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Desperate Living

A Screenplay
Brief Description
On the verge of a suburban mental health crisis, frazzled and wildly unstable housewife Peggy (immortalised by Mink Stole on-screen) runs away from home with her maid and partner in crime, Grizelda (played with spectacular gumption by the sizzling Jean Hill), only to end up in... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
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A grotesque and hilarious satire about the American dream, suburban living, and the corrupting influence of power, set in a world that could only have sprung from the unhinged and brilliant mind of John Waters.

A grotesque and hilarious satire about the American dream, suburban living, and the corrupting influence of power, set in a world that could only have sprung from the unhinged and brilliant mind of John Waters.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

On the verge of a suburban mental health crisis, frazzled and wildly unstable housewife Peggy (immortalised by Mink Stole on-screen) runs away from home with her maid and partner in crime, Grizelda (played with spectacular gumption by the sizzling Jean Hill), only to end up in Mortville, a shantytown filled with society's rejects. Mortville is run by the evil Queen Carlotta, who parades through the cardboard streets taunting and terrorising her subjects.

Desperate Living, John Waters' wild and visionary fable, lampoons everything from the staid conservatism of the American dream to race and class relations. The New York Times ranked Desperate Living at "the highest peak atop [John Waters'] trash heap of a filmography." High praise indeed!

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781250371232

Publisher: St Martin's Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 16 June 2025

Country: United States

Imprint: Picador USA

Illustration: 32 Black-and-White Images in Text

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 127.0mm

Height: 191.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 96

About the Author

John Waters is a writer, a film director, an actor, and a visual artist best known for his films, including Hairspray, Pink Flamingos, and Serial Mom. He is the author of the national bestsellers Role Models, Carsick, and Mr. Know-It-All. His spoken-word shows This Filthy World, False Negative, End of the World, and A John Waters Christmas continue to be performed around the world. He lives in Baltimore, Maryland.

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