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RE/Search #11: Pranks!
A prank is a "trick, a mischievous act, a ludicrous act." Although not regarded as poetic or artistic acts, pranks constitute an art form and genre in themselves. Here pranksters such as Timothy Leary, Abbie Hoffman, Monte Cazazza, Jello Biafra, Earth First!, Joe Coleman, Karen Finley, John Waters and Henry Rollins (and more) challenge the sovereign authority of words, images & behavioral convention. This iconoclastic compendium will dazzle and delight all lovers of humor, satire and irony.
240 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1987
9 people are currently reading
374 people want to read
About the author
V. Vale
47 books112 followersJapanese-American writer and publisher. He also played keyboards for the later famous power trio Blue Cheer.
In 1977 he started to publish the punk fanzine "Search and destroy" In 1980, he began publication of RE/Search, a tabloid format zine focusing on various counterculture and underground topics.
RE/Search later became always a format for books, of which Vale is a regular contributor.
In 1977 he started to publish the punk fanzine "Search and destroy" In 1980, he began publication of RE/Search, a tabloid format zine focusing on various counterculture and underground topics.
RE/Search later became always a format for books, of which Vale is a regular contributor.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
November 28, 2018
Great photo/story book to possess, read aloud, be inspired by. I'm still telling stories I read in this. One about a cathouse for dogs was a priceless prank illuminating concern trolls long before we called them concern trolls. When I first saw it I knew "my people will be in here". It's about pranksters, folks I'd call interactive cultural anthropologists.
March 4, 2010
If you learn nothing else from this book you will at least learn this important lesson:
If you look like you belong somewhere -- people will generally ask no questions.
This is one of the most important things for an urban prankster to know.
This book is a series of interviews with people about pranks. One of the highlights is the interview with noise musician Boyd Rice. Rice also often appears as one of the interviewers.
Had this book come out more recently it would probably be called "culture jamming."
If you look like you belong somewhere -- people will generally ask no questions.
This is one of the most important things for an urban prankster to know.
This book is a series of interviews with people about pranks. One of the highlights is the interview with noise musician Boyd Rice. Rice also often appears as one of the interviewers.
Had this book come out more recently it would probably be called "culture jamming."
January 31, 2008
Among other things, I learned that one should not dress a portly child in yellow.
February 28, 2008
Pranks as an artform to provoke 'culture, state of mind, and family.' Another Re-Search masterpiece.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 19, 2021
This is probably one of the most important reads I had pleasure to consume nowadays and I am not sure that those feats described can be reproduced anymore.
Be free.
Be free.
April 1, 2008
One of my all-time favorites. I laughed until I cried for twenty minutes straight. Several times. If you're suicidal, I recommend this. Now watch, you'll probably hate it...
September 6, 2008
Loved this book when I was a teenager. It was the inspiration for all kinds of ridiculous art projects. The Jeffery Vallance stuff is my favourite.
January 5, 2016
One of the best books of all time. I read it regularly.
April 1, 2018
Read this years ago, was delighted & inspired, as with many of the first runs of ReSearch, they were splendid provocative magazines for a teen get hold of, lead to further exploration into many topics, writers, performers.
December 21, 2018
You NEED all Re/Search books ... this one in particular. Possibly their masterpiece - exactly as the title suggests, a selection of Pranks solicited from sundry underground notables. The perfect gift that keeps giving!
March 3, 2022
One of my all-time favorites
November 6, 2023
Ja man ik wil al helemaal in deze lijst van mensen worden gezet. Ik ga deel 2 vinden en lezen (orakel ik ter mijnent wille)
June 13, 2025
Yet another Re/Search classic.
March 10, 2015
This book is exquisite!
I didn't know what catagory to put it in, but decided on art because many of the folks in this book are artists, and favorites because (duh!) it is one of my favorite books.
It's a series of interviews with folks who have pulled colossal pranks. Some of these folks have been pulling pranks their whole lives. The pranks are really clever (not slapstick) and often make people question their assumptions and the things they take for granted about the world that we live in. I think this book is all about making people think and question and feel.
My one critique of this book is that hardly any women are represented. Do women not pull pranks, are they difficult to find, or did the author of this book just not try hard enough?
I didn't know what catagory to put it in, but decided on art because many of the folks in this book are artists, and favorites because (duh!) it is one of my favorite books.
It's a series of interviews with folks who have pulled colossal pranks. Some of these folks have been pulling pranks their whole lives. The pranks are really clever (not slapstick) and often make people question their assumptions and the things they take for granted about the world that we live in. I think this book is all about making people think and question and feel.
My one critique of this book is that hardly any women are represented. Do women not pull pranks, are they difficult to find, or did the author of this book just not try hard enough?
December 28, 2008
Jesse had this back when we lived in Ashland. It's a collection of underground artists recalling various pranks they've done or had done to themsleves. Entertaining, yes, but don't stop there, it could also be highly instructive for the aspiring prankster. Just don't play one on me, because I won't laugh with you at the joke--I will beat you to death.
So think about that before you plan.
So think about that before you plan.
January 3, 2011
The RE/Search series of interviews, amazing quotations, and marginalized information influenced much of my editing approach; i.e., find the people that you have the most fascinating conversations with (preferably those who other people are afraid to talk to) and publish the results. Pranks is surprisingly informative about more than just tomfoolery - situationism, the conditions of war, and the power of radio can be explored in this volume.
February 21, 2008
Chock full of crazy stories, and crazier people. Maybe the best one is the sicko who dosed his parents with acid, replaced all their white light bulbs with colored ones, shaved their poodle in punk patterns, and tossed the pup into the middle of the living room. Like pretty much the entire RE-Search output, it ain't for the squeamish.
March 11, 2009
Worth it mostly for Boyd Rice. That guy has a great attitude. After that, each interviewee has at least one funny or interesting story. The story of the Earth First "Smokey the Bear" guy fighting with the park ranger in front of little kids made me laugh out loud.
There's a lot of crazy art stuff in this book.
There's a lot of crazy art stuff in this book.
January 3, 2011
This book would be essential just for the contributions of Joey Skaggs, Abbie Hoffman, Jeffrey Vallance, and Alan Abel. But you get Joe Coleman, Karen Finley, Paul Krassner, Bob Zoell, Mark Pauline, Paul Mavrides... when I was younger I though Boyd Rice's ideas were funny as hell but now much of that stuff seems cruel and pointless.
January 7, 2008
A crazy collection of interviews, instructionals and stories that will inspire and scare you. One side band I was in - Chicken in a Casket (with a song "For the Love of Blinky") - we owe it all to one of the stories recounted in this book. Classic (but perhaps a bit dated now).
November 16, 2011
Pranks as art, art as prank. I think I really liked to read about naughty behavior, especially when it could be justified in an intellectual way. I still find this kind of stuff fascinating. Coyle and Sharp! Paul Krassner!
April 25, 2007
inspirational and very very funny
February 11, 2008
I don't usually believe in favorites, but this is an exception
April 23, 2008
This book is so full of ideas for insane pranks that the mind reels. Even if you don't play pranks, this is one of the funniest books you'll ever pick up.
June 10, 2008
Although it's probably dated now - this was always one of my favorite books. Classic from start to finish.
June 22, 2008
incredibly fun book of pranks by noteworthy and famous people...
July 1, 2008
the funniest part of this book is henry rollins "black guys scare white guys" story. i laughed my ass off!
July 21, 2008
Another amazing entry in the RE/Search catalog. The sections on Joe Coleman and Jello Biafra alone were worth the price of admission. Highly and dangerously inspiring (rubs hands conspiratorially).
September 6, 2008
Fun, weird, bizarre, brilliant "pranks" from a host of characters.
December 17, 2008
A collection of interviews with various artists, musicians, and troublemakers about pranks they had committed. Pretty awesome.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews