"insect dreams" was not the first estrin book to be published. in 1971, dell publishing released "recreation: some notes on what’s what and what you might be able to do about what’s what," a "whole earth catalog"-like book which fat acceptance movement has considered helpful. in 2004, "chelsea green" released an analysis by estrin of the work of peter schumann through his cultural activist theater. of "the lamentations of julius marantz" (unbridled books, 2007), the reviewer for the "san francisco chronicle" said the story had heart, but turned into a "bit of a nonnarrative mess" at the end, and "the new york times" said it was full of anachronistic mistakes, and the protagonist dull, the book full of estrin's own enthusiasms.