Out of the Gutter," an independent journal of pulp fiction and degenerate literature, is amazing, heartwarmingly disturbing, vomitous and laugh-out-loud disgusting.
"Degenerate Literature refers to gritty new writing that doesn't fit in another category," explained Justin Gordon, editorial assistant at OOTG. "In publishing, people like categories. Like with Chuck Palahniuk, people in Hollywood refer to the 'Fight Club' genre. In 'Sons and Lovers,' D. H. Lawrence has a scene where this girl is rubbing a tulip all over her lips. One hundred years ago that was degenerate literature."
OOTG's is not just some punk zine with unedited drivel. This filth is well-executed. The magazine is tightly edited and focused on story construction.
The stories in OOTG are organized by read times. You know going in about how long you will have to devote to the story in your hand. How you like them apples, New Yorker?
"In addition to the shrinking market for fiction, the time people have to read is shrinking. The read times were developed for this reason," Gordon said.