A-LISTS book rage by mark hernandez
Workin’ It!
In Workin’ It!: RuPaul’s Guide to Life,
Liberty, and the Pursuit of Style the
supreme “Queen of Queens” really does cover a broad range of topics she says is actually meant for everyone —boy, girl, straight, gay and not just for RuPaul wannabes. There are few, if any drag queens who can come close to RuPaul’s unmatched beauty, con- fidence and accomplish- ments, which include writing books, singing on her many CDs, starring in films and hosting her own talk show, not to mention just completing the second season of her fabulous hit show RuPaul’s
Drag Race. The book
is a collection of tips, stories and gorgeous photographs of Ru- Paul. She wants to share her secrets of success so that you won’t ever have to “sashay away” in shame. Work it, girl!
She Ain’t Heavy,
She’s My Mother
If you’re a fan of the hit series Mad Men
then you’ll know who Salvatore Romano is. Who knew that Bryan Batt, the gay ac- tor who plays gay “Sal” on the series is an author, too? He was compelled to write a memoir about his life with one of the most influential people in it— his viva- cious, irrepressible Southern belle of a mom Gayle, which he titled She Ain’t
Heavy, She’s My Mother. For Bryan,
growing up gay in New Orleans and pursuing a career in theater (includ- ing Broadway) and appearing in gay films such as Jeffrey and Kiss Me, Guido plus a slew of TV shows would certainly be a lot for drama for anyone. His mom dealt with tons of her own including infidelity, alcoholism and cancer to name a few. But the way that she maintained her poise, dignity and charm, and infused fun and laughter through it all...you’ll see a big reason why Bryan turned out to be the successful fine Southern gentleman that he is. Bryan also runs the popular Hazelnut home decor boutique in New Orleans with his partner of 18 years, Tom Cianfichi. There’s a lot of Italian goin’ on there. Whatta guy!
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RAGE monthly | MAY 2010
The Road Home
Michael Thomas Ford’s newest
novel The Road Home follows 40-year-
old Burke who literally finds himself back home in Vermont recuperating from a serious car accident and laid up in his childhood bedroom. He’s being cared for by his widowed father and has a whole lotta time to think. And then things start to get complicated when Will, the handsome son of his best friend from high school starts hanging around and “shows inter- est” in him, if you know what I mean.
The novel focuses on Burke dealing with finding his own way home within himself, with many childhood memories resurfacing, his unresolved and unrequited love of young Will’s dad, enviously watching his own father enjoy a romantic relationship he wishes he also had and becoming involved in solving a small-town mystery that unexpectedly hits close to home, as well. As I’ve said many times, Michael Thomas Ford’s fans will buy and enjoy his new book
regardless...because everyone loves reading a really good book, and this is no exception.
My Queer War
The famous biographer and art
critic James Lord died last year at 86 not long after he completed
his final book My Queer War,
which chronicles his amazing ex- periences as a 21-year-old young man who enlists in the Army right after the attack on Pearl Harbor. After a number of reassignments, he ends up in the middle of the war in Europe in 1942. Amid the unspeakable inhumanity and horror of war, he comes to terms with his homosexuality and falls in love with another man. And when he’s stationed in Paris for a short while, without thinking twice about it he determines where Picasso lives and makes his acquaintance with the famous artist. After the war, he returned to Paris and lived the remainder of his life hang- ing with the art crowd and writing biographies of a few famous artists. In this final book he provides a glimpse into what it was like being gay in the military in World War II, but it’s recounted in the words of an older gay man whose wit and writ- ing style makes it a remarkable and uncommon memoir of a different time, but which still has many things in common with being gay in the military of today.
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