Vulgarian Rhapsody

In the final days of the 20th century, Vulgarian Rhapsody takes readers on a whirlwind tour of San Francisco's queer bohemia. Harris, a gay barfly, is expelled from his apartment by his roommate, Maxine, and must find a new place to live. The "dot com" boom has made cheap housing scarce, and Harris must convince one of his eccentric friends to let him move in. The book is a hilariously acidic comedy of manners that offers a perfect antidote to uplifting stories of personal empowerment.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 212 pages
Publication date: 14 November 2023
Publisher: Three Rooms Press

In the final days of the 20th century, a whirlwind tour of San Francisco's fabled queer bohemia takes place, as the city's budget-conscious bon vivants strive to preserve their unique lifestyles amidst the encroachment of tech gentrification. The protagonist of the story, Harris, a self-proclaimed gay barfly, may come across as bitchy, passive-aggressive, or insulting, but his unwavering critical brilliance leads him to feel morally obligated to share his scathing opinions with the world, regardless of the circumstances. This tendency to express his views often annoys his roommate, Maxine, an avant-garde transsexual cabaret singer, who overhears him badmouthing her on the phone and promptly expels him from their apartment.

This crisis arrives at an unfortunate time, as the year is 1999, and the "dot com" boom has made affordable housing scarce. Harris, who works part-time as a telemarketer, finds himself struggling to make ends meet, as usual. With the scarcity of cheap housing, he must find a way to convince one of his eccentric, semi-dysfunctional friends with a rent-controlled apartment to allow him to move in.

Vulgarian Rhapsody transports readers to a fading bohemia of queer dive bars, drag clubs, and countercultural cafes. The story is narrated by a longtime frenemy of Harris, who shares the narrative with a sadistic relish and an ironist's eye for the absurd. This book offers a refreshing antidote to those who have grown weary of uplifting stories of personal empowerment, precious coming-of-age tales, or sugarcoated romances. It serves as a hilarious comedy of manners that will appeal to fans of authors such as Brontez Purnell, Phillippe Besson, and Ryan OConnell.

Dimension: 209 x 139 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781953103383