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Vulgarian Rhapsody
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Check link for latest rating. ( 65 ratings, 22 reviews)
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Vulgarian Rhapsody
$3299
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
Vulgarian Rhapsody is ideal for readers who appreciate sharp, ironic literary voices and enjoy stories rooted in queer culture, bohemian lifestyles, and the vibrant history of San Francisco. Fans of Brontez Purnell, Phillippe Besson, and Ryan O'Connell will find this a particularly compelling read.
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
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Description
Vulgarian Rhapsody offers a whirlwind tour of San Francisco's fabled queer bohemia in the waning days of the 20th century. As the city's budget bon vivants strive to save their eccentric lifestyles amidst tech gentrification, LAMBDA award finalist Alvin Orloff brings this vibrant world to life.
Harris, San Francisco's most annoying gay barfly, doesn't mean to be bitchy, passive-aggressive, or insulting. However, he's so bedazzled by his own critical brilliance he feels morally obliged to share his scathing opinions with the world at any and every opportunity. This irritates no one more than his roommate, Maxine, an avant-garde transsexual cabaret singer. When she overhears him badmouthing her on the phone, she flies into a rage and expels him from their apartment.
This crisis couldn't come at a worse time. The year is 1999 and the "dot com" boom has rendered cheap housing nonexistent. Harris, who works as a part-time telemarketer, is—as usual—low on funds. Will he be able to convince one of his eccentric, semi-dysfunctional friends with a rent-controlled apartment to let him move in?
Vulgarian Rhapsody immerses readers in a fading bohemia of queer dive bars, drag clubs, and countercultural cafes. The book's narrator (a longtime frenemy of Harris who's every bit as snarky and annoying as he is) tells the story with sadistic relish and an ironist's eye for the absurd. Anyone feeling sickly from too many uplifting stories of personal empowerment, precious coming-of-age tales, or sugarcoated romances will find the perfect antidote in this hilariously acidic comedy of manners. A must-read for fans of Brontez Purnell, Phillippe Besson, and Ryan O'Connell.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
High praise for Vulgarian Rhapsody includes: Midwest Book Review calls it "impressively original" and notes its captivating narrative that immerses readers in San Francisco's LGBTQ lifestyles. Passport Magazine highlights how it simultaneously spoofs and celebrates the city’s starry-eyed dreamers and is packed with authentic details from the author's decades in the city. The Bay Area Reporter describes it as "an uproarious treat" and "a fun, frothy tour of a bygone time and place."
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781953103383
Publisher: Three Rooms Press
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 14 November 2023
Country: United States
Imprint: Three Rooms Press
Illustration: Illustrations
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Width: 139.0mm
Height: 209.0mm
Weight: 250g
Pages: 212
Collections
About the Author
Alvin Orloffbegan writing in 1977, penning lyrics for The Blowdryers, an early San Francisco punk band. He spent the 1980s working as a telemarketer and exotic dancer while attending U.C. Berkeley and performing with The Popstitutes, an absurd performance art/homocore band. In 1990 he co-founded Klubstitute, a floating queer cabaret that featured spoken word, theater, drag, and musical acts. The author of three previous novels, includingI Married an Earthling, he was a LAMBDA Literary Prize finalist for his memoirDisasterama! Adventures in the Queer Underground 1977-1997(Three Rooms Press), He lives in San Francisco and works in the heart of the historic Castro District as the proprietor of Fabulosa Books.
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