A short life of the author
Allan MacDonell is an American writer, editor, and Los Angeles literary figure best known for his memoir Prisoner of X: 20 Years in the Hole at Hustler Magazine (2006, Feral House), which recounts his two decades as editor-in-chief of Hustler under Larry Flynt.
The memoir provides an unsparing inside view of the pornography industry, First Amendment battles, and the peculiar workplace culture of Flynt’s publishing empire. MacDonell has also written for various publications and been active in the Los Angeles literary and spoken-word scene.
Collecting MacDonell
Prisoner of X (2006, Feral House) first editions are modestly priced and collected by enthusiasts of counter-culture memoir and First Amendment history. Feral House editions are typically collected alongside other titles from the publisher’s distinctive catalog of transgressive nonfiction.
MacDonell’s insider perspective on the First Amendment controversies surrounding Flynt and Hustler gives the book documentary value beyond its memoir qualities.