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I Am Not Myself These Days: A Memoir (P.S.)

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I Am Not Myself These Days: A Memoir (P.S.) Cover

 

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

I Am Not Myself These Days follows a glittering journey through Manhattan's dark underbelly — a shocking and surreal world where alter egos reign and subsist (barely) on dark wit and chemicals...a tragic romantic comedy where one begins by rooting for the survival of the relationship and ends by hoping someone simply survives. Kilmer-Purcell is a terrifically gifted new literary voice who straddles the divide between absurdity and normalcy, and stitches them together with surprising humor and lonely poignancy. As Booklist raved "as tart and funny as a Noel Coward play, for Kilmer-Purcell is especially good at dialogue, and, as in Coward's best plays, under the comedy lies the sad truth that even at our best, we are all weak, fallible fools. Again and again in this rich, adventure-filled book, Kilmer-Purcell illustrates the truth of Blake's proverb, 'The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom.'"

Review:

"In the go-go '90s, Kilmer-Purcell spent his days as an advertising grunt and his nights hopping around Manhattan's gay clubs as 'Aquadisiac,' over seven feet tall in a wig and heels with goldfish swimming in transparent bubbles covering 'her' breasts. (Not that Kilmer-Purcell wanted to actually become a woman; as he explains to his mother, a drag queen is 'a celebrity trapped in a normal person's body.') He meets a cute guy, and soon he's moved into Jack's penthouse apartment — which he pays for by working as a male escort. Kilmer-Purcell gives much of his story a Sex and the City-ish spin, finding comedy in the contrast between his and Jack's sweet, cuddly relationship and the sexual demimonde of drag queens, hookers and masochists they count among their friends. But there's always a dark undercurrent: before the two get serious, Kilmer-Purcell's alcohol-impaired judgment frequently puts him in dangerous situations, but things get worse when Jack starts smoking crack during sex parties and becomes addicted. The exact, unpitying detail with which Kilmer-Purcell depicts his downward spiral makes it impossible to look away, especially since it's not until the final scenes that he allows himself to succumb to sentimentality." Publishers Weekly (Feb.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review:

"Again and again in this rich, adventure-filled book, Kilmer-Purcell illustrates the truth of Blake's proverb, 'The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom.'" Booklist

Review:

"[A] delicate narrative that spares not an ounce of pain but never once aims for contrition. Effortlessly entertaining yet still heartfelt; the romance of life as an escape artist." Kirkus Reviews

Review:

"[D]arkly hilarious and entertaining....Highly Reccommended..." Library Journal

Review:

"[P]lenty of dishy anecdotes and moments of tragi-camp delight." Washington Post Book World

Review:

"...In a word, wonderful." Clive Barker

Review:

"I laughed. I cried. I laughed again. I Am Not Myself These Days is tawdry and brilliantly witty." Simon Doonan

Synopsis:

The New York Times bestselling, darkly funny memoirof a young New Yorker's daring dual life—advertising art director by day,glitter-dripping drag queen and nightclub beauty-pageant hopeful by night—was asmash literary debut for Josh Kilmer-Purcell, now known for his popular PlanetGreen television series The Fabulous Beekman Boys.His story begins here—before the homemade goat milk soaps and hand-gatheredhoneys, before his memoir of the city mouses move to the country, TheBucolic Plague—in I Am Not Myself These Days,  with “plenty of dishy anecdotes and moments of tragi-camp delight” (WashingtonPost).
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About the Author

After "retiring" from drag in 2000, Josh Kilmer-Purcell refocused on his advertising career, winning numerous awards, and is now a partner in a midsize creative advertising agency in lower Manhattan. He lives on Manhattan's Upper East Side with his partner of five years.
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What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 4 comments:
monique.colver, September 16, 2008 (view all comments by monique.colver)
I was amazed at the similarity between Kilmer-Purcell and myself, as if we were but two halves of the same coin, our angst a result of our somewhat desperate attempts to find some sort of sanity in an insane world. Though I am not gay, not a guy, not a drag queen, not in advertising, and live on the west coast, there was still that striking identification, as if we're all playing the same game. Could that be?
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lindsey beadle, January 23, 2008 (view all comments by lindsey beadle)
Given to me by a coworker for a Christmas exchange gift - one of the best exchange gifts I have ever gotten. Heartbreaking and funny. A fast, enjoyable, and at times, educational read.
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(5 of 6 readers found this comment helpful)
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lilmizzlyndzmarie, September 27, 2007 (view all comments by lilmizzlyndzmarie)
I have read this book a total or four times now. Being a straight 18-year-old girl, this has to speak wonders. I am completely amazed by Kilmer-Purcell's ability to write and convey feelings with the wit and dialogue that captures the most random readers. Two thumbs way up!!
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Product Details

ISBN:
9780060817329
Author:
Kilmer Purcell, Josh
Publisher:
Harper Perennial
Author:
Kilmer-Purcell, Josh
Author:
Kilmer-Purcell, Josh
Author:
by Josh Kilmer-Purcell
Subject:
General
Subject:
New york (state)
Subject:
Specific Groups - Male Gay Studies
Subject:
Transvestites
Subject:
Personal Memoirs
Subject:
General Biography
Subject:
Kilmer-Purcell, Josh
Subject:
Transvestites -- New York (State) -- New York.
Subject:
Biography - General
Copyright:
2006
Edition Description:
Trade PB
Series:
P.S.
Publication Date:
20060231
Binding:
TRADE PAPER
Grade Level:
General/trade
Language:
English
Pages:
336
Dimensions:
8.08x5.30x.83 in. .63 lbs.
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Related Subjects

Biography » General
Fiction and Poetry » Literature » A to Z
Gay and Lesbian » Fiction and Poetry » General
History and Social Science » Gender Studies » Gay Studies

I Am Not Myself These Days: A Memoir (P.S.) Used Trade Paper
0 stars - 0 reviews
$4.50 In Stock
Product details 336 pages Harper Perennial - English 9780060817329 Reviews:
"Publishers Weekly Review" by , "In the go-go '90s, Kilmer-Purcell spent his days as an advertising grunt and his nights hopping around Manhattan's gay clubs as 'Aquadisiac,' over seven feet tall in a wig and heels with goldfish swimming in transparent bubbles covering 'her' breasts. (Not that Kilmer-Purcell wanted to actually become a woman; as he explains to his mother, a drag queen is 'a celebrity trapped in a normal person's body.') He meets a cute guy, and soon he's moved into Jack's penthouse apartment — which he pays for by working as a male escort. Kilmer-Purcell gives much of his story a Sex and the City-ish spin, finding comedy in the contrast between his and Jack's sweet, cuddly relationship and the sexual demimonde of drag queens, hookers and masochists they count among their friends. But there's always a dark undercurrent: before the two get serious, Kilmer-Purcell's alcohol-impaired judgment frequently puts him in dangerous situations, but things get worse when Jack starts smoking crack during sex parties and becomes addicted. The exact, unpitying detail with which Kilmer-Purcell depicts his downward spiral makes it impossible to look away, especially since it's not until the final scenes that he allows himself to succumb to sentimentality." Publishers Weekly (Feb.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
"Review" by , "Again and again in this rich, adventure-filled book, Kilmer-Purcell illustrates the truth of Blake's proverb, 'The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom.'"
"Review" by , "[A] delicate narrative that spares not an ounce of pain but never once aims for contrition. Effortlessly entertaining yet still heartfelt; the romance of life as an escape artist."
"Review" by , "[D]arkly hilarious and entertaining....Highly Reccommended..."
"Review" by , "[P]lenty of dishy anecdotes and moments of tragi-camp delight."
"Review" by , "...In a word, wonderful."
"Review" by , "I laughed. I cried. I laughed again. I Am Not Myself These Days is tawdry and brilliantly witty."
"Synopsis" by , The New York Times bestselling, darkly funny memoirof a young New Yorker's daring dual life—advertising art director by day,glitter-dripping drag queen and nightclub beauty-pageant hopeful by night—was asmash literary debut for Josh Kilmer-Purcell, now known for his popular PlanetGreen television series The Fabulous Beekman Boys.His story begins here—before the homemade goat milk soaps and hand-gatheredhoneys, before his memoir of the city mouses move to the country, TheBucolic Plague—in I Am Not Myself These Days,  with “plenty of dishy anecdotes and moments of tragi-camp delight” (WashingtonPost).
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