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A Cultural History of Drag in New York City
by Elyssa Maxx Goodman
An intimate, evocative history of drag in New York City exploring its dynamic role, from the Jazz Age to Drag Race, in queer liberation and urban life.
From the lush feather boas that adorned early female impersonators to the sequined lip syncs of barroom queens to the drag kings that have us laughing in stitches, drag has played a vital role in the creative life of New York City. But the evolution of drag in the city—as an art form, a community and a mode of liberation—has never before been fully chronicled.
Now, for the first time, journalist and drag historian Elyssa Maxx Goodman unearths the dramatic, provocative untold story of drag in New York City in all its glistening glory. Goodman ducks beneath the velvet ropes of Harlem Renaissance balls, examines drag's crucial role in the Stonewall Uprising, traces drag's influence on disco and punk rock as well as its unifying power during the AIDS crisis and 9/11, and culminates in the era of RuPaul's Drag Race.
Informed by meticulous research and archival work, as well as original interviews with high-profile performers, Glitter and Concrete is a significant contribution to queer history and an essential read for anyone curious about the story that echoes beneath the heels.
"A comprehensive report on the history of drag...Throughout this lively and celebratory book, Goodman portrays the dynamic forces of a fearless community bound by their love of performance and using 'glamour as a potent force of resistance'...An essential addition to the literature of both drag and queer history." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Historian Goodman debuts with an expansive survey of drag performance in New York City from the mid-19th century through today...Filled with vibrant character portraits and lesser-known histories, this is a comprehensive guide to New York's long tradition of drag performance and queer activism." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Goodman parlays her ardor for drag into a uniquely comprehensive, vibrant, and eye-opening history of the art form in New York City...Richly enlightening, enthralling, and invaluable." —Booklist (starred review)
"Fascinating and delightful. Elyssa Maxx Goodman has written a comprehensive, thoughtful, yet thoroughly entertaining history of drag as experienced in New York from the Gilded Age to today." —Paulina Bren, bestselling author of The Barbizon
"Elyssa Goodman has achieved the near impossible; a history of drag that is as entertaining as it is comprehensive. From Eltinge to RuPaul, all of the great personalities with their triumphs and tragedies are woven into a vivid and vibrant tapestry of the city of New York." —Charles Busch, award-winning playwright and author of Leading Lady: A Memoir of a Most Unusual Boy
"As drag is absurdly under attack by the right wing, along comes this well researched book that celebrates its glittery renown. Elyssa Maxx Goodman lovingly explores drag's trajectory in NYC from 1865 to the present, spanning activism, oppression, flamboyance and Emmy awards. Brava!" —Michael Musto, author and journalist for The Village Voice
This information about Glitter and Concrete was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Elyssa Goodman is a writer and photographer specializing in arts and culture. Her work has been published in Vogue, T: The New York Times Style Magazine, Vanity Fair, and others online and in print. Elyssa has also written about LGBTQ+ history and culture for Conde Nast's them, where she was the site's "Drag Herstory" and Queer Women's History columnist. She has been a freelance writer for 19 years and in love with drag for 27 years, since the age of seven.
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