"In this collection of essays, cultural critic and acclaimed writer Wayne Koestenbaum exposes all that provokes, intimidates, heartens, and arouses us in matters of style, celebrity, obscenity, and art." "From reflections on the rigors of a day spent with Melanie Griffith ("Melanie Time") to an ode to the healing powers of a black Prada suit ("Diary of a Suit") to moving meditations on the importance of reading ("Why I Read"), this volume is an exploration of culture and identity in America."--Jacket.