P.S. Burn This Letter Please
The fabulous and fraught birth of modern drag, in the queens' own words
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Little, Brown Book Group
Published:15th Aug '23
Should be back in stock very soon
This book offers a captivating glimpse into 1950s New York drag culture, showcasing the lives of fearless pioneers through personal letters and research, revealing their struggles and triumphs in a challenging society.
P.S. Burn This Letter Please offers an intimate glimpse into the drag culture of 1950s New York, highlighting the origins of modern drag through a collection of personal letters, photographs, and thorough research. With an introduction by Sasha Velour, a winner of RuPaul's Drag Race, the book emphasizes the resilience and authenticity of drag performers during a time when their existence was often viewed as a societal threat.
Set against the backdrop of the Lower East Side, the narrative centers on a group of pioneering drag artists who found refuge in a handful of clubs. These individuals navigated a world fraught with challenges, including police scrutiny, yet they remained determined to express their true selves. The letters, discovered in 2014, provide a powerful voice to these artists, revealing their personal stories of triumph, heartache, and the vibrant community they created despite societal pressures.
Through a blend of social, political, and cultural history, author Craig Olsen sheds light on the lives of these remarkable LGBTQ+ figures. The book serves not only as a tribute to their struggles and victories but also as a vital account of the evolution of drag culture. P.S. Burn This Letter Please is a poignant exploration of survival and identity, offering readers a necessary understanding of the past that has shaped today’s drag landscape.
There are vital, vibrant stories crying out to be told from the history of the drag scene, especially now that it faces a resurgence of bigotry and hostility * Guardian *
P.S. Burn This Letter Please reveals a fascinating world of personal triumph and tragedy * Attitude *
A delightful collection of newly discovered letters between a fabulous coterie of drag queens who resided in New York City during the 1950s and '60s . . . This charming account combines the poignancy of a coming-of-age narrative, the mordant humor of a gossip column, and the rigor of an archival investigation. It's an essential window into a long-hidden history -- Starred review * Publishers Weekly *
Written in a distinctive coded language, the letters in P.S Burn This Letter Please are gossipy in tone and full of catty humour but also coloured by the constant fear of exposure, violence or arrest * Buzz Magazine *
The letters make you want to laugh one minute, cry the next, and then take to the streets and protest because in 2023, history is repeating itself . . . A fascinating book . . . P.S. Burn This Letter Please is a must read about fabulous fashion trailblazers, who dared to defy, who HAD to defy, despite the consequences * LA Blade *
ISBN: 9780751585940
Dimensions: 238mm x 160mm x 32mm
Weight: 490g
224 pages