Straight Edge : Hardcore Punk, Clean Living Youth and Social Change
Ross Haenfler
Rutgers University Press
ISBN 0813538521
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This book is billed as the first major scholarly study of the straightedge movement, while this is true, since it's release there has been another book published on straightedge Straightedge Youth: Conplexity and Contradictions of a Subculture by Robert T. Wood, so it seems natural for me to compare the two books.

Just like the book by Robert Wood, Ross Haenfler is writing this book for a University press, so initially there is a lot of information about the way the research was conducted, the anonymity of the participants and stuff like that. This portion of the book is pretty dry reading, but I suppose it is necessary for the the authors to do.

Unlike Wood, Ross Haenfler is a straightedge kid. He has been an intricate part of the Denver straightedge scene for some time and the book never gets to far away from his personal recollection. A particularly interesting passage of this book is when he discusses growing older in the straightedge scene. Maybe it is just me because I am pretty old to still be in the punk rock scene. Both the punk scene and the straightedge scene appeal to youth and as Hoenfler grew older in the scene he felt it difficult to "fit in" sometimes, and talks about how his role in the straightedge scene changed over time.

Haenfler does an admittedly over simplistic overview of the trends within straightedge and talks briefly about Old School, Youth Crew, Emo Influenced/ Politically Correct, The Victory Era and Metalcore and straightedge after 2000. In these brief descriptions he talks about a particular straightedge look and bands that accompanies each of the eras. I am sure that those involved in these eras will have some issue with how they are portrayed, but I think they probably do serve useful for those unfamiliar with straight edge.

Another interesting section of the book deals with the commercialization of straightedge in the age of the Internet and eBay. This is something I find fascinating, the packaging of a subculture for mass consumption and in my opinion was one of the freshest, most interesting piece that Hoenfler brings to the discussion be it punk rock, hardcore or straightedge we are talking about.

Along the way Haenfler quotes all the bands you'd expect and talks to different straight edge folks about why they became straight edge and what it means to them and while informative, I think this is where he runs into a little trouble. As I said, Haenfler has been a member of the Denver straightedge scene for a long time and I think whether on purpose or not wants to paint a good picture of straightedge. Of course, why wouldn't you think something you have identified with most of your life as something cool for other people to know about. In the review of the book by Robert Wood, I said I think he and I have a lot in common, that we have both been punk rock a long time and known a lot of great straightedge people and while we ourselves are not straightedge, we certainly understand and respect their choices in life. In my opinion, Wood has an advantage over Haenfler here. Because Wood is looking in from the outside, he paints a fuller picture of straightedge, warts and all. While Haenfler talks about the violence and intolerance that have sometimes creeped into straightedge, he takes a bit more of an apologetic view of it.

This does not say that I don't think that Hoenfler has written an interesting and complete overview of straightedge, but I think it is an overview that would be most appreciated by those on the inside or considering committing to being straightedge, while Woods overview is perhaps more suitable for those with an interest in understanding straightedge who aren't involved in the movement.