Since we're officially into 2007... I want to draw your attention to a book that's coming out in a few months. It's called How Sassy Changed My Life: A Love Letter to the Greatest Teen Magazine of All Time," by Marissa Meltzer and Kara Jesella. It actually doesn't come out until early April... but there's going to be a lot of buzz about it.... so I'm getting in my (first) entry now.
For those of you who don't know me, I was am/was/always will be a Sassy devotee. I was NOT a reader of other teen magazines when I was a teen in the late 80s (ooooh, did I just date myself horribly? Ahh well... c'est la vie). I couldn't stand YM and Seventeen and Teen... and then Sassy appeared. It was funny, smart, irreverent feminist and cool. And I fell in love. So much so that I wrote a paper during my junior year of college chronicling how it was changing what sort of role models and paradigms were being made available to teens in pop culture. I got an A on that paper... and decided to then write my senior thesis for American Studies (my minor in college) on how the representations of femininity in Sassy... and how the magazine was breaking the mould in its content and images. It was called Sassy: Corporate Zine....and writing it was one of the best, coolest experiences of my life. I interviewed Sassy staffers (especially the lovely Diane Paylor who made herself available to me, answered all my questions, invited me to the offices etc) and really started to get into all of the issues (girl culture, which women are celebrated in pop culture etc) that I discuss in All Made Up and here on DBTH.
So why am I telling you all this? Well, just in case you want to spend some time getting acquainted with Sassy before the book comes out (Wikipedia entry here!), or try to track down some copies (I have a TON...but I don't lend them out. Some come for a visit if you'd like to lounge around and read them....). It was a hugely important magazine that redefined the teen genre AND still affects teens and women's magazines today.
(Oh and full disclosure... I'm acquainted with the authors of the forthcoming book. They interviewed me for it.. but I have no idea if my comments are included or not....)
I share you love of Sassy - and I was reading it as university student in the nineties too. I'm SO sad that I got rid of all my copies in a fit of "I'm a grown-up now" in my late twenties. Gah.
Sassy was the most brilliant teen magazine ever. Thanks for the heads-up on the book!
Posted by: that girl | January 11, 2007 at 06:27 AM
How nice to stumble on your blog, Ms. Brashich!! I'm super proud of you and your accomplishments. It would really make my day to receive an autographed copy of your book. Can you make that happen? I've started a collection of books by former Sassy readers/interns and I'd love to add yours to my collection.
Kisses, hugs and all things sassy...
Diane
Posted by: Diane Paylor | February 05, 2007 at 04:21 PM