Comments on: in memoriam, Celeste West, revolting librarian

By: Irene Reti

Irene Reti — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 21:23:28 +0000

When I started HerBooks lesbian feminist press in 1984 Celeste West’s Passionate Perils of Publishing and later Words in Our Pockets enboldened me to do groundbreaking work and let me know that there were other women out there before me doing it! Later, I met Celeste at several feminist publishing (Women in Print) conferences and she was always zany and encouraging. I also loved her book about Elsa Gidlow. Her presence in the movement will be missed.

Irene Reti
HerBooks

By: Lydia Brown

Lydia Brown — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 21:43:33 +0000

I was just a little girl when I first met Celeste. I am now 46 years old and work in the library Celeste and my mother worked in back in the late 60’s–early 70’s. I have some very vivid memories of Celeste. Once, mom had an impromptu gathering of librarians at our flat. Celeste wore cowboy boots and proceeded to show everyone how dance flamenco. We watched in fascination–her boots made so much noise on the hardwood floor that the UPSTAIRS neighbor came down to see what was going on! We really appreciated her free spirit, and her ability to do the things she wanted to do without getting in trouble. On another occasion, she gave me my first “Women’s Liberation” pin (I was about 7 years old). I was so proud of it, though my idea of what it meant was still kind of hazy. I pinned it to the inside of my yellow cardigan, and then peeled back the lapel to show a select few people. The teenagers down the street thought it was funny, but I took it very seriously. I loved the logo–a fist surrounded by a circle, with a plus-sign at the bottom. When Celeste baby-sat us I can remember her asking in an open and friendly way, “Well, what do you wanna do now?” We were stunned into silence! Never before had a babysitter put this question to us! It made all ideas of being naughty seem unnecessary–here she was, ASKING us what we wanted to do next. We had a great time with Celeste. She was so very alive, all the time. Going back and reading the Synergy and Booklegger magazines, I really appreciate even more her sense of humor and her real zest for living. I am so sorry she is gone. –Lydia Brown

By: Kali Moyra Lang

Kali Moyra Lang — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 23:53:06 +0000

I always hoped to meet Celeste in person. I have written about Celeste’s revolutionary work for graduate courses at the University of Alberta Library School. I have been very influenced by her. Specifically I loved her response in Booklegger Magazine to women who wrote in complaining that men were contributing to the magazine…..I will plant a tree for Celeste this summer and I will honour her each Samhain!

Blessed Be

Kali

By: Martyn

Martyn — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 14:39:00 +0000

When Booklegger magazine was first published (and eventually reached this side of the Atlantic) it blew my socks off!
It was a successful and practical attempt to relate the free-spirited ideas of anarchism to the world of books and libraries. The ripples made then still reverberate down the years, and are a greater tribute than I can put it into words.

Martyn

http://booksurfer.blogspot.com

By: Andrew Wertheimer

Andrew Wertheimer — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 23:34:03 +0000

Celeste was one of the people I had really hoped to meet someday. Thanks for sharing this memorial. She was an inspiration to many of us for her passion, critical ideas, social action, great writing, and just making it all happen. Andrew

By: Aline O'Brien

Aline O'Brien — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 21:55:43 +0000

When my colleague, Christy Kearney (at that time, Chris Rasmussen), and I first ventured into independent feminist publishing, Celeste was an encouraging influence. Since then I’ve had three books published, none by an independent publisher, however. Although I didn’t know her well, I held her in high regard and appreciated her bright spirit. I’m sorry she’s gone too soon. “What is remembered lives.” May she live in the memories of those who loved her.

Blessings,
Aline O’Brien (aka M. Macha NightMare)

By: jen from LC

jen from LC — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 20:45:37 +0000

Hello Tina and friends,
We at Lesbian Connection magazine would like to offer our condolences for Celeste’s recent passing. If possible, we’d like to include something to honor her life and her many accomplishes in our next issue of LC. Would you or someone who knew her well be willing to write something about Celeste for our Passings section? If you have a picture we could publish, please send that as well. Because we’re going to press next week, we’d need to receive the passing and the photo by next Monday (Jan 21). If you can’t send something by then, that’s ok, we can hold it for the following issue. Again, we are very sorry for your loss.
For LC,
Jen

By: ResearchBuzz » » ResearchBuzz Roundup 01132008

ResearchBuzz » » ResearchBuzz Roundup 01132008 — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 11:33:37 +0000

[...] RIP Celeste West. [...]

By: Tina Perricone

Tina Perricone — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 01:18:34 +0000

Hello. I am Tina, Celeste’s partner of six years. I am organizing the memorial for Celeste at the end of February at the San Francisco Zen Center. I will be archiving all of Celeste’s writing and anyone wanting to send any of their memories or tributes can mail them to our home, Celeste’s for 30 years: Tina Perricone, 555 29th Street, San Francisco, CA 94131.

By: RIP Celeste West | Library Stuff

RIP Celeste West | Library Stuff — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 23:33:25 +0000

[...] Go read Jessamyn’s post on the original Revolting Librarian. Posted in Celeste West, Revolting | Trackback | del.icio.us | Top Of Page [...]