dr.a.g.

Dr.a.g.

“Dr.a.g.” is an incredible, larger than life pictorial coffee table book, written by Christopher Logan. This high-quality volume features photos in fabulous full colour and striking black and white, of top performers in the contemporary art of drag.  The book offers up a wide selection - from the glamour girl giving pure “fish”, to old movie stars in drop-dead realness. There are plenty of fantasy dream characters and nightmarish villains. The drag artists and professional photographers in this book, donated their work and what began as a fund raiser for an independent film, soon evolved into this wondrous photo essay. These beauties are photographed by top photographers and stars, such as: drag superstars Frank Marino, Chad Michaels, Lady Bunny, Jimmy James, Miss Coco Peru, Raja, Tammy Brown, Sal-e, Jeffree Star and Jim Bailey (to name just a few!). This book is a must-have for all those who appreciate and admire the art of drag.

More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

dr.a.g. (a term originating from theatre when men 'Dressed As a Girl' due to lack of female performers) is truly spectacular. A collection of photographs from top photographers of some of the best drag stars in the world. Many will be familiar to RuPaul's Drag Race fans (from Chad Michaels to photographer Mike Ruiz) but many others are a treat to see again or discover for the first time.

The book is a fundraiser for independent films and the photographs were donated to that cause. And the photographs are spectacular - so many different styles, perspectives, processing. With no words other than crediting the photographer and the model, this is a feast for the eyes with most images covering full page spreads. This is the coffee table book of coffee table books - and lesser mortal women like myself start to feel unoworthy fast in the face of these beautiful models.

As a photographer, I am very, very impressed. These are all top of the game photographers using varied and expensive professional techniques to bring out the subtleties and personalities of the models. There wasn't one disappointing image in the entire book; but I also appreciated that next to each picture was the name of the drag queen and photographer. They deserved that recognition for such superb work.

This is a beautiful book worthy many repeat goggle-eye viewings.

Reviewed from an ARC.

This book is F.A.B.lous. The pictures are gorgeous, and I learned things I never knew before. I had no idea Dr.a.g meant dressed as a girl and that it originated with Shakespear. It makes since. I will be purchasing this book for my library. This is one of the few books I have seen that is not making a joke, or criticizing the drag community, and I think my small town community needs some more exposure.

This book is beautiful. I finally know where the term drag comes from. I loved seeing some of my favorite queens from RuPaul's Drag Race. I will definitely be purchasing this book.

This is such a gorgeous book that I absolutely *need* for my coffee table. Highly recommended to any art or fashion lovers. The grrls in this book are absolutely fierce with amazing presence. Some of the best make-up and photography that I've seen in a while.

While it was great seeing some of my favorites from RuPaul's Drag Race, my absolute favorite photo is tribute to the Madonna Justify My Love cover. It was very hard trying to think of a favorite as these artists really do amazing tributes/recreations and even more fantastic original concepts.

*Digital review copy provided by NetGalley & the publisher.

Great photography, great subjects! Will recommend highly.

Last Spring I had the great pleasure of getting an advance look at dr.a.g. from Christopher Logan, chatting with him about it, and featuring it in an issue of Frock Magazine. Unfortunately, by the time we went to print, the parent company of the original publisher went into bankruptcy, which meant the book was no longer available.

Well, here we are, a little more than a year later, and a new edition of the dr.a.g. book has been published by Logan’s company bookthefilm, and enhanced with additional material from Acid Betty, Yara Sofia, Queen Bee Ho, and Dallas Dellaforce.

Produced by Christopher Logan, dr.a.g. is a coffee table book featuring some of the world’s top drag performers, as captured by a wide array of fashion and celebrity photographers. It’s a project where everyone involved donated their time, all to help to raise funds for a movie on the subject of . . . yup, you guessed it, drag! From the New York drag scene to the Vegas Strip, from the streets of Montreal to the cast of RuPaul's Drag Race, dr.a.g. features such notable faces as Lady Bunny, Frank Marino, Nina Flowers, Miss Coco Peru, and others.

Christopher Logan, the man behind the book, is an actor whose credits include Connie and Carla, Saving Silverman, Tron Legacy, and Alcatraz. Born in Ottawa, he moved to Vancouver after training at The Stella Adler Academy of Acting in Hollywood. He got into producing books after writing a novel as a gift for a friend (Daphne, a children’s book about penguins, the last magical creatures of the Earth), and moved on to producing events and books to raise funding for independent film production.

Although primarily a photographic collection, the book begins with a recap of the historical origins of dr.a.g (dressed as a girl) and dr.a.b. (dressed as a boy) - originating with the old British farces, where men would flop and drag their dresses around the stage, camping it up in high-pitched voices in a sort of mockery of women. The terms later evolved through an underground dialect called Polari, a sort of gay slang in the United Kingdom with its origins in travelling Gypsy, into drag queen.

dr.a.g. is an absolutely gorgeous book all on its own, but there’s a larger purpose behind it. The hope is to produce a drag movie that is as beautiful, as respectful, and as uplifting as the book. There's a great range of styles represented within the book, from campy to elegant, and from funny to gorgeous, representing the diversity within the drag world itself.

Amazing photography. A gorgeous book on an interesting subject.

Oh, I am so glad that Netgalley had this book for review! I have always been drawn to the art of Drag, using the correct combination of clothing, makeup, and body language you can become anyone, anything, anytime! It is an incredible transformation that is an art form, mix that with someone who knows how to perform and it goes to a whole new level of awesome.

This book is a wonderful coffee table book. Featuring excellent photography and excellent Drag Queens in all sorts of styles and levels of glamour and extravagance. There are those who are Professional Celebrity Impersonators that will really give you a double take, they are pros for a reason! There are outlandish, almost alien and sci-fi in design outfits with headdresses made from packing peanuts or giant beehives of glitter. There are classic glamour shots and even a bit of classic pin-up. This book has every aspect of the Drag culture. I found myself going back and forth, which impressed me more...the photography or the people being photographed. It is a perfect synergy between art forms.

I also really like that this book is a fundraiser for an independent film, what an ingenious way to raise money! I hope that creating books as a fundraiser becomes a trend, I would definitely support it.

I didn't even know this was a thing that existed until I was browsing the shelves at NetGalley. I applied right away in hopes of getting accepted for a review copy and when I woke up this morning a beautiful email was waiting for me in my inbox telling me just that.
I always thought that drag queens were outspoken, insanely creative and mostly stay true to who they are and what their vision is. This book captured that wonderfully.
I loved how it started with a basic definition of what drag was and it taught me that it's an acronym for dressed as girl. Something which I ashamedly admit not knowing.
The contents of the book itself are incredible! Such aesthetically pleasing and vivd pictures that starts off with Larry Edwards and continues on with a roster of queens that will wow and amaze you, closing it off with the legendary Jim Bailey which is something I didn't expect but there you go. I also immensely enjoyed the varied aspects of drag this book presented, showing me that it really is an art form to be reckoned with.

All in all this is a gorgeous book to own and something that I would want the physical copy of as soon as possible.

I just opened it for a second to glance at it before bed. Damn.

How did I not know that drag is an abbreviation for "dressed as girl"? That makes so much sense, and yet.

I have a deep, deep love for drag queens. I don't remember when I realized this world existed, but I also don't remember ever thinking it was weird. And I grew up in the deep south, so that's saying something.

This book is so beautiful. Not just the queens themselves, but the photographs. There's not a clunker in the lot. The lighting, the set up. These are gorgeous. This is a coffee table book if ever one was made.

I was thrilled to see all of the drag queens I recognized, and the ones I didn't, I need to know more about immediately. They are all eye catching, and I can't imagine anyone opening this book and not immediately flipping through to look at the rest.

I will own it. Oh, yes, I will own it.

In September, I got approved for LEGENDARY, an art book about the drag queen ballroom scene. I really liked the idea behind the book but the photography just wasn't my thing.

dr.a.g. (dressed as girl) is what LEGENDARY was trying to be--and failed. Oh my gosh, I don't even have the words to describe how gorgeous this collection was. The photography, the makeup, the costumes, everything.

It was all so amazing.

I think when most people think of drag queens and transvestites, they have this stereotypical image in their heads. Actually, BITCHFEST had an essay about this. Drag queens and trans MtF are only accessible in our society if they are identifiable as men. If they actually look like women, the article said, they are perceived as deceitful. Which is unfortunate. Because why should people be punished for trying--and succeeding--and being who they want to be? They shouldn't.

Some of the men in this book look like beautiful women. Some of the men are obviously men wearing feminine makeup and clothing. Some of them just look...well, strange. For that reason it's a really great collection, because this book doesn't conform to any stereotype about drag queens. All of the models look so confident and interesting. I loved how their poses and facial expressions kind of give you a clue to their personalities. It was really cool. :)

A couple of the models impersonate famous celebrities--and do a shockingly good job of it. There's a Marilyn Monroe impersonator, a Cher impersonator, and a Zsa Zsa Gabor impersonator. Some of the drag queens are famous, like Jeffree Star. Oh my gosh, the detail on the makeup and jewelry and hair and accessories were so amazing. This was so beautiful. I'm so happy I was approved for this!

5 out of 5 stars!

Some may purchase this book just for the sheer beauty of its photos, and the photos certainly are beautiful. This book, however, goes beyond the physical beauty of the individuals featured. This book is about dignity and the manifestation of the human spirit. Though the book contains very few words, what the author does say is really powerful:

"Dr.a.g. isn't what you wear or who you are, it's how you wear who you are."

About the photos: the colors and textures just pop in every single photo. The performers and performances shown in this book are diverse and unbelievably eye-catching. While I read this book online as an e-book, I will certainly be purchasing a physical copy to place in my personal library. This is a book is both an important documentary of modern dr.a.g., and also a wonderful coffee table book. I can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy.

I am a huge fan of RuPaul's Drag Race and drag queens in general, so I was very excited to get the opportunity to browse this book. Many of my favorites appear within these pages (Courtney Act, Jujubee, Raja and Tammie Brown, to name a few), but I was also introduced me to a number of [new to me] performers. I think the book does an excellent job of representing the diversity of drag culture, racially and stylistically. Some of the quotes seemed unusually placed, with many pages breaking up each sentence, but maybe it would make more sense with the physical book open in front of me. I do not know if my library's collection development team will order this title, but I will certainly plead my case!

Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5 Rounded up to 5

✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍

"It's amazing what a man can accomplish when he's wearing the right dress."

✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍

Love Drag Queens? Find the diversity found among today's drag performers wildly intriguing as well as fascinating? Here is the perfect book for you!

Christopher Logan reveals the many faces of drag in this marvelous photography collection. From well known drag performs such as the fabulous Sherry Vine, Coco Peru, Miss Bunny to the newer queens made famous by RuPaul's Drag Race, Tyra Sanchez, Latrice Royale, and Tammi Brown, each drag queen reveals what fabulous means to them!

"Drag has become a diverse form of expression that challenges, entertains, and educates by pushing boundaries, while embracing beauty, comedy and glamour. The performers in this book are evidence of that diversity, captured by some of the top photographers working in today's world."

What I loved about this book, along with its incredible photography? Its inclusion of the entire spectrum of drag performers. Old school and new, iconic and those hoping to make it, bald and beards, famous movie stars and space aliens, its all there and irresistible. Just taking a look at the many movie star guises of Chad Michaels as Cher next to Sal-E is shocking and shockingly beautiful at the same time. Even the forward is breezy, easy, and informative...

In the early days of theatre, male actors played both the male and female roles. They were either dr.a.g (dressed as girl) or dr.a.b (dressed as boy).

You've come a long way, Baby!

Quotations are interspersed along the pages of drag queen beauties by a number of photographers. "Imitation is the highest form of flattery" "Clothes may not make the man, but they definitely make the woman". Clever bonmots, then a number of fantastic layouts, from location shoots to studio work. It's hard to put down once you start turning the pages.

What did I want more of? Biographical information on each person as well as the photographers that captured them so beautifully. That would have made this perfect! As it is that perfection comes close.

Book Blurb:

The book 'dr.a.g.', for dressed as girl is a photographic celebration of the top drag queens from around the globe, shot by fashion and celeb photographers. From New York drag icons Lady Bunny and Joey Arias, Vegas headliners Mr. Kenneth Blake and Frank Marino, and cast from multiple seasons of RuPaul's Drag Race, dr.a.g. shows the spirit and passion of drag, and inspires with it's images.
Book Notes:dr.a.g. is an 11 x 11 inch, 180 page book of high quality color photography. Tthe printed book has rich color and lush visual impact.

Book:

Website:http://www.bookthefilm.com

Bookthefilm Facebook

"Drag isn't what you wear or who you are…it's how you wear who you are…"

by Amy Osborne

I have kind of a love/hate relationship with Drag performers. On one hand, they can be incredibly witty, subversive and astute, spinning an interpretation of an iconic performer on its head and portraying that person in a way that has fleshed out their soul, so that they become even more of who they were originally. There’s Jim Bailey’s “Judy Garland,” aching with sadness or my personal favorite, comedic genius Dina Martina. Mizz Martina probably falls more into the performance artist category and was once perfectly described as “John Wayne Gacy meets Tammy Faye Baker”.

On the other hand, Drag queens are a complex and heady blend of testosterone and male aggression mixed with layers of thick foundation, fake eye-lashes, lipstick and falsies. On stage their exaggerated gestures and voices are entertaining and often hilarious, but clownish, aggressive and somewhat terrifying up-close. I have similar feelings toward Drag artists as I do watching wild animals in captivity or performing in the circus; charming and whimsical from the safety of my seat in the audience, but kind of frightening and sad when you really focus.

Regardless of my personal conflicted feelings toward Drag performers, if anything, this book is a sumptuous feast for the eyes, featuring over 100 striking portraits and 50 or so photographers. There’s really something for everyone! Most of these ladies I believe would fall in the glamourpuss category; powdered, primped and bewigged with plenty of Photoshop blurring out any flaws and Film Noir lighting that would make George Cukor envious. But then you have straight-forward female impersonators like Jimmy James’s impeccable portrayal of Marilyn Monroe to Eddie Edwards’s Bette Midler and Chad Michaels’s Cher (although many would argue that Cher has already become a Drag version of herself). Then we have the characters that would probably fit more into the camp category, over-exaggerated archetypes influenced by pill-popping Stepford housewives like Dixie Longate, Charles Busch & Coco Peru.

Then you have the gals who defy categorization and who could best be classified as surreal. Take a gander at bald-pated and tattooed, Ongina, sublimely ornate Maddelynn Hatter, The Klaus Nomi-ish TP Lords, creepy doll-face, Tammie Brown (with eyebrows strangely positioned right in the mid-point of her forehead), Glitz Glam, whose porcupine-quill eyebrows could lance your face, the Emo stylings of SAL-E and finally, the performer who may have my favorite name of all, Crystal Something-Something.

You have to admire what must be incredibly time-consuming care that goes into the creation of these personas. There’s so much loving craftsmanship evident on these pages, with both the application of makeup, hair and wardrobe, but also the whole execution of concept. These ladies are not lazy and unfocused, that’s for sure. Their ambition is palpable from poring over these images.

My only complaint is that I wish there was more text attached to the photos. I’d like to know basic details of these artists, like their backgrounds, who inspired them, the concept behind their characters and where they perform. Other than that, this would make a wonderful coffee table book to add some technicolor to your home, or to incite conversations about gender and whether Drag queens are brilliant and brave revolutionaries who shine a magnifying glass on societies grasp of current culture, the LGBT community and sexual mores or if they are just creepy clowns with tits.