Vanilla Slim: An Improbable Pimp in the Empire of Lust

This is a look at the sex industry through the eyes of self confessed philosopher-pimp. It is sure to raise debate and garner reviews. Armstrong is a strong writer who's style is similar to Bukowski. Articulate, argumentative, engaging, and with an intelligent sense of humor, Armstrong is the philosopher-pimp: a college-educated, 50-something-year-old man, hip to San Francisco's various ethnic and cultural scenes, and hip to the history of the city. Charging $500 a session with one of his Zen Dolls, he was no street-walking, violent pimp. He's a cultural and sex industry critic, whose run-ins with escorts in the past and desperate need to live a life of danger led him to think there was some good money and good times to be had by running a high-end operation. This book is beautifully described in a kind of Bukowski-esque style. Also, Armstrong relates the stories of his Zen Dolls with surprising compassion and insight. Never speaking of them in disparaging terms, analyzing why they've turned to prostitution, and compassionately fleshing out his favorite girl, Havana, for whom he was more than just a pimp.
Armstrong's rise and fall is a rollercoaster ride through a life lived on the edge.