Vulgarian Rhapsody

(Paperback)

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A whirlwind tour of San Franciscos fabled queer bohemia in the waning days of the 20th century, as the citys budget bon vivants work to save their eccentric lifestyles in the face of tech gentrification by LAMBDA award finalist Alvin Orloff.

Harris, San Franciscos most annoying gay barfly, doesnt mean to be bitchy, passive aggressive, or insulting. But hes 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 couldnt come at a worse time. The year is 1999 and the dot com boom has rendered cheap housing nonexistent, and Harris, who works as a part-time telemarketer, isas usuallow 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 books narrator (a longtime frenemy of Harris whos every bit as snarky and annoying as he is) tells the story with sadistic relish and an ironists 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.

Reviews

Past Praise for Alvin Orloff

No one is cooler than Alvin Orloff. Andrea Lawlor, author, Paul Takes the Form of a Mortal Girl (for Disasterama!)

Both beautiful and heartbreaking all in one. Michelle Tea, author, Against Memoir (for Disasterama!)

Thoroughly original. Publishers Weekly (for I Married an Earthling)

Alvin Orloff writes with a sharp mind and a gentle touch. K. M. Soehnlein, author, The World of Normal Boys (for Why Arent You Smiling)

Quirky, insightful . . . glam as hell. The Bay Area Reporter (for Gutter Boys)

Author Bio

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.