Role Models

About this book

Here, from the incomparable John Waters, is a paean to the power of subversive inspiration that will delight, amuse, enrich--and happily horrify readers everywhere. This book is, in fact, a self-portrait told through intimate profiles of favorite personalities--some famous, some unknown, some surprisingly middle-of-the-road. From Esther Martin, the owner of the scariest bar in Baltimore, to playwright Tennessee Williams; from atheist leader Madalyn Murray O'Hair to insane martyr Saint Catherine of Siena; from English novelist Denton Welch to timeless singer Johnny Mathis, these are the figures that helped the author form his own brand of neurotic happiness.--From publisher description.

Themes & subjects

About the author

John Waters

22 April 1946

John Samuel Waters Jr. (born April 22, 1946) is an American filmmaker, actor, writer, and artist. As an actor, Waters has appeared in films such as Sweet and Lowdown (1999), Seed of Chucky (2004), Excision (2012), and Suburban Gothic (2014). More recently, he performs in his touring one-man show This Filthy World. In addition to filmmaking and acting, Waters also works as an artist and across different mediums such as installations, photography, and sculpture. He has published multiple collections of his journalistic exploits, screenplays, ruminations, and artwork which exhibits regularly in galleries and museums around the world. In 2015, Waters was nominated for a Grammy Award for the s…