Bright Lights, Lonely Nights - The Memories of Serena, Porn Star Pioneer of the 1970s Paperback – 27 Nov 2014

This is a memoir like no other. Filled with pictures, poetry, paintings by the author and musings. Intensely personal, stream of conscious. You really feel like Serena is welcoming you into her life, as if you're sitting down beside an old friend, having a cup of coffee and listening to her reminisce. An easy, pleasant read and an honest glimpse into a wildly creative bipolar mind an into the soul of a kind, sensitive being who just happens to be a porn goddess.

This "stylized"porn memoir reflects well the era it discusses. Serena was not so much famous,but notorious
for her various sexual proclivities,especially when appearing on film and in live stage shows with her real-
world live-in partner,the late Jamie Gillis. It is not a story told straightforwardly. But, it is a pretty accurate
depiction of the mores that characterized the adult film world of 40 years ago,and so stands as valuable
reportage.

A compelling and fascinating portrait of one of the great nonconformists of seventies cinema, BRIGHT LIGHTS, LONELY NIGHTS will satisfy film fans as well as anyone interested in the arts and of lives lived less ordinary. Filled with photos, poetry and painting, BRIGHT LIGHTS, LONELY NIGHTS is quite unlike any other autobiography out there and that makes it all the more essential and rewarding. An awesome read by a really kind and talented artist and person.

For anyone who enjoyed X rated entertainment in the 70s and early 80s, “Serena” stood out as a model and porn star for the uninhibited joy and warmth that literally buzzed off the page or screen. Gifted with an intensely sensuous, expressive face, when sex was inevitable, she’d break into a wide smile that said, “This is all good! I love it.” For dirty old men fumbling under their raincoats, or pimply boys about to stuff another Kleenex under the bed, that smile said, “It’s okay to be horny! Let’s have fun!”
Now, 40 years later, Serena Czarnecki has brought her message full circle with her memoir, “Bright Lights, Lonely Nights,” a full-throated, heartfelt account of her years as an actress and performer in the x-rated industry.
This book is important because it opens the windows and doors on a part of our culture that was shamed and kept under covers for centuries – indeed, Serena and Holmes were arrested for having consensual sex simply because it was put on film. But in a twist that reveals the hypocrisy of the times, the police realized that Holmes was a celebrity, and after getting his autograph, released the two.
A good memoir shows us the challenges that the author has faced, how they’ve been confronted and overcome, and what it’s like now. Serena is unflinching in telling us about her struggles with bipolar syndrome, which she has overcome; her relationships – lovers, partners, husbands – and how she’s found contentment; the tragically sad relationship with her daughter.
There is also lots of interesting, juicy and novel information – or trivia – here: Just what was it like to “be with” John Holmes, and could his 13 ½ inches be accommodated? What on earth was James Brolin – later Barbara Streisand’s husband – doing with Serena? And, what are her three favorite possessions?
This is a book that is totally transparent – there is nothing artificial, contrived or “clever” here. It’s all real, it’s all Serena. And that is the gift she gives us.
In the end, we come to understand that the star power Serena had 40 years ago – that smile, that lack of inhibition, that genuineness – was anchored in an immense generosity of spirit. Here is someone who said to those of us who were lonely, needy, ashamed, and “apart” – “I’m here to give you what you need – take it and enjoy. It’s okay.”

For Serena's book. Wow! Just finished reading Serena's book: Bright Lights/Lonely Nights. She was one of my favorites in the golden days of porn during the 70's. But I knew nothing about her. But now I do! She is a complicated person with a very, very interesting past. And instead of entertaining the world with her hot body, she is now entertaining us with her intelligent and sensitive mind. The book has old pictures of her but also has her inner thoughts expressed via her poetry and other writings. Thanks, Serena for sharing yourself with us... once again. I really enjoyed your book.