> One thing I've never understood, though, is why
Andrew Vachss dedicated
> Shella to Iceberg Slim (along with Doc Pomus). Isn't
Slim guilty of
> capitalizing on the by-product of the child abuse
Vachss has dedicated
> his life to fighting?
I've only read this one book by Iceberg Slim and nearly
everything by Vachss. Slim didn't portray the pimp life as
something to strive for. He did a good job of showing why
pimps
might be thought of as heros by some kids growing up in the
environment in which he was raised. Just as many drug dealers
are today. Those that gots the cash...
I can see where Slim and Vachss have a meeting of the minds.
Slim's numerous references to his mother's second husband
(?), Henry, clearly show how important the stability,
sense
of family, love and honor Henry demonstrated was to Slim.
Slim says over and over again that there wasn't any way his
mother could have known how important Henry was to him, as
a
father figure, as someone who represented what being a good
parent is all about. It is in those sentiments that Vachss
and Slim have much in common because they have both
experienced (Vachss through his clients; Slim personally) the
often tragic results of children being abused and/or
neglected by their caretakers.
Sch.
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