Drag culture and performance Books
PublicAffairs,U.S. Who Does That Bitch Think She Is?: Doris Fish and
Book SynopsisIn the 1970s, queer people were openly despised, and drag queens scared the public. Yet this was the era when Doris Fish (born Philip Mills in 1952) painted and padded his way to stardom. He was a leader of the generation that prepared the world not just for drag queens on TV but for a society that is more tolerant and accepting of LGBTQ+ people. How did we get from there to here? In Who Does That Bitch Think She Is? Craig Seligman looks at Doris' life to provide some answers.After moving to San Francisco in the mid-'70s, Doris became the driving force behind years of side-splitting drag shows that were loved as much as you can love throwaway trash-which is what everybody thought they were. No one, Doris included, perceived them as political theatre, when in fact they were accomplishing satire's deepest dream: not just to rail against society, but to change it.From the rise of drag shows to the obsession with camp to the conservative backlash and the onset of AIDS, Seligman adds needed colour and insight to this era in LGBTQ+ history, revealing the origins and evolution of drag.
£22.50
Amazon Publishing Death in Heels
Book SynopsisWhen Fi went to support her best friend’s drag debut, she didn’t imagine a killer would be going to watch it too. And they’re waiting for their grand finale… Fi McKinnery is full of nerves as the gorgeous Mae B (aka her best friend Robyn) takes to the stage for her debut at drag club TRASH, but Mae B is dazzling…that is until local queen Eve lampoons her performance and ruins the show. So when Eve turns up dead later that night, face down in the gutter of a rain-soaked Dublin street, the timing seems awfully suspicious… The police are quick to rule Eve’s death an accident, but Fi is convinced it was foul play. When her ‘Hagatha Christie’ amateur sleuthing backfires, it drives a wedge between Fi and Robyn. But when another friend is targeted in a hit-and-run, she’s determined to get this twisted killer caught, no matter what the consequences. Even as the rest of the gang start to distance themselves, Fi is certain that they’re all in terrible danger. Something dark is lurking beneath the feathers, glitter and sequins of Dublin’s drag scene. And it’s not just the sticky floor and cracked mirrors. Someone is targeting the queens. When another member of the group is gunned down, it’s clear the danger is coming ever closer. Can Fi stop the killer before any more of her friends are hurt?Trade Review“Dublin’s flamboyant drag scene provides the backdrop for Murphy’s scintillating debut and series launch…Readers will eagerly await the sequel.” —Publishers Weekly “Murphy’s first ‘Dublin Drag’ mystery is a bittersweet story with a big, brassy climax…This character-driven mystery flips convention on its head when the straight amateur sleuth is an outsider to the drag community where her best friend is welcome.” —Library Journal
£8.99
Ryland, Peters & Small Ltd Be More Drag: Life Hacks and Tips from the Queens
Book SynopsisLessons in life from the fabulous, fearless, and phenomenal world of drag Drag is a world of larger-than-life personalities, glamorous looks, and attitude to die for. When you feel lacking in confidence, unsure of yourself, or just plain unhappy, who better to give you a boost of self-esteem than the queens and kings of the drag world? With their firm belief that anyone can be who they want to be, they are living proof that you can change what you don't like about your life and even yourself. With the help of real-life drag stories, Brandi Amara Skyy shows you how to follow the rules of drag, to be the most fabulous you that you can be.
£9.49