Planet Drag: Uncover the Global Herstory

by Courtney Conquers, Brooke Lynn Hytes (foreword)

Travel to Planet Drag and explore the styles, influences, artists, and events that have made the art of drag so outrageously popular in 15 countries around the world.

Exquisitely styled by top drag queens, and with a foreword by Canada’s Drag Race judge Brooke Lynn Hytes, this is the ultimate guide to drag—a glittering, feathered foray into the past and present of this much-loved art form.

Gloriously embellished with historical photos—many never seen before—along with stylish contemporary shots of some of the world's biggest drag stars, this is a deep dive into drag’s meteoric rise to the mainstream.

The carnival court of drag has exploded and it now holds a fierce place in popular culture. And while Rupaul's Drag Race does highlight some nuanced differences between national drag styles, there’s a lot more to the story that you don’t know…

In this extravagant exploration across Planet Drag, we’ll stop
  The UK, where pantomime culture gave us a wicked comic attitude that still prevails Germany, home to ‘tuntens’ who don’t see themselves as impersonating women at all The USA, a unique melting pot of drag culture France, where Joan of Arc is considered by some to be the very first drag king Australia, the country that birthed blockbuster film Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, which saw drag reach a whole new audience.

Plus, 10 more countries that have altered and expanded the art of drag in ways you might not expect.

This is drag unashamed, unneutered, unapologetic... and world-conquering. A must-have for any drag fan.

With contributions from Zephyr Aspen, Kat Joplin, Alex Nolos, Javier Izquierdo, Jeffrey Rowe, Tsarlotte Lucifer, Juliana R. Santos, Courtney Norton, Presley Stewart and Viktor Skancke.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Queer

356 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 1, 2024

Reviews

[Tessa1316 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this.

This was such a fun and informative read! It’s great to hear other perspectives on the art form outside of Drag Race and the USA/UK (while these countries are part of the book) and the historical figures that paved the path.

It would be great to see a second edition of this with other/more countries as (most of) the world progresses

[Rhiannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've followed Courtney Conquers—and Drag Coven—on social media for quite a while and have long enjoyed the work she's done as a drag photographer and archivist. When she first shared that she was working on this book, I was really excited about the premise and the opportunity to learn a bit more about the history and impact of drag on a global scale, especially if it was going to be handed to me in an easily accessible, succinct format. While this is obviously not an all-inclusive history (and I'd challenge you to show me any piece of media that possibly could be), it offers some really fascinating information about drag across several countries and continents. Despite being an avid fan of drag, both in and out of the context of Drag Race, there's still so much I don't know about the art form, especially when it comes to its history outside of the United States.

As someone who isn't generally much of a nonfiction reader, this was interesting and well-written enough to hold my attention, even when the information being presented was something with which I was already familiar. If you're a drag enthusiast, or even a casual fan who's looking to learn a bit more about drag or become more involved in the drag community, Planet Drag is a great starting point for expanding your knowledge and appreciation.

Thank you to White Lion and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Danielle - drops.everything.and.reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is perfect for fans of drag and want to know more about the culture, history, and how it is celebrated in various countries.

This was a fascinating read and I learned a lot more about the history of drag that has given me a greater appreciation for how hard and long it took for it to become more mainstream. While drag and the 2SLGBTQI+ community continue to fight to make strides in society today, there has been a lot of progress and much to celebrate, while honouring the past and those who suffered.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about how drag is practiced in difference countries - the trends, the histories. It really goes to show that there is no one universal or 'right' way to do drag and that it is really quite limitless.
While there were many references to RuPaul's Drag Race and it's impact on and inclusion in mainstream culture, the book goes well beyond that, using the popularity of the show as a launching point to bring the reader into the other aspects of drag community and culture.

Really well done and the photographs included only served to highlight and complement the text.

Thanks to the publisher for the eARC; all opinions are my own.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Planet Drag is one of those books I'm definitely going to buy when I see it in the wild (or order it from a local indie bookshop). It's a history and an accounting of drag across the ages, and across the world! It features several queens in both photographs and descriptions that people only familiar with Drag Race and popular drag are familiar with, but a lot more who made and are making history.

This is not just the history of drag, but the history of gender variance in performance and also the history of just, being queer-- that anyone can be a drag queen (or king or thing or monster or--) from a ciswoman to a transman to anything in between and beyond, and the people who have entertained us fellow humans for literally hundreds of years are an important part of culture and should be protected.

The photographs and reproductions of art in this book help tell the story, and each chapter./country was written by someone who had knowledge of the area and its history as well, with each author credited with their creds in the back. Great work.

[Randy Sangha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happened upon this book at the library and recognized the cover artist from Rupaul's Drag Race and decided to give it a shot. Wow. I learned so much about not only drag culture but the history of queerness throughout 15 chapters on 15 countries and how drag developed in their respective cultures. Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert to Dame Edna, Harajaku district to Kabuki theatre, Club Kids to the Pageantry world, Shakespearean plays to burlesque - all the art forms with elements of or leading to the current iteration of drag. The photos are both historic and current. Themes such as politicalization, cultural appropriation, and resistance are covered. I liked the section on Vancouver BC and the Orpheum's influence on drag culture as well as learning about the various people who fought for rights over the years so that drag can be what it is today.

[Kelli Santistevan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Travel to Planet Drag and explore the styles, influences, artists, and events that have made the art of drag so outrageously popular in 15 countries around the world.

Thank you Quarto Books for making this book available as a Read Now book on Netgalley! I enjoyed reading this book. I thought it was very interesting. I didn’t know anything about drag because I haven’t ever been exposed to it. I haven’t been to a drag show. My only exposure to drag was when I used to watch RuPaul’s Drag Race on VH1 but it was entertaining to watch.

[Icy_Space_Cobwebs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lavishly photographed and rich in luscious detail, this History of Drag Culture is illuminating and revealing. Useful for both aficionados and those who are less cognizant of the vast extent of Drag Culture, this volume will provide an eye-opening and affirmative education as well as being an attractive addition to a stylish bookshelf or coffee table.

[Nichole · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone whose only exposure to drag is the first dozen seasons of Drag Race (I unfortunately live in a pretty Conservative area) this was entertaining, informative, and eye-opening. The rich text was supplemented with beautiful photographs and I devoured it in an afternoon.

Thank you to NetGalley and White Lion Publishing for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Donna Metler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful, coffee table book that invites one to travel around the world and learn about drag, both historically and currently, in many countries. The writing is conversational and easy to read, with many quotes and conversations with people across the drag spectrum. This is a great work for anyone interested in Queer history and culture.

[Rick Rapp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Filled with beautiful photographs and rich with history, this is an eye-opening book about the political nature of drag, as well as its artistic self-expression. The book features the drag scene in many countries throughout the world and is informative, poignant, and necessary. Definitely timely in our current crazed socio-political climate.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Received as a free ARC*
Absolutely spectacular world history of drag. A little shallow in places, but with so many different regions represented, it had to be. That being said, clearly each chapter could have been a full book. Absolutely fascinating. Very readable and excellent images included.

[Dianne Landry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a fabulous look at the history of drag all over the world. The people and stories make it a very enjoyable read.

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Planet Drag is an exploration of drag culture across different countries, with each of the fifteen countries discussed having a dedicated section with an essay talking about drag in that country, with historical and current photos of notable figures. It's really more of an introduction or an overview as it doesn't really have the space for a deep exploration of any one area but that would be a giant task and it does really well at familiarizing the reader with the larger picture.

As someone who's largely unfamiliar with drag history and culture, there was a lot for me to learn from Planet Drag and while I definitely had to look up some of the terms referenced, each section was general enough that I could easily go look up some of the people and events mentioned for more information. I really appreciated getting an introduction and learning the history and it had me intrigued to learn more. Whether you love drag already or are new to it, Planet Drag is well worth picking up!

Thanks to White Lion Publishing and NetGalley for early access to the book, opinions are my own.

[C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you netgalley for the ARC for this novel seeing Courtney on social media and recognizing the name for this book i had to give it a read and i really enjoyed the research and the photos and i love how it took us on a journey around the globe and showed us all different types of history and drag styles and basically showed us that drag has always been here and it is not going away especially with everything going on now a days more then ever we need books like this to showcase peoples talents and educate people on the art of drag and how beautiful and entertaining it can be.. This book really showcased lots of drag performers and showed us new artists as well and i loved that. Thank you for sharing this novel with the world!