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Blush: the unbelievably absurd diary of a gay beauty junkie
398 pages, Paperback
First published May 19, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 3, 2013
Pack this one in your beach bag! A super-fun read, Harvey Helms’ Blush reminds me a bit of that long-ago, guilty-pleasure Coffee, Tea or Me? and the not-so-long-ago The Devil Wears Prada. Rather than the airline or fashion industries though, Blush is a boozy, flirty romp that takes us behind the scenes of the department store cosmetics business.
Helms’ insider tales of the industry’s quirks, secrets and people behaving badly are highly entertaining and sometimes shocking. He engages us with his self-deprecating wit and cheerful disposition and somehow manages not to sugarcoat the blatant bigotry he faced both in college and in the early days of his career.
Helm's also generously gives us a glimpse into the quintessential, dysfunctional Southern family (bless their hearts!) and his own quest for the ideal beauty regimen and the perfect man. There are angels and villains and—spoiler alert—a happy ending. I’ll never again step up to the Lancome counter without thinking of Harvey!
Helms’ insider tales of the industry’s quirks, secrets and people behaving badly are highly entertaining and sometimes shocking. He engages us with his self-deprecating wit and cheerful disposition and somehow manages not to sugarcoat the blatant bigotry he faced both in college and in the early days of his career.
Helm's also generously gives us a glimpse into the quintessential, dysfunctional Southern family (bless their hearts!) and his own quest for the ideal beauty regimen and the perfect man. There are angels and villains and—spoiler alert—a happy ending. I’ll never again step up to the Lancome counter without thinking of Harvey!
July 4, 2012
Where to begin? Hilariously funny, sadly true and incredibly honest.....one can only imagine what Harvey's journey must have been like. Thank goodness he survived, (only just) and wrote this book to clue us into a life as absurd (his word, not mine) and as blessed as a gay man could be in the Southern United States in the 1960's. I wait with anticipation to read the next volume, in what I hope will be a trilogy.
Personally, I was so grateful to have received this book in the mail (from Amazon) just before leaving for a week's vacation at the beach. I read it in two days. This may be the perfect "Beach Book"....however, I would not assign it to only one locale, if your choice is cooler, and who could blame you, it will be equally fascinating there too!
Personally, I was so grateful to have received this book in the mail (from Amazon) just before leaving for a week's vacation at the beach. I read it in two days. This may be the perfect "Beach Book"....however, I would not assign it to only one locale, if your choice is cooler, and who could blame you, it will be equally fascinating there too!
August 25, 2016
I literally read this book in under 24 hours. It is both heartwarming and heart-breaking. Both hilarious and horrid. Harvey's diary reminds me to be kind. To everyone. You never know what someone is suffering under. I pray that Harvey has found lasting love and knows that an old friend from HS has the fondest memories of him.
July 5, 2015
Love, love, love this book. Found myself laughing out loud and also had tears in my eyes at moments. Highly recommended!!!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews