tribulations and hypocracies that strippers face but does not penetrate them as deeply as her contemporary, Eaves.
Rating: 
Summary: Don't Quit Your Night Job
Review: In Strip City, Lilly Burana uses the written word to amplify every insecurity and contradiction that have been "buried deep inside" while the reader searches and searches for the strip club "comparative study" that is implied in the first few chapters.
A self-proclaimed feminist and high school GED educated writer, Burana tells the gentle reader about how she hooks up with a toothless cowboy and feels not quite ready to commit to him in holy matrimony...what is missing here?? An "cross country" stripping marathon/study. Interesting right? Well the "cross country farewell" only includes her dancing at a handful of clubs in western states, excluding major stripping meccas such as New Orleans and Atlanta (she just stays one night in Las Vegas: it was too competitive), and even at that she is so caught up talking about working at peep shows in NYC (totally different than clubs) that you can hardly follow where she is going with the "farewell".
The book gets very weak at the end. I think her editor had been inhailing something during the initial reading. Burana's use of "obscure" literary and pop-culture references to desparately tell her readers "see I am smart, I am not like them, I have my GED"--is so tiring.
This feminist, intellectual poseur be should consider keeping with her career choice as a dancer (not a writer).
Rating:
Summary: A Lasting Impression
Review: If you've ever been curious about how a dancer views those that view her, this book will go a long way toward satisfying your curiosity. I desired to get to know the person behind the "body" and Lily described her experiences as a dancer candidly.Her views on customers and the unavoidable emotional extremes experienced in this highly charged environment will leave a lasting impression on you.
Rating:
Summary: A Fascinating Peep Show into the Life of a Former Stripper
Review: When I ordered this book, I wasn't sure what to expect, or if it would even be worth my time. But, it became instantly apparent from the first few pages, that the author is both an incredibly intelligent and gifted writer. I am not a dancer, but my curiosity has led me to occasionally wander into a local strip club with a few of my more open-minded friends. (Yes, even Salt Lake City has strip clubs, although with a few more regulations!) I respect and appreciate Lily's candor and humor, as well as her non-judgmental and humane exploration of various strip clubs throughout the U.S. While it may be easy for some to make harshly critical judgements based on hearsay or personal opinion of the strip scene, Lily presents her story in a way that is non-offensive, creating an atmosphere of comraderie with her readers. I recommend this hard-to-put-down book to anyone, regardless of their personal opinions (positive or negative) of the sex industry. It gives a truly illuminating glimpse into this age-old, lucrative business.
Rating:
Summary: A Layman's Perspective
Review: Not ever having been involved in the stripping business myself, nor knowing anyone who has, I was very interested in reading about Lily Burana's adventures stripping across the country. What I read actually took me quite by surprise. The life of a stripper is anything but a piece of cake and like Lily many of the women are smart and ambitious rather than helpless victims. I was completely taken by surprise by some of the things I learned in this book like the fact that Burana was a stripper at one time in her life effects so many of her relationships with people near to her. But luckily for her she does find her Mr. Right who does not care about her stripping past or her soon-to-be stripping present. See, faced with her impending wedding, she decides to dust off her stiletto heels and go back to the occupation she had given up years earlier. Her reasoning is to find some saving grace in a rough period of her life. Throughout her journey she lays it all out on the table for us, the reader. We learn insider tricks and taboos. For instance, many strippers have to pay the club a fee to dance on their stage and it is never a good thing when a stripper calls you, 'Honey.' During the cross-country adventure there are many ups and downs. Times when she feels compelled to continue stripping forever and others when she thinks she can no longer go on. Ultimately, though, she comes to terms with herself and where her life has lead her. This book is much more than a sexual romp and I think many who may be put off by the theme would find themselves not only enjoying this book but even becoming sympathetic.
Rating:
Summary: Not just a stripper-turned-writer but a real WRITER!
Review: This is a beautifully written, funny, touching, insightful book about not just being a stripper, but about growing up. I can only guess that some of the surprisingly nasty reviews here are from people who either a)haven't grown up themselves of b)would greatly prefer that women never gain enough self-confidence and self-awareness to realize that they could accomplish more than looking pretty and flashing their privates upon demand. I was a dancer, myself, and found it to be all the things, good and bad, that Burana describes. Above all, she's a hell of writer--a bonafide major talent who doesn't have to rely on her breasts anymore to get attention. That seems to be what pisses some people off the most. Clearly, sexism lives. If you want to knock it down a peg, though, get this book.
Rating:
Summary: wow what a wild ride
Review: this book was awsome. i too am a former dancer and i found this book right on target. this is a book about the REAL life of a stripper. not some media sell of our supposed life. for those that expect a tittilating tale with pictures you will be dissapointed, for those of you seeking a peek behind the scenes, you got it, this is the REAL deal.
Rating: 
Summary: False hope
Review: I borrowed a copy of STRIP CITY by Lily Burana hoping for funny, sexy or at least interesting stories about the world of stripping. Instead, I repeatedly started and then skipped ahead from one section to the next, finding the author's wordy style boring. Finally, realizing my hopes were false, I returned STRIP CITY without having finished it. Were Burana not a hot-looking woman with a salivating past, I wonder if an editor (male editor, anyway) would have published this book. Another false hope: at least a few STRIP CITY pictures? Except for the head shot in the dustcover, there are zero photographs. How can a book about a stripper not even have one photo that shows her body? I guess author Lily Burana's in-person charms made the male editors let that, along with her deadly dull prose, slip by. Don't get your hopes up over STRIP CITY.
Rating:
Summary: Read this book in 2 days!
Review: I had a hard time putting this book down. As a former dancer I have worked in clubs like that. I felt like I was on stage next to her. She made no attempts to hide things like drug abuse or poor behavior by the customers. A thoroughly honest account.
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