Glitter and Concrete, Elyssa Maxx Goodman
Glitter and Concrete, Elyssa Maxx Goodman
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Glitter and Concrete
A Cultural History of Drag in New York City

Author: Elyssa Maxx Goodman

Narrator: Kevin R. Free, Natalie Duke

Unabridged: 12 hr 10 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 09/12/2023


Synopsis

*The Millions Most Anticipated List of 2023*
*A Vogue Best LGBTQ+ Book of 2023*

"Deeply researched and featuring a cast of characters who can truly be described as fabulous, Glitter and Concrete is urban history on fire." —Thomas Dyja, author of New York, New York, New York

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.

About Elyssa Maxx Goodman

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.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Stitching on August 23, 2023

I enjoyed this book a lot and I think it's a very important one for the queer community at a time where drag artists and trans people are increasingly targeted on multiple fronts. That being said, it is a cultural history book and it is name heavy and sometimes really quite dense, prepare to take no......more

Goodreads review by Meredith on February 15, 2024

SUCH a good book. Extremely well-researched but so readable, covering drag queens and drag kings, gender performers and gender impersonation, clubs and spaces, and the scenes as they evolved. It has a heavy emphasis on the influence of cultural elements at play behind the changing scenes. An excelle......more

Goodreads review by Lindsey on September 12, 2023

A stunning and informative read.......more

Goodreads review by Renata on October 24, 2023

This is a fascinating topic and well-researched but oddly dry for a history that has so many colorful characters in it.......more

Goodreads review by Martin on August 12, 2023

Glitter and Concrete will be published September 12, 2023. Hanover Square Press, an imprint of Harlequin Trade Publishing, provided an early galley for review. Growing up in the 70's seeing Milton Berle, Flip Wilson and Bugs Bunny on television, drag was always just another aspect of the entertainmen......more