DL, apologies for this late reply, but I wanted to say thank you for your thoughtful comment. It was wonderful to hear a positive response after launching these missives into the vast internet space and not being sure who is reading. I was thinking of Sontag's "Notes on Camp" when I titled this, as I felt a similar attitude (she describes herself as being both attracted to and repelled by "camp", which was part of her need to write about it).

Thanks, everyone! Stacey, you've now made me very curious as to what publication you were writing for ("a very different demographic"...hmmm...)! I felt I had more to say, too, I had to dash this off in about an hour between activities, but the thoughts have been in my mind for years. So satisfying to have it online, instantly, though! Thank you for the encouragement, I will think about taking time to make it a longer piece...

Thank you for taking the time to comment, Caroline and Amy, it's so nice to hear some responses! Caroline, it is the sweetest photo, it makes me wonder what they were talking about, strolling along the beach. The book of their correspondence is on my "to read" shelf. Amy, that's a lovely change to witness! Writing was always so private for me, but I'm realizing more & more that it's important to figure out ways to live it out in the world of other people, though it's hard.

Thanks, Larry and Bill! I will have to check out the one you recommend, Bill. It's an important little map to keep in your head, the one with the bookstores. I have this image of Manhattan in the 60s with record stores and book stores abounding. It didn't used to seem far-fetched, but it gets harder to imagine over time, as the city landscape changes. Would like to know what the bookstore map looked like in 1967...