The HOUSE OF HIDDEN MEANINGS,
by RuPaul
Synopsis
From international drag superstar and pop culture icon RuPaul, comes his most revealing and personal work to date—a brutally honest, surprisingly poignant, and deeply intimate memoir of growing up Black, poor, and queer in a broken home to discovering the power of performance, found family, and self-acceptance.
A profound introspection of his life, relationships, and identity, The House of Hidden Meanings is a self-portrait of the legendary icon on the road to global fame and changing the way the world thinks about drag. Central to RuPaul’s success has been his chameleonic adaptability. From drag icon to powerhouse producer of one of the world’s largest television franchises, RuPaul’s ever-shifting nature has always been part of his brand as both supermodel and supermogul.
Yet that adaptability has made him enigmatic to the public. In this memoir, his most intimate and detailed book yet, RuPaul makes himself truly known. Stripping away all artifice, RuPaul recounts the story of his life with breathtaking clarity and tenderness, bringing his signature wisdom and wit to his own biography. From his early years growing up as a queer Black kid in San Diego navigating complex relationships with his absent father and temperamental mother, to forging an identity in the punk and drag scenes of Atlanta and New York, to finding enduring love with his husband Georges LeBar and self-acceptance in sobriety, RuPaul excavates his own biography, uncovering new truths and insights in his personal history.
Here in RuPaul’s singular and extraordinary story is a manual for living—a personal philosophy that testifies to the value of chosen family, the importance of harnessing what makes you different, and the transformational power of facing yourself fearlessly. If we’re all born naked and the rest is drag, then this is RuPaul totally out of drag. This is RuPaul stripped bare.
Richard says
I found a RuPaul interview on late-night TV intriguing. The celebrity was articulate, well-spoken and had incredible recall. The interview touted his book and I was curious. I am glad to have read his book.
Black, gay and Catholic, RuPaul was isolated and segregated from the majority of society from birth.
He weaves a good story, polished and eloquent. The book reads well providing the reader with nearly microscopic views of his life. His recall of places, events and people is amazing. He writes a book that is not only introspective but also eye-opening.
Admittedly, I was curious about one of the most well-known and successful gay celebrities. I wanted to learn more. How did a Black man, gay and a Catholic manage to scale the ladder of fame and celebrity status? Many of us would think he had three strikes against him but, he succeeded despite the count.
The book’s plot is simple and direct. It is a detailed description of his life until about his mid 40’s. He weaves a tale of poverty and wealth, drug addiction to healthy living, street living to fame and success. He provides readers with a magnifying glass to examine his life.
My take away
RuPaul deserves credit for tenacity and determination. He seems to have hit rock bottom many times in his life but somehow he resurrected himself and rose even higher every time he did.
I found the details of his drug use and sexual exploits troubling but, I understand these are integral to his early life and essential to give his biography more accuracy and authenticity.
Today he is acknowledged as a successful celebrity worldwide.
