Flamboyance: The Power of Living Boldly (Original)
Flamboyance: The Power of Living Boldly (Original)
Flamboyance: The Power of Living Boldly (Original)
Description
Description
For fans of Susan Cain and Jenny Odell, an indispensable, paradigm-shifting exploration of flamboyance--tracing its history and social significance through the lives of those who embody it and offering a roadmap for anyone looking to harness the power of their own inner flame
Flamboyance ignites every aspect of our lives, from art and entertainment to ritual and protest. The word connotes an exuberance of thought and expression, and often, unbridled, unashamed passion. Yet historically the term "flamboyant" has been reserved for the over-the-top and the outré, invoked at times as a pejorative innuendo or worse.
Celebrated author and scholar Jack Parlett digs into the nature of flamboyance to offer a new, empowering reframing of a quality that any of us can and should harness more regularly. From Judy Garland to Lil Nas X, Parlett highlights the stories of flamboyant figures throughout history to show how, by harnessing our own inner flame, we break free from cultural expectations that don't serve us and live a brighter, happier, more audaciously fulfilling life.
Flamboyance ignites every aspect of our lives, from art and entertainment to ritual and protest. The word connotes an exuberance of thought and expression, and often, unbridled, unashamed passion. Yet historically the term "flamboyant" has been reserved for the over-the-top and the outré, invoked at times as a pejorative innuendo or worse.
Celebrated author and scholar Jack Parlett digs into the nature of flamboyance to offer a new, empowering reframing of a quality that any of us can and should harness more regularly. From Judy Garland to Lil Nas X, Parlett highlights the stories of flamboyant figures throughout history to show how, by harnessing our own inner flame, we break free from cultural expectations that don't serve us and live a brighter, happier, more audaciously fulfilling life.
Critical Reviews
Critical Reviews
Praise for Flamboyance
"With prodigious intellect and great sensitivity, Jack Partlett's Flamboyance reframes the notion from one of diminishment and ridicule to one of power and reclamation, reminding us that taking up space in a world that would rather erase our existence is a radical and necessary act. Weaving together topics as wide-ranging as Gothic architecture, Susan Sontag, and Billie Holiday, Parlett has created a book that's surprising at every turn, one that is wise, personal and, above all, a deeply engaging reading experience."--Tom Grattan, author of In Tongues
"Jack Parlett has magically crafted an open-hearted portrait of not only queer history but also the very foundations of pop culture. Flamboyance never falters in its generosity, effortlessly igniting and expanding the reader's understanding of both the word and the world alike. As I burned through this book, I found myself making a list of all the people I know that will love it. I suspect I will not be alone."--Lovell Holder, USA Today bestselling author of The Book of Luke
"It's a rare book that combines intellectual rigor, deep research and compelling memoir, but here, Jack Parlett has achieved just that. I loved Flamboyance and will carry it with me for years to come. It's a call to become more who you already are, from a scholar who understands the power of doing so."--Shannon Reed, national bestselling author of Why We Read Praise for Fire Island "[A] richly textured history ... Parlett captures the giffy excesses, but his real aim is to show how a community sought to define, protect, liberate, and celebrate themselves."--The New Yorker "Delightfully chronicled... the history of a queer landmark, its beginnings, its influence, and its seemingly constant evolution."--The Advocate "A must-read."--Bay Area Reporter "A riveting social history of Fire Island... Supremely engaging and highly informative."--Buzzfeed "[An] engrossing history... This is essential reading for the ferry from Sayville or wherever you happen to be."-Town and Country "[A] concise, meticulously researched, century-spanning chronicle of queer life on Fire Island captures, with a plain-spoken yet lyric touch." -The New York Times Book Review "Wonderful...detailed, inclusive, and compassionate."--Jezebel
"A beautiful, beguiling journey to the ultimate queer utopia."-- Olivia Laing "Clued-up but insatiably thirsty, poignant, packed with literary intrigue, Fire Island is a beaming beach read."--Jeremy Atherton Lin, author of Gay Bar
"With prodigious intellect and great sensitivity, Jack Partlett's Flamboyance reframes the notion from one of diminishment and ridicule to one of power and reclamation, reminding us that taking up space in a world that would rather erase our existence is a radical and necessary act. Weaving together topics as wide-ranging as Gothic architecture, Susan Sontag, and Billie Holiday, Parlett has created a book that's surprising at every turn, one that is wise, personal and, above all, a deeply engaging reading experience."--Tom Grattan, author of In Tongues
"Jack Parlett has magically crafted an open-hearted portrait of not only queer history but also the very foundations of pop culture. Flamboyance never falters in its generosity, effortlessly igniting and expanding the reader's understanding of both the word and the world alike. As I burned through this book, I found myself making a list of all the people I know that will love it. I suspect I will not be alone."--Lovell Holder, USA Today bestselling author of The Book of Luke
"It's a rare book that combines intellectual rigor, deep research and compelling memoir, but here, Jack Parlett has achieved just that. I loved Flamboyance and will carry it with me for years to come. It's a call to become more who you already are, from a scholar who understands the power of doing so."--Shannon Reed, national bestselling author of Why We Read Praise for Fire Island "[A] richly textured history ... Parlett captures the giffy excesses, but his real aim is to show how a community sought to define, protect, liberate, and celebrate themselves."--The New Yorker "Delightfully chronicled... the history of a queer landmark, its beginnings, its influence, and its seemingly constant evolution."--The Advocate "A must-read."--Bay Area Reporter "A riveting social history of Fire Island... Supremely engaging and highly informative."--Buzzfeed "[An] engrossing history... This is essential reading for the ferry from Sayville or wherever you happen to be."-Town and Country "[A] concise, meticulously researched, century-spanning chronicle of queer life on Fire Island captures, with a plain-spoken yet lyric touch." -The New York Times Book Review "Wonderful...detailed, inclusive, and compassionate."--Jezebel
"A beautiful, beguiling journey to the ultimate queer utopia."-- Olivia Laing "Clued-up but insatiably thirsty, poignant, packed with literary intrigue, Fire Island is a beaming beach read."--Jeremy Atherton Lin, author of Gay Bar
Publishing Information
Publishing Information
Publisher:
Hanover Square Press
Pub date:
2026-05-26
Length:
304 pages
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