Understanding the Male Huslter

In his introduction, Haworth Press editor John P. De Cecco bemoans the ``paucity of studies'' on male prostitutes and exalts Steward's ``inside'' look at hustling. What follows is hardly a serious examination. Steward also is known as Phil Andros, ``author of classic gay erotica/porn,'' and this book reads like a soft-core porn novel. It consists of a cheesy dialogue between Steward and his persona Phil Andros, who is portrayed here as a former hustler Steward himself never hustled; his knowledge comes from his experience as a tattoo artist; he also served as ``confidant and father-confessor to scores of hustlers.'' Steward lusts after Andros's Greek physique throughout their dialogue (at volume's end, they are on the verge of taking each other's clothes off). In the course of Steward's ``interview,'' we learn the specifics of hustler sex, the hustler's love of the good life, and the limitations of age upon a prostitute's professional life. The book is at once crass and pretentious, attempting to appeal both to readers looking for a cheap thrill and to intellectuals interested in hearing Steward invoke gay literary figures like Walt Whitman and Jean Genet. (July)