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CALLGIRL : Confessions of a Double Life
Deeply personal and moving, Callgirl challenges the commonly-held notions of the world's oldest profession as a pernicious industry peopled by amoral sex addicts.
248 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
May 5, 2013
I learned two things from this book, and neither of them were about the sex industry.
The first one is this:
Jeannette Angell (or the character she plays in this book) thinks -- no, scratch that, she KNOWS -- that she is smarter than you. Than me. Than everyone who's going to pick up this book. She constantly mentions how educated she is (two masters and a difficult PhD!), name drops lecturing at places like MIT and Harvard, and never misses a chance to mention what an AMAZING teacher she is. It's all summed up in this one sentence. To give context, she's describing her madam, and how her madam, Peach, isn't exactly what most people would picture. She says:
"She knew more about the classics of literature than I (and, I'll venture to guess, you) ever will."
In other words, if Peach is smarter than Ms. Angell, then clearly Peach is smarter than you as well. Because there's no way you're as smart as Jeannette.
The second thing I learned is that the author (or, again, the character she plays) absolutely needs to feel, to be, special. Whether it's because Mario the client will tell her things he doesn't tell anyone else, or because she's impacting her students' lives so profoundly, or because SHE's the only employee of Peach that Peach wanted to hang out with, the overwhelming need to feel special and important is clearly the author's driving force.
Needless to say, I found the author's tone and style of writing to be unbelievably grating.
On top of that, I'm not exactly sure what the theme or point of the book was. To help us shed our myths about sex workers? Well, such as what? That sex workers are nymphos just trying to get as much sex as they can? Sorry, I do sex and rape research for a living, I pretty much knew that already. That it's not necessarily degrading, that it can in fact be empowering? Frankly, that was definitely one of those "show, not tell" circumstances, because she mentions more than once how angry she gets when people use the word "degrading" to refer to prostitution, and while I agree that SHAMING prostitutes is horrible and evil and wrong wrong wrong, the fact is several of the incidents she describes in her book I WOULD have found 100% degrading. Ultimately, I think her goal was to show how the stereotype of sex workers is inaccurate, but she was so busy also explaining why she was so very different than most other sex workers that it ultimately has the opposite effect.
Also of note is that apparently this so-called memoir is very much fictionalized to be more juicy or perhaps to sell more copies? For example, she actually taught high school, not college. What's hilarious is she claims she kept some of the fictionalized stuff in her memoir to make herself "look better." But the fact is, she didn't. She just...didn't look better AT ALL. She should have gone either full-on autobiography or full on fiction. But this strange mishmash of insanity just served to make her look bad, the sex industry as a whole look bad (which she claims was the opposite of her intention) and me really frusrated and annoyed with this book.
EDIT: And you'll be interested to know that on Angell's own website, this book is listed under "novels." Despite the fact that the book itself clearly tries to pass itself off as a memoir. Not a Gaston Leroux "The Opera Ghost really existed," let's play with the line between fiction and journalism as a literary gimmick type thing, but a serious, no tongue in cheek, memoir. As in, the inside of the book has itself categorized as "20th century -- Biography." So basically it's A Million Little Pieces for the sex industry.
The first one is this:
Jeannette Angell (or the character she plays in this book) thinks -- no, scratch that, she KNOWS -- that she is smarter than you. Than me. Than everyone who's going to pick up this book. She constantly mentions how educated she is (two masters and a difficult PhD!), name drops lecturing at places like MIT and Harvard, and never misses a chance to mention what an AMAZING teacher she is. It's all summed up in this one sentence. To give context, she's describing her madam, and how her madam, Peach, isn't exactly what most people would picture. She says:
"She knew more about the classics of literature than I (and, I'll venture to guess, you) ever will."
In other words, if Peach is smarter than Ms. Angell, then clearly Peach is smarter than you as well. Because there's no way you're as smart as Jeannette.
The second thing I learned is that the author (or, again, the character she plays) absolutely needs to feel, to be, special. Whether it's because Mario the client will tell her things he doesn't tell anyone else, or because she's impacting her students' lives so profoundly, or because SHE's the only employee of Peach that Peach wanted to hang out with, the overwhelming need to feel special and important is clearly the author's driving force.
Needless to say, I found the author's tone and style of writing to be unbelievably grating.
On top of that, I'm not exactly sure what the theme or point of the book was. To help us shed our myths about sex workers? Well, such as what? That sex workers are nymphos just trying to get as much sex as they can? Sorry, I do sex and rape research for a living, I pretty much knew that already. That it's not necessarily degrading, that it can in fact be empowering? Frankly, that was definitely one of those "show, not tell" circumstances, because she mentions more than once how angry she gets when people use the word "degrading" to refer to prostitution, and while I agree that SHAMING prostitutes is horrible and evil and wrong wrong wrong, the fact is several of the incidents she describes in her book I WOULD have found 100% degrading. Ultimately, I think her goal was to show how the stereotype of sex workers is inaccurate, but she was so busy also explaining why she was so very different than most other sex workers that it ultimately has the opposite effect.
Also of note is that apparently this so-called memoir is very much fictionalized to be more juicy or perhaps to sell more copies? For example, she actually taught high school, not college. What's hilarious is she claims she kept some of the fictionalized stuff in her memoir to make herself "look better." But the fact is, she didn't. She just...didn't look better AT ALL. She should have gone either full-on autobiography or full on fiction. But this strange mishmash of insanity just served to make her look bad, the sex industry as a whole look bad (which she claims was the opposite of her intention) and me really frusrated and annoyed with this book.
EDIT: And you'll be interested to know that on Angell's own website, this book is listed under "novels." Despite the fact that the book itself clearly tries to pass itself off as a memoir. Not a Gaston Leroux "The Opera Ghost really existed," let's play with the line between fiction and journalism as a literary gimmick type thing, but a serious, no tongue in cheek, memoir. As in, the inside of the book has itself categorized as "20th century -- Biography." So basically it's A Million Little Pieces for the sex industry.
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April 6, 2025Calificar las autobiografías siempre me sienta mal porque me resulta un tanto imposible "calificar" la experiencia de otro, aunque claramente el rating se puede basar en lo literario y no lo dicho, pero aún así me sigue sentando mal. Jajajaja.
July 2, 2010
When writing a book about being a prostitute, perhaps don't act so superior to OTHER working girls. She came off as a total self-obsessed jerk. Plus, the writing was poor so I'm not so sure why she was teaching anywhere.
January 29, 2008
Who would have thought that a book about a professor moonlighting as a callgirl could be long and boring. Angel has managed that feat and more. She spends most of the time complaining that all prostitutes are stereotyped as various things (while frequently engaging in these stereotypical behaviors) yet she generalizes the entire male population as one giant stereotype. She's frequently insulting and just plain a poor writer. Go read something else.
January 30, 2019
Üniversitede ders aldığınız bir profesörün bir zamanlar telekız olduğunu bilseydiniz ne düşünürdünüz? Açın ve okuyun derim...
April 12, 2010
Halfway to 100 for 2010; this was the 50th book I've read this year, and a good one at that. So far, it's the most illuminating first-person account of prostitution I've read. In the '90s, Angell turned to working for what she calls a "mid-level escort service" -- something halfway between streewalkers and pimps on the lower rung and the most exclusive escort services for the most wealthy clients at the top level. As adjunct sociology lecturer at a Boston-area college, trying to get her foot in the door of Ivy League academia, she was heavily in debt and needed a source of lucrative income quickly. She answered a recruitment ad in a community newspaper and was accepted by the agency's proprietress, a smooth but comparatively decent example of her type named "Peach." Angell, by day was Jen the professor, and by night was "Tia" the lady of the evening. The book chronicles her adventures among her many Boston clientele, from mentally retarded young men who scraped their pennies together to be with a woman to mysterious mafioso types with ready cash. Along the way there are relatively decent clients contrasted with some jerks and at least one who was downright dangerous.
Throughout the book, Angell continually reflects on what she is doing, why she is doing it and what she thinks about society's double standards and misconceptions about the oldest profession. The book's tone is conversational, not especially literary, and so is an easy read. Angell's voice often seems elitist and condescending -- whether she intends it to be or not -- especially when referring to common street whores as compared to herself and also when speaking about most of her clients. A lot of reviewers of the book have had problems with that, but Angell is who she is, an educated woman seeing things from that POV and I can't fault the book for the occasional snarky sarcasm; there's too much to learn from it. I don't like to shoot the messenger if there's a lot to be gleaned from the message.
In many ways, Angell had it better than most escorts; the agency she worked for was well run and relatively safe by the standards of most operations. And she made a lot of money. Ironically, it was not until she developed and offered a sociology course on prostitution (while she was still living her secret double life) that her reputation and cache as a college professor began to rise. The course was so popular that the university administration took positive notice, and it boosted her career.
The book does a good job of describing the nature and mechanics of the business without being exceedingly sexually graphic. There's a good, extensive bibliography of other books on the subject in the appendix.
Throughout the book, Angell continually reflects on what she is doing, why she is doing it and what she thinks about society's double standards and misconceptions about the oldest profession. The book's tone is conversational, not especially literary, and so is an easy read. Angell's voice often seems elitist and condescending -- whether she intends it to be or not -- especially when referring to common street whores as compared to herself and also when speaking about most of her clients. A lot of reviewers of the book have had problems with that, but Angell is who she is, an educated woman seeing things from that POV and I can't fault the book for the occasional snarky sarcasm; there's too much to learn from it. I don't like to shoot the messenger if there's a lot to be gleaned from the message.
In many ways, Angell had it better than most escorts; the agency she worked for was well run and relatively safe by the standards of most operations. And she made a lot of money. Ironically, it was not until she developed and offered a sociology course on prostitution (while she was still living her secret double life) that her reputation and cache as a college professor began to rise. The course was so popular that the university administration took positive notice, and it boosted her career.
The book does a good job of describing the nature and mechanics of the business without being exceedingly sexually graphic. There's a good, extensive bibliography of other books on the subject in the appendix.
June 30, 2009
I liked the idea of this book, but at about the halfway point I really started to dislike her. I can't really put my finger on why, but I think it's how she described her abilities as a teacher despite a borderline coke and booze problem and kind of a lack of self-awareness. IDK, she came across and haughty, even though she was trying to be self-effacing. Strange, strange book.
July 24, 2008
i read this book when it first came out, and it was just called "callgirl." i even checked the book, which i still have, to confirm this. they later added on the "ivy league lady of pleasure" bit...this pretty aptly demonstrates just how dumb this book is.
October 17, 2012
Boring. Read half. Life's too short for a bad book
April 16, 2015
I didn't like her, her self importance or her writing style. I won't be reading Madam
April 4, 2019
This was an excellent book. I learned a lot about a subject I knew nothing about.
July 26, 2021
This was great! Anthropology that reads like a novel.
May 17, 2016
I don't really know why I bought this book--it was quite some time ago, so the reasons have slipped my mind. Anyway, this was interesting. It's a memoir by a PhD whose work as an adjunct professor (yes, at Harvard, among other schools) didn't pay the bills (surprise, surprise), so she became a high-priced "escort" on the side.
The book was certainly entertaining, as you can imagine. It provides a good snapshot of what her life was like and discusses a number of pertinent issues related to prostitution--the author taught women's studies courses, so she's uniquely placed to comment on her own situation from both the objective and the insider points of view. She's a bit defensive about her choice to become a callgirl, but that's understandable--a lot of people do demonize prostitutes while overlooking the fact that they wouldn't be doing it if there weren't (a lot of) people willing to pay for it.
Not a perfect book but, overall, definitely worth reading.
The book was certainly entertaining, as you can imagine. It provides a good snapshot of what her life was like and discusses a number of pertinent issues related to prostitution--the author taught women's studies courses, so she's uniquely placed to comment on her own situation from both the objective and the insider points of view. She's a bit defensive about her choice to become a callgirl, but that's understandable--a lot of people do demonize prostitutes while overlooking the fact that they wouldn't be doing it if there weren't (a lot of) people willing to pay for it.
Not a perfect book but, overall, definitely worth reading.
May 24, 2014
Extremely disappointed in the quality of the writing given that it was written by a former college professor who uses every chance she gets to tell the reader how intelligent, educated and talented she is. What I expected to be an interesting read ended up being boring and I had to force myself to finish it. I didn't find anything insightful about her book, and find that the subject has been explored far more successfully, ironically, by authors who didn't actually live the life of a call girl. I expected that her experience would make all the difference, that I would understand the profession better if it was a first hand account, but sadly that was not so. Its a poorly written book about what should be an interesting story. The book is littered with cliched phrases and obvious observations. If you want to read a good book about prostitution I would keep searching. Even the passages where she describes sex with clients managed to be boring.
July 28, 2008
Good book although it was a little bit "preachy" in certain areas. The author states over and over again that not all callgirls are sex-crazed and often are working for financial gain vs. simply fulfilling their sexual needs – which makes me wonder is she trying to convince the reader or herself? It was an enjoyable read and very informative but occasionally it felt as if I was reading a lecture instead of a memoir.
March 25, 2009
Not what i would call erotica more of a story of a womans life as a call girl and such.
The most funny paragraph in the whole book is when she says she is on a call getting it from behind whilst leaning over a counter watching the fish go around this guys fish tank. That bit really made me laugh like haha marriage is just like that lay down and stare at the ceiling the sex is that good haha
The most funny paragraph in the whole book is when she says she is on a call getting it from behind whilst leaning over a counter watching the fish go around this guys fish tank. That bit really made me laugh like haha marriage is just like that lay down and stare at the ceiling the sex is that good haha
March 16, 2013
Absolutely loved this book. I think the sociology and anthropology of this topic was perfectly told by the author. Anecdotal, real, and humanizing to a subject that has such a biased past.
April 25, 2023
O biografie interesanta a vietii unei prostituate, racolata nu de pe trotuar sau centura cum ar fi la noi ci la telefon. Este o carte psihologica despre viata dubla pe care Tia -numele de prostituata sau Janne in viata de zi cu zi, o are ca si Call-girl. Din cauza ca fostul ei iubit o paraseste luand cu el si ultimii bani din cont este nevoita sa isi mai gaseasca un alt loc de munca pentru a putea sa isi platesca facturile si chiria. Jeannette preda cateva cursuri la universitate dar nu era suficient sa isi plateasca facturile. Un anunt intr-un ziar o vor face sa sune si sa accepte o intalnire cu un potential client. Castiga doua sute de dolari intr-o ora. O parte din ei ii revenea celei care se ocupa de retea numita generic Peach de catre scriitoare iar restul ii reveneau ei. Trebuia sa respecte o confidentialitate si mici reguli de siguranta atat pentru ea cat si pentru Peach. Povestea vrea sa fie o analiza a profesiei de prostituata. De ce este asa de greu de admis ca este o profesie si de ce nu poate fi tratata ca atare la fel cum sunt mersul la o firma de calculatoare, la bursa sau la cursuri. In acelasi timp Jeannette incearca sa isi explice diferentele dintre o fi o tarfa si o Call-girl. Incearca sa dovedeasca ca si prostituia poate fi tratata ca o meserie si ca o call girl nu este la dispozitia oricarui oricand ci conform unui orar, de noapte sau de zi. Desi e constienta ca progresul este foarte mare in unele domenii in cel al prostitutie este in urma cu cel putin doua sute de ani. Si acest fapt ii este dovedit chiar de cel mai bun prieten al ei, Seth care credea ea, ca este cel mai dezinvolt si mai putin rasist om. Doar ca atunci cand ii dezvaluie ce facea in timpul cand nu era profesoara, el ii cere sa ii faca o felatie daca tot devenise prostituata. Ca pana la urma ce era o call-girl? Nu-i tot o tarfa? Mie mi-a placut mult cartea si este extrem de realista. Si povestile ei de la intlnirile cu cei mai deiversi barbati sunt foarte interesante.
December 30, 2019
As is my trend of never heading the age old advice “don’t judge a book by its cover” I picked this book up at a uni book sale for like two bucks. An utterly enthralling story, reminding me why I enjoy reading at a time when I had kind of fallen out of the hobby.
I found it extremely interesting and devoured it quite quickly, but a couple years later I remember only the vague plot so it hasn’t stuck with me. It’s written in a tone of voice that I think matches the era in which the story is set, it’s not exactly current to parade around a gay bff because it makes you a standout in acceptance, or the sex positivity whilst still kinda putting down women. Idealistically I’d like to think that the more openness and understanding of sex work and it’s pitfalls, etc today, is due in part to novels like this and lecturer’s like the author teaching about it and how society needs to get better with such topics.
Seeing the other reviews, I don’t recall it being very preachy and all ‘look how smart I am’ I just kind of read it as yeah there’s a super educated woman this is crucial contrast in the story to her second job. Idk but I was also at uni when I read this and everyone there has the low key vibes of being pompous about how smart they are cause they’re at University so maybe I missed how obnoxious it was because it was the same as my environment. (See look even I still have it dropping in uni twice into a review like hey make sure you know this idiot did the thing).
I found it extremely interesting and devoured it quite quickly, but a couple years later I remember only the vague plot so it hasn’t stuck with me. It’s written in a tone of voice that I think matches the era in which the story is set, it’s not exactly current to parade around a gay bff because it makes you a standout in acceptance, or the sex positivity whilst still kinda putting down women. Idealistically I’d like to think that the more openness and understanding of sex work and it’s pitfalls, etc today, is due in part to novels like this and lecturer’s like the author teaching about it and how society needs to get better with such topics.
Seeing the other reviews, I don’t recall it being very preachy and all ‘look how smart I am’ I just kind of read it as yeah there’s a super educated woman this is crucial contrast in the story to her second job. Idk but I was also at uni when I read this and everyone there has the low key vibes of being pompous about how smart they are cause they’re at University so maybe I missed how obnoxious it was because it was the same as my environment. (See look even I still have it dropping in uni twice into a review like hey make sure you know this idiot did the thing).
February 13, 2021
Ok so this is not my usual genre, but having being gifted the book I decided to give it a chance. I thought the author kept the story flowing and under different circumstances was probably a good writer. However, my big issue with the story was just who was the audience supposed to be? The cover made it appear to be fun chic lit but then the author made it clear this was real life memoirs of the part of her life when she was a call girl. The author seemed to desperately want to get across that she was intellectually intelligent and there was lots of academic ‘knowledge’ thrown in there. At one point it started to veer off into the psychology around prostitution and felt like i was reading research material rather than a story book. Some parts are sexually graphic when running through the different types of clients and their needs, again felt this was a teaching of them though. Found myself spending half of the book hoping she would just concentrate on her teaching job and stop this extra job as felt like a ticking time bomb. I suspect this author would do better trying chic lit as the flow and writing were good.
November 20, 2021
A couple of little spoilers.
The story was written in such a choppy way. One page is talking about one thing and then on the next page the story has gotten lost and it is a different story. Or one part of the story starts somewhere in the first few chapters and is then completed 4 or 5 chapters later.
I also felt like the writer focused so much on her ability to have sex, which as we all know the writer is super humble about. LOL! 'I'm very good at sex, opps.. NO WAIT I'M THE BEST AT SEX'
I feel as though I learned nothing about the sex trade industry except that it is dangerous (I already figured) and that even a female 'pimp' is willing to send you into a situation they know is going to go badly. I read a lot about how Peach (? I can't be bothered remembering) cared so much about the women and sticks up for them and blah blah blah... Yeah, ok, she sent the writer to a guys house that she knew would hurt her, has also hurt the other women she has sent there, Peach wasn't forthcoming with that information. Come on, that isn't being caring or looking out for the women she employs, that is about the cash, all about getting paid.
The story was written in such a choppy way. One page is talking about one thing and then on the next page the story has gotten lost and it is a different story. Or one part of the story starts somewhere in the first few chapters and is then completed 4 or 5 chapters later.
I also felt like the writer focused so much on her ability to have sex, which as we all know the writer is super humble about. LOL! 'I'm very good at sex, opps.. NO WAIT I'M THE BEST AT SEX'
I feel as though I learned nothing about the sex trade industry except that it is dangerous (I already figured) and that even a female 'pimp' is willing to send you into a situation they know is going to go badly. I read a lot about how Peach (? I can't be bothered remembering) cared so much about the women and sticks up for them and blah blah blah... Yeah, ok, she sent the writer to a guys house that she knew would hurt her, has also hurt the other women she has sent there, Peach wasn't forthcoming with that information. Come on, that isn't being caring or looking out for the women she employs, that is about the cash, all about getting paid.
June 28, 2024
Another one I randomly found at the library and loved! I think this may have been my favorite memoir that I read. I really appreciated just learning from Angell's experiences of being a callgirl and professor. The way she related her jobs to the other and her conflicts with keeping each life a secret from the other was interesting to me. It was entertaining and eye-opening. Would highly recommend to any of the girls who want a little peek into the whole sex work thing. We could all learn a thing or two from this one.
Also appreciated how she adds a whole list of books at the end in case you're interested in learning more!
Also appreciated how she adds a whole list of books at the end in case you're interested in learning more!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 5, 2017
I feel like the title was a slight marketing ploy.
Why are we drawn to titles like this? Because for most of us it is so far from our lives we find it interesting what makes someone choose such a profession.
I feel this was more of an autobiography of someone with a relatively ordinary and regular life who for a couple of years decided to work as a call girl.
I found the constant university talk and philosophical thoughts/chat not that interesting.
Why are we drawn to titles like this? Because for most of us it is so far from our lives we find it interesting what makes someone choose such a profession.
I feel this was more of an autobiography of someone with a relatively ordinary and regular life who for a couple of years decided to work as a call girl.
I found the constant university talk and philosophical thoughts/chat not that interesting.
September 3, 2018
The book was not sleazy, but I could not warm to the author of this first person account of supplementing her college lecturer job with being a call girl. She was pretty full of her insights and definitive about being right about various issues. It crystallized that she was not my kind of person when she says being paid for sex was not that different than some of her dates: one time she gave into having sex as she was so tired, it was easier than arguing with the guy.
October 3, 2022
The second half of the book is far stronger than the first, a much more reflective and nuanced reflection of her experience in the wider context of society. The first half feels falsely glib and seemed very judgmental, though finishing the book I realised it was more her trying to capture her early naivety and misconceptions.
This book is weirdly dated by 90s slang and references to VCRs which is just a product of the time, but it's unexpectedly jarring ("mall-speak"?)
This book is weirdly dated by 90s slang and references to VCRs which is just a product of the time, but it's unexpectedly jarring ("mall-speak"?)
July 2, 2019
A very interesting and at times enlightening look inside the world of the call girl. every man should read this, it dispels some of the preconceived Ideas we hold on the lives of call girls and prostitution in general. very well written book.
September 2, 2021
yavaş ilerledi, bu sürekli dinleyemediğim bıcır bıcır konuşan türde bir yazardı, biraz eskimiş olsa da ilginç sosyolojik tespitler vardı, böyle bir hikayeyi kalburüstü bir eğitime sahip birinden dinlemek de ayrı bir ilginçlik oldu...
January 6, 2017
Interesting read, though the writing was a little awkward. Being a call girl is nothing like the movies, even a "nice" one. Duh.
January 12, 2017
The author brings a fascinating perspective through both her own experience and her background as a social anthropologist. It's a surprising thought-provoking book
November 29, 2018
Loved it... the Truth and honesty ...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews