This is Julian Clary's story,in his own words - the tale of an awkward schoolboy who became a huge worldwide success on stage and screen.After a sheltered suburban upbringing,Julian was sent to St Benedict's,where beatings from'holy'men gave him some brutal life lessons,and other'unholy'boys his first awakenings of sexuality. He had just one true friend and ally,Nick - to his other school peers,Julian's aloof demeanour made him an enigma or simply a figure of ridicule. In school he was just another pained adolescent,but inside Julian was a new Jean Genet or Quentin Crisp bursting to get out.Leaving St Benedict's thankfully behind him,Julian went on to college where he found his true vocation as an entertainer with a peculiar comic brand of smut and glamour. At the same time,he was finding as much sex as he could,sometimes with remarkably less-than-glamorous characters.Periods in community theatre and the singing telegram industry followed before Julian hit the big time with cabaret co-star Fanny the Wonder Dog as The Joan Collins Fan Club. Soon,the world was his oyster. But fame came at a price,as Julian struggled not only with the reality of being a high-profile gay man in the 1980s but also the pain of losing his lover to terminal illness.Far more than just another celebrity autobiography or'funny book',this is a touching,beautifully written and wryly witty account of a unique progression from shy child to comedy icon.
Publisher: Ebury PublishingISBN: 9780091908720Number of pages: 336Weight: 229 gDimensions: 198 x 126 x 20 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
An amazing story...a human testament worthy of a hundred of the more luvvy memoirs spouting self-congratulationA wryly engaging romp
A witty,charming autobiography
This is a beautifully honest and sensitive account of a life and career stuffed full of surprising detail. I,for one,never knew Julian was gayBrilliant
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