In the Shadow of the American Dream

From life in the streets and love in the alleys to fame in the spotlight and an untimely deathraw, biting, and brilliant selections from the personal journals of one of the most uniquely creative artists of the late twentieth centuryWhen his life ended at age thirty-sevena casualty of the AIDS epidemic that took so many before their timeDavid Wojnarowicz had long since established himself as one of America's most vital artists and activists.In the Shadow of the American Dreamis a stunning collection of riveting and revealing chapters from Wojnarowicz's extensive personal diariesthirty volumes' worth of memories and lucid observations, some bitter, some sweetthat the author began writing when he was seventeen and continued until his death two decades later. Here is a brilliant chronicle of an artist's emergencea young man's still achingly fresh memories of his unhappy adolescence and his glorious discovery of self. Wojnarowicz recalls his life on Manhattan's Lower East Side with no shame or regret, and shares his hitchhiking journeys across the country. He talks of art and love and sexembracing who he is fully and accepting his heartbreaking fate without pathoswhile providing fascinating glimpses into the vibrant and colorful New York art scene and poignant views of life and death among the AIDS community.At once frightening and courageous, joyous and disturbing, enlightening and honest,In the Shadow of the American Dreamis a treasured addition to the enduring literary legacy of David Wojnarowicz and a true testament to his unique brilliance.