Index

by Peter Sotos

Peter Sotos, the writer who 'rapes a blank page', whose pen is 'the verbal knife of a sadist', is now regarded as perhaps the most important modern writer on pornography. In this new edition of Index, he casts a savage eye over those enslaved, degraded and ultimately destroyed by sex. Reporting back candidly at human lives entwined with pornography, prostitution, drug abuse, murder, and anonymous, unprotected sexual encounters, Sotos also exposes the media hypocrisy surrounding these issues with ruthless clarity.

Genres: Fiction, True Crime, Horror, Sexuality, American, Literature, Crime

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Peter Sotos (born April 17, 1960) is a Chicago-born writer who has contributed an unprecedented examination of the peculiar motivations of sadistic sexual criminals. His works are often cited as conveying an uncanny understanding of myriad aspects of pornography. Most of his writings have focused on sexually violent pornography, particularly of that involving children. His writings are also considered by many to be social criticism often commenting on the hypocritical way media handles these issues.

In 1984, while attending The Art Institute of Chicago, Sotos began producing a self-published newsletter or "fanzine" named Pure, notable as the first zine dedicated to serial killer lore. Much of the text and pictures in Pure were photocopied images from major newspapers and other print media. Sotos also used a photocopy from a magazine of child pornography as the cover of issue#2 of Pure. In 1986 this cover led to his arrest and charges of obscenity and possession of child pornography. The charges of obscenity were dropped, but Sotos eventually pled guilty to the possession charge and received a suspended sentence. Sotos was the first person in the United States ever to be charged for owning child pornography.

Sotos' writings explore sadistic and pedophilic sexual impulses in their many, often hidden, guises. Often using first person narratives, his prose takes on the point of view of the sexual predator. Despite his early legal troubles, and the seemingly fatal stigma of falsely being labeled a pedophile, Sotos continues to garner support for his ideas and literary output.

He was until 2003 a seminal member of the industrial noise band Whitehouse.

Reviews

[использовать жизнь как кинжалом · Rating 4 out of 5]

disturbing. visceral. raw. powerful. you are there amongst the pages, amongst the stories and the scenarios. you are the character(s), you are the narrator(s), you are part of the crime(s). you take it all in and never expel it for it stays within you and takes up residence inside your soul. you read the filth and the filth becomes you

[Tammy]

i felt like i needed a shower after this one

[Raphael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peter Sotos may be one of the most misunderstood writers of the century. An incredible talent in writing, mixing facts and dramatization, blurring lines between the characters, the narrator and the reader.

Most of the controversies about him must have been started by people who never read his books. The subject is writing about is being the source of the unnecessary harassments but very few had actually try to see how he is treating the subject.

Index is my first Sotos book, the only one I could find online (I am living in Asia with very limited access to English books) and it is in french ! Luckily my first language but I would have loved to read it in English.

How come people can suspect peter Sotos of perversion, I read a writer who has high moral value and hates most of his characters. He makes them repugnant with not a single redemption hint. He cruelly describes horrible people with all their contempt to others.

I didn’t feel too far from littell’s kindly one : actually Jonathan Littell included incest as an additional downfall of his hero. The other difference is that one is a respected author, the other thrown to the dogs.

Everyone is free to critic after they have been exposed to the work of an author and not only hearing about the subject of his writing. Houellebecq was criticized the same way before being recognized.

Peter please don’t give up

[Dana Jerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Private. Specific. Sold."
Some of the most intense erotic writing you will ever encounter.

[Doug Brunell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let's be clear. Peter Sotos is NOT an acquired taste. Reading Sotos is not a passive activity. You are not a captive audience. You are a participant. You are willing. You are victim. When Sotos writes about things he understands far more clearly than most people (crime, pornography, abuse of children), you can either turn away (as most do), or attempt to understand (as most should). Sotos creates maps to the dark places of his mind, your mind, predator's mind, prey's mind. "Index" is no different.

This should be stated. Don't expect story. Don't expect happy. You will come away from this book (and his many others) different. Moved. Maybe to tears.

And, at the end, ask yourself: Are you partaking in pig, or are you pig?

[Δκнғ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like the old saying goes, "Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he might pleasure himself with one or two of its excess."

[Tony · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was recommended this book by a long time friend who has pretty similar tastes in art as me. This was the first time I heard the name Peter Sotos, and upon researching this book I was quite shocked to find out what he does. It's no secret that Peter Sotos is a sexual deviant under all of his poetically grotesque prose and warped philosophy. If you know, you know. It's a very contradictory style of writing, because I can never tell if Sotos feels complete sympathy for his characters or rather 'depictions' in a world of sexual perversion and obsession, or complete hate. His writing is self-destructive and self-gratifying. There are things here that only an egotist with severe neurosis could come up with, but it makes for such a captivating read.

[Ken Parker]

Probably my favorite work by sotos. Pretty hard to describe the plot but all I can say is that Peter brings us into a hypnosis that only the masters can do. Dirty porno arcade booth blowjobs and anon sex coupled with tales and real stories of child abuse and echos a sense of grief and anger unparalleled by any other writers.

[The Elf of the Ostfront Harlot of Eros Hannahlore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peter Sotos's writing is bleak and erotic and brilliant.

[Rachel M]

Erm……… I’m not even sure how to rate this ha ha! I feel like I should be hanging around a back street porn shop!

[Mike Arrani · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty funny, but I don't really see the point. Seems like one of those postmodernist things I'm too stupid to understand.

[Aaron Schuschu]

Not as intense as other Sotos I’ve read, but still pretty bad.

[Acacia]

It smells like a perfume -- a type of cologne. I shouldn't have read anything by Peter Sotos but I'm glad I did. All of his work smells like a certain perfume, this type of cologne: not really cheap, I don't think. But also not very expressive: it's a dampening smell, and a really very much muted itself. A muted and dampening scent.