HARVEY FIERSTEIN istheTony Award-winning author of Torch Song Trilogy and La Cage aux Folles. His other theater writings include Kinky Boots,Newsies,Casa Valentina (all Tony-nominated), A Catered Affair (twelve Drama Desk nominations), and Bella Bella, and his theaterperformances include, Torch Song Trilogy and Hairspray (Tony Awards for both), Fiddler on the Roof,La Cage aux Folles, Gently Down the Stream, and A Catered Affair. Hisfilm and television appearances include Mrs. Doubtfire, The Good Wife, and Cheers (Emmy nominated),and he has voiced characters in the film Mulan, and the shows Big Mouth, The Dark Crystal, BoJack Horseman,and many more.He lives ina small fictional town inConnecticutwith whatever animals will have him.
A New York Times Staff Critics Pick of the Year • A Best Book
of the Year from Smithsonian Magazine
“A raw, funny and fabulous memoir . . . Fierstein shares his life
less in conventional chapters than in colorful patches: 59 of them,
stitched together with photos and a plush index. The sum of this is
warm and enveloping and indeed two-sided: One is a raw, cobwebby
tale of anger, hurt, indignation and pain; flip it over and you get
billowing ribbons of humor, gossip and fabulous, hot-pink success .
. . With a dramaturge’s expert timing, Fierstein saves the most
difficult anecdote of his upbringing for near the end, like the
classic 11 o’clock number in musical theater. A story about his
mother’s reaction to his accidental coming-out, it’s a pin prick to
the heart. Actually it makes the heart a pin
cushion.” --Alexandra Jacobs, The New York Times
"I love this book. Harvey Fierstein turns a phrase into a novel and
the personal into the universal. The day for this book has come."
--Gloria Steinem
“I am in awe of Harvey’s theatrical history. From being among the
vanguard of New York’s Experimental Theatre, through Warhol, to
Broadway musicals. Who can touch that? His memoir is extraordinary,
and he is in a class by himself.” --Patti LuPone
“Harvey’s book is a perfect reflection of him; full of heart,
chutzpah, great stories, and tons of belly laughs. And wigs.”
--Andy Cohen
"Harvey is the king and queen of Broadway. He can take you on a
journey with his words and he is hysterical." --Henry Winkler
“This is a beautiful memoir - full of humor and heart - I read it
in 2 days - smiling laughing and wiping away tears - don’t miss
this book - a great read from a wonderful man - I love Harvey
Firestein.” -- Rosie O’Donnell
“Harvey Fierstein is a true American original who has
blazed his own trail through popular culture for half-a-century.
His memoir is every bit as witty and brave and big-hearted as the
man himself.” --Armistead Maupin
"A poignant reflection on a decades-long career as a playwright and
actor that will make you laugh and cry in turn." --Fi O'reilly,
npr
"Yes, this is a "warts and all" book. It's also funny, touching,
informative, fascinating, and important. Fierstein writes with
great honesty and insight about theatre and also about being gay,
AIDS, politics, and getting and staying sober. I Was Better Last
Night is a must-read for everyone interested in theatre but also
for everyone interested in history, gay rights, sobriety, and
learning self-acceptance. It is a rich book...Fierstein knows how
to write an autobiography. The people are vividly sketched, the
stories are beautifully told, and the funny anecdotes are really
funny. Fierstein's writing voice is so natural that the book feels
like hanging out with a particularly eloquent friend. While parts
are sad and parts are painful, the overall takeaway is of a life
well and fully lived and honestly shared." --Wendy Caster, Talkin'
Broadway
"Poignant and laugh-out-loud funny…With wisdom gained and mistakes
made, the stories come together to describe an astonishingly
colorful and meaningful life." --Denny Patterson, OutFront
Magazine
“For lovers of theater, queer and hetero,
“I Was Better Last Night” is a feast of
memories. For LGBTQ folk who lived through the early AIDS
epidemic, ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ – the fight for marriage equality
– the memoir is the story of a queer hero. It’s the tale of an icon
who makes you laugh, cry and get angry (at homophobia)...Once you
start "I Was Better Last Night,” be prepared to
let the vacuuming go, the bills to go unpaid, so you can burn the
midnight oil…Fierstein’s coming out story is gut-wrenching. His
account of his friend Harvey being gay-bashed is
terrifying.…Fierstein writes with raw honesty about his
alcoholism (his long “love affair” with Southern Comfort), his
heart surgery and his regrets. Reading
“I Was Better Last Night” is like seeing a
fabulous Broadway play on opening night.”
--The Washington Blade
"Harvey Fierstein, the legendary actor of the stage and screen,
opens up about his storied career in his memoir. Beginning with his
childhood in Jewish Brooklyn, he takes us through his coming of
age, finding his voice in the gay rights movement, making his
Broadway debut in Torch Song Trilogy, and so much more.
He doesn't shy away from his personal struggles, from getting sober
to the AIDS crisis in NYC. The result? A moving and funny look back
on a remarkable life." --Town & Country
“Scrumptious . . . The Harvey Fierstein glimpsed here is
tantalizingly, defiantly, irreducibly complex. It’s a pity Sondheim
isn’t around to offer the contradictory protagonist of this memoir
the musical he deserves.”--Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times
"Fierstein… looks back on his show-biz travails and the struggle
for gay rights in this raucous debut memoir. He recaps his parts in
theater, movies, and TV…as well as lurid episodes from New York’s
gay demimonde of the 1970s and ’80s, and a bout with alcoholism
that ended with a suicide attempt. Readers will appreciate his
blunt takes on anti-gay discrimination in matters small and
large…Defined by a campy yet bittersweet comic sensibility,
Fierstein’s vivid writing about the pratfalls, exhilaration, and
painstaking craft of a life in theater beguiles." --Publishers
Weekly
"The actor and playwright looks back on his pioneering path…this
personal history movingly charts the author’s journey as a
playwright and actor. Not content to revel in the success of his
most famous roles on Broadway, Fierstein also gives
insightful, unflinching glimpses into his artistic development and
creative process. Among the strongest sections are the author’s
revelations about the evolution of his beloved Torch Song
Trilogy, “proof of [the LGBTQ+ community’s] struggle and a road map
for how we got here.” Fierstein is a pleasant guide
throughout, glossing over his role in countless firsts—“first
openly gay actor to play an openly gay lead in a Broadway show” and
“first openly gay actor to play an openly gay role on a sitcom”—as
he shares his personal, professional, and creative highs and lows.
The author is particularly strong when he writes about his feelings
of abandonment during the AIDS crisis of the early 1980s. In stark
yet passionate sections, he evokes the fear as well as the deep
kinship that arose in his community during this time, though he is
unsparing in many of his assessments…Despite Fierstein’s
somberness when appropriate, he also excels at showcasing his quick
wit. Interspersed with his creative and artistic journeys are
hilarious stories of his encounters with celebrities…It all adds up
to an encapsulation of Fierstein’s philosophy that there is
“no such thing as having lived too much.” A poignant, clever, and
entertaining look at an impressive, unique career." --Kirkus
Reviews
"In this richly detailed book, award-winning playwright and actor
Fierstein tells his life story… His memoir is filled with
evocative characters and scenes, and his wit and way with dialogue
shine…. Written with verve and enthusiasm, Fierstein’s memoir
will be a must-read for his fans and for theater lovers and anyone
who appreciates pop culture." --James Collins, Library Journal
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