Whores of Lost Atlantis

By Charles Busch

Book Overview

"Flamboyant, emotional, would-be star Julian Young can wait no more for his starring vehicle, so he devises one in an epic eight-hour session and sets out to stage it, casting himself as the female lead (in drag, of course) and assembling a supporting cast that includes some of the most unforgettable eccentrics ever to answer a cattle call. Now the real drama begins..." "Will the sinister Kiko steal Julian's play, Whore of Lost Atlantis - or, failing that, will she sabotage his career? Will the hunky Buster ever learn his lines? Will Julian end up falling in love with his stage manager - who happens to be a former gangster's moll and a woman? Will he ever get the hair off his legs? The answers - not to mention the cataclysmic destruction, temples falling, hermaphrodites, evil emperors, and two bitchy courtesans, among other spectacles - can be found only in this gender-bending roman a clef by the author and star of the plays and films Psycho Beach Party and Die Mommie Die."--BOOK JACKET.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0140243917
• ISBN13: 9780140243918
• Release Date: July 1995
• Publisher: Penguin Group
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.5" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

One of the three funniest novels that I ever read.

_I ordinarily do not read humorous novels more than once. The only exceptions would be _A Confederacy of Dunces_ By John Kennedy Toole and _The Big U_ by Neale Stephenson. I would not hesitate to put this book in that class. _I get a sense here that Busch must have indeed "written what he knew" because it just comes across as so fresh and uncontrived. These are real people, in a real madcap Village world. You actually end up CARING about them, which is rare for a modern novel. _Yes, I consider this book to be a "guilty pleasure", but that's because I grew up wanting to be an artist and a bohemian- and ended up an engineer in suburbia. At least in this book I can vicariously live an interesting and creative life around interesting and creative people....

The Truth and Nothing But the Truth

Charles Busch is the author and original star of Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, and this, his first novel, is basically the fictionalized account of the creation of that play. And it's not exaggerated at all, really, I mean it, really! Theatre people never exaggerate, right? It holds up--amusing for anyone who's ever worked in the theatre or has had anything to do with performance artists and/or drag queens. Memorable, outrageous but completely-believable characters (once you buy into the narrator's POV). Kind of an artistic thriller--will the show go on? Who's sleeping with whom? And why? Whose persona will Julian Young adopt next? Quite fun. I hesitate to label this as "summer reading," but I'd bring it to the beach and let the passers-by wonder what I was laughing at...

One of the Funniest Books I've Read

I highly recommend this book to anyone that wants to have a good time. It is obviously based on Busch's own life, but that is what makes it so funny. He is one of the funniest, most gifted playwrites aound and his talent translates easily to the novel. I wanted this book to keep going. I still haven't found anything as hilarious since this was published.

Oviously an underappreciated book.

Why else would there only be two other customer reviews? The characters are marvelous - eccentric and silly and painfully naive, but genuine. Julian's point of view gives the whole story the rhythm of a vintage 1940's romantic comedy. Throw a few twists into the plot, and we feel like we're watching one of his plays. I enjoyed every word. I hope to see Mr. Busch get the more widespread attention he deserves.

The perfect summer read. Loved it!

For anyone who loved the Joe Keenan 'Blue Heaven' books, this should be a good substitute, with the perfect cast of eccentrics, the requisite bizarre plot twists and some great one liners. It made me want to up sticks and become an impoverished artist on the East Side. It's an easy read, and there are some points where it's hard to believe the characters could be quite so naive, but on the whole very enjoyable and a welcome re-issue. Let's hope Penguin re-print his other work too!