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The Wonderful World That Almost Was: A Life of Peter Hujar and Paul Thek
The cinematic, never-before-told story of two intimately entangled artists who redefined queer art.
When Paul Thek met Peter Hujar in the winter of 1956 in Coral Gables, Florida, a slow-simmering connection began to burn. Thek, twenty-three and living in Miami, was handsome and itching to make it as a painter; in the twenty-two-year-old Hujar, a shy, sensual photographer, he’d found a kindred spirit. By 1960, they were dating and living in New York, beginning decades of sex, love, competition, and reconciliation—an entanglement that changed American art forever.
Surrounded by a robust creative scene populated by Susan Sontag, Andy Warhol, Fran Lebowitz, John Waters, and David Wojnarowicz, Thek and Hujar’s profoundly influential careers, from the early 1960s through the late 1980s, differed as much as the men themselves. The unpredictable and often overlooked Thek crafted visceral installations and sculptures, while Hujar, celebrated and sociable, took penetrating portraits of his world, queer and otherwise. Yet even at their most estranged, and even after their deaths from AIDS, both men were united by a pursuit of liberation—from artistic and sexual limits, from anything short of changing the world.
Andrew Durbin’s The Wonderful World That Almost Was unravels, for the first time, the intertwined stories and work of two boundary-burning, paradigm-tilting, never more relevant American artists. Weaving together deft art criticism with moving portraits of both men's inner lives, and assembled with exhaustive research, Durbin’s book is an ode to a lost but still-living world—and two men who defined it.
When Paul Thek met Peter Hujar in the winter of 1956 in Coral Gables, Florida, a slow-simmering connection began to burn. Thek, twenty-three and living in Miami, was handsome and itching to make it as a painter; in the twenty-two-year-old Hujar, a shy, sensual photographer, he’d found a kindred spirit. By 1960, they were dating and living in New York, beginning decades of sex, love, competition, and reconciliation—an entanglement that changed American art forever.
Surrounded by a robust creative scene populated by Susan Sontag, Andy Warhol, Fran Lebowitz, John Waters, and David Wojnarowicz, Thek and Hujar’s profoundly influential careers, from the early 1960s through the late 1980s, differed as much as the men themselves. The unpredictable and often overlooked Thek crafted visceral installations and sculptures, while Hujar, celebrated and sociable, took penetrating portraits of his world, queer and otherwise. Yet even at their most estranged, and even after their deaths from AIDS, both men were united by a pursuit of liberation—from artistic and sexual limits, from anything short of changing the world.
Andrew Durbin’s The Wonderful World That Almost Was unravels, for the first time, the intertwined stories and work of two boundary-burning, paradigm-tilting, never more relevant American artists. Weaving together deft art criticism with moving portraits of both men's inner lives, and assembled with exhaustive research, Durbin’s book is an ode to a lost but still-living world—and two men who defined it.
496 pages, Hardcover
Published April 14, 2026
About the author
Andrew Durbin
20 books78 followersAndrew Durbin is the author of MacArthur Park (2017) and Skyland (2020), both from Nightboat Books. In 2018, MacArthur Park was a finalist for the Believer Book Award. His book about Peter Hujar and Paul Thek, The Wonderful World that Almost Was, is forthcoming from FSG and Granta in April 2026. He is the editor of Jacolby Satterwhite’s How lovely is me being as I am (Carnegie Mellon Press, 2021), Kevin Killian’s Fascination: Memoirs (Semiotexte, 2018), and the chapbook series Say bye to reason and hi to everything (Capricious, 2015). His fiction, criticism, and poetry have appeared in The Believer, BOMB, Boston Review, The New York Review of Books, The London Review of Books, The Paris Review, Triple Canopy, and elsewhere. He lives in London and is the editor-in-chief of frieze magazine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
April 14, 2026
A stunning portrait of two brilliant, troubled, and artistically clairvoyant mid-late 20th century artists, by one of my favorite contemporary writers. I have known Hujar’s work for years, but this book (and Primary Information’s brilliant Stay away from nothing) served as my introduction to Paul Thek. I find Paul’s sensibility eerily similar to my own, and Peter’s darkroom practices inspiring to no end. It’s hard to read this book and not imagine yourself on Ponza with P&P, or one among 15,000+ of Hujar’s lovers…
Jackson Howard is on a generational run as an editor
Jackson Howard is on a generational run as an editor
July 7, 2026
Sexy, informative. Slightly repetitive but what a world!
April 24, 2026
I loved living in the world of their love. Wow.
June 10, 2026
How do you mourn the loss of time you never lived and for a pair you never knew?
May 25, 2026
My most anticipated book of this year, this did not disappoint. I have deeply loved Peter Hujar’s work, after I started to dive in deeper into David Wojnarowicz’s art over the last decade (Peter was David’s brief lover, but ended up being a pivotal mentor and almost father figure, a bond that transformed both of them).
This biography was deeply refreshing because the author took the deliberate approach to not write from the lens of what we know happened to the queer community back then, as ravaged by the HIV / AIDS epidemic. Instead, Andrew took a nuanced approach to tell Paul Thek and Peter Hujar’s love and friendship through how it was in time and place (1960-1970s primarily) as it happened back then. Which gives this air of simplicity that I much appreciated. It took me a while but I did get the hang of it - as if I too were a traveler with them across the decades - in time and in place.
Andrew’s deep respect and care for both of them is evident, as the tireless research is so very effortless - I could read another book in this same era from him and not get tired.
My only complaint is that, due to the stance taken by Andrew - of just telling the story as it unfolded, it robs of any meaningful insights that could have helped otherwise to set the stage. The book near the end can become a chore, as you can tell Andrew is just going through the motion of all the research he had done and you quite literally feel him just typing it all up - chronologically to wrap the book - which started to feel a bit boring. But despite that, I did find the overall book, quite engaging and loving. A deep dive into lost times that I know I certainly would have loved to go towards.
And finally, to Peter Hujar and Paul Thek. It’s for artists such as these two, that queerness is so defining and boundary pushing. And so meaningfully inspiring for people such as myself.
This biography was deeply refreshing because the author took the deliberate approach to not write from the lens of what we know happened to the queer community back then, as ravaged by the HIV / AIDS epidemic. Instead, Andrew took a nuanced approach to tell Paul Thek and Peter Hujar’s love and friendship through how it was in time and place (1960-1970s primarily) as it happened back then. Which gives this air of simplicity that I much appreciated. It took me a while but I did get the hang of it - as if I too were a traveler with them across the decades - in time and in place.
Andrew’s deep respect and care for both of them is evident, as the tireless research is so very effortless - I could read another book in this same era from him and not get tired.
My only complaint is that, due to the stance taken by Andrew - of just telling the story as it unfolded, it robs of any meaningful insights that could have helped otherwise to set the stage. The book near the end can become a chore, as you can tell Andrew is just going through the motion of all the research he had done and you quite literally feel him just typing it all up - chronologically to wrap the book - which started to feel a bit boring. But despite that, I did find the overall book, quite engaging and loving. A deep dive into lost times that I know I certainly would have loved to go towards.
And finally, to Peter Hujar and Paul Thek. It’s for artists such as these two, that queerness is so defining and boundary pushing. And so meaningfully inspiring for people such as myself.
June 21, 2026
In closing the book after turning the final page, I'm left with a melange of feelings: sorrow at the end of Hujar and Thek's lives—ever more so the unresolved ending of their relationship—and the joy at the intimate witnessing of these artists and men that is so lovingly rendered by Andrew Durbin. While the book is non-fiction, Durbin's prose exquisitely envelops the reader in a sense of the sublime; for all the facts that drive the narrative forward, Durbin beautifully captures the "wonderful world that almost was," inviting readers into such proximity with Hujar and Thek that the two come alive on the page. The focus is smart: the narrative is well-balanced between story and detail, with the latter (names, places, events) never becoming so dense as to become cumbersome. There's something both strange and familiar about Hujar and Thek as individuals; many queer readers will likely relate to the shifting nature of their relationship that defies heteronormative classifications/limitations.
Reading about Hujar's relationship with David Wojnarowicz spurred me to begin reading Wojnarowicz's acclaimed memoir "Close to the Knives"—the world the Durbin rendered for his readers in this book is not one that I am ready to quit just yet. A particularly illuminating read during Pride month, when the discourse around queer lives and potentials heightens with the cultural zenith of the LGBTQ+ community!
Reading about Hujar's relationship with David Wojnarowicz spurred me to begin reading Wojnarowicz's acclaimed memoir "Close to the Knives"—the world the Durbin rendered for his readers in this book is not one that I am ready to quit just yet. A particularly illuminating read during Pride month, when the discourse around queer lives and potentials heightens with the cultural zenith of the LGBTQ+ community!
April 14, 2026
We get a sad but sweet biography of two young gay artists in NYC from the 60s to the early 80s, their eventual break up, and the death of one from AIDS. Ultimately tragic, and, the author goes out of his way to talk about them as people and as artists, and how they influenced each other and those around them. Recommended read for your April.
June 4, 2026
4.5
This epilogue was absolutely heartbreaking and Paul’s depression and paranoia made me so sad
Such an incredible and well-researched biography about these two fascinating men! And also a beautiful exploration of art and photography (and how that was finally starting to be recognized as an art form itself) and New York in the 60s and 70s and so many luscious places!!!! So glad to have read this and I loved how tender it felt
This epilogue was absolutely heartbreaking and Paul’s depression and paranoia made me so sad
Such an incredible and well-researched biography about these two fascinating men! And also a beautiful exploration of art and photography (and how that was finally starting to be recognized as an art form itself) and New York in the 60s and 70s and so many luscious places!!!! So glad to have read this and I loved how tender it felt
June 1, 2026
Came to understand the Thek meat pieces and stayed for the joyfully catty portraits of (briefly) Andy Warhol and (repeatedly) Susan Sontag, whom it seems historians of photography are still not ready to forgive. This really was stunning - it’s so refreshing to read something about Peter Hujar which isn’t wildly predetermined by his death, and Durbin’s interpretation of the Thek archive’s more unhinged elements is incredibly impressive (and sympathetic, and humane). The chapter on Hujar’s work on Portraits of Life and Death was so moving. The initial chapters, on the period before Hujar and Thek were together, were a bit frustrating - a chapter on one, a chapter on the other - but no matter. Joyous life writing enlivened by every Fran Lebowitz cameo and carefully interwoven interpretation of the subjects’ work.
June 4, 2026
very romantic and wistful and sometimes very sad, made me want to go to Italy and never be in an open relationship
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks, Net Galley, for providing me with a copy of this book.
I believe I can say that much of the events and culture from the 1950s to the 1980s are not unfamiliar to me, and with the Internet and the spread of knowledge, many potholes were filled along the years. And yet, only more recently have I come to know a little more about Peter Hujar and his works. Nowadays, many people know at least one of his works, although they may not know that he is the author of Orgasmic Man, which graces the cover of Hanya Yanagihara's book, A Little Life.
I am familiar with other works by Hujar besides those mentioned above, but I knew little about his life and whereabouts. And as for Paul Thek, he was a total mystery. So, I am very happy to have had the opportunity to read The Wonderful World That Almost Was by Durbin, a title that I believe is very close to the reality of these fascinating artists' lives.
Both Hujar and Thek, born in the 1930s, had to deal with immense difficulties during their childhood and adolescence, mainly in their relationships with their families/parents and poverty, which left deep marks on their personalities, affecting them psychologically. Although these marks, to some extent, also helped them forge their path towards artistic expression, they were also the trigger for their downfall, especially Thek's, who, at a certain point in his life around the 1970's and 1980's, was quite lost in his emotional turmoil, which distanced him more and more from everyone, including Hujar, his ex-boyfriend and close friend. At the end of their lives, they practically didn't speak to each other. And, unfortunately, their lives were cut short on account of the AIDS crisis, which took so many talented people so soon.
Something that caught my attention in the way the book was structured was how, within the circle of relationships between these two great artists, ideas flowed freely and were shared. Like Hujar's interest in visiting the catacombs of Palermo to create one of his major photography books, which also resulted in Thek's interest in developing his meat pieces. Or Thek's phrase, which Susan Sontag used as the title and foundation of one of her works, "Against Interpretation", and so on. It was just sad to know that, at the height of her fame, she didn't care much about those two, who were there for her in many instances.
The only thing I didn't like was that Durbin sometimes repeats some events too much. I understand that this is a way of adding emphasis, and that I've seen it in other biographies, but it sometimes doesn't add anything. In any case, this doesn't detract in any way from the work he did in writing the biographies of these two fascinating artists.
I believe I can say that much of the events and culture from the 1950s to the 1980s are not unfamiliar to me, and with the Internet and the spread of knowledge, many potholes were filled along the years. And yet, only more recently have I come to know a little more about Peter Hujar and his works. Nowadays, many people know at least one of his works, although they may not know that he is the author of Orgasmic Man, which graces the cover of Hanya Yanagihara's book, A Little Life.
I am familiar with other works by Hujar besides those mentioned above, but I knew little about his life and whereabouts. And as for Paul Thek, he was a total mystery. So, I am very happy to have had the opportunity to read The Wonderful World That Almost Was by Durbin, a title that I believe is very close to the reality of these fascinating artists' lives.
Both Hujar and Thek, born in the 1930s, had to deal with immense difficulties during their childhood and adolescence, mainly in their relationships with their families/parents and poverty, which left deep marks on their personalities, affecting them psychologically. Although these marks, to some extent, also helped them forge their path towards artistic expression, they were also the trigger for their downfall, especially Thek's, who, at a certain point in his life around the 1970's and 1980's, was quite lost in his emotional turmoil, which distanced him more and more from everyone, including Hujar, his ex-boyfriend and close friend. At the end of their lives, they practically didn't speak to each other. And, unfortunately, their lives were cut short on account of the AIDS crisis, which took so many talented people so soon.
Something that caught my attention in the way the book was structured was how, within the circle of relationships between these two great artists, ideas flowed freely and were shared. Like Hujar's interest in visiting the catacombs of Palermo to create one of his major photography books, which also resulted in Thek's interest in developing his meat pieces. Or Thek's phrase, which Susan Sontag used as the title and foundation of one of her works, "Against Interpretation", and so on. It was just sad to know that, at the height of her fame, she didn't care much about those two, who were there for her in many instances.
The only thing I didn't like was that Durbin sometimes repeats some events too much. I understand that this is a way of adding emphasis, and that I've seen it in other biographies, but it sometimes doesn't add anything. In any case, this doesn't detract in any way from the work he did in writing the biographies of these two fascinating artists.
June 28, 2026
This dual biography of two gay artists isn't totally successful but it makes interesting reading. I was familiar with Peter Hujar, a photographer known for his portraits and also for his chronicling of gay cruising spots in New York City. I had never heard of Paul Thek, an artist who spent most of his energy on huge (and seemingly quite unwieldy) installations. He never made much of a name for himself; though he wanted to make a living through art, he also was dedicated to his own personal visions and had at best a minor presence in the American and European art worlds. The linking of the two seems like it will work well at first--they were friends in the 50s, and became lovers off and on for a time, but by 1970 they seem to have completely drifted away from each other, partly due to Paul's mental health problems. They died of AIDS-related illnesses within a few months of each other in the late 1980s.
The author states that he is at pains to not make their deaths the focal point of their stories, as often happens in biographies of people who die of AIDS, and he is successful at this. Both, at least as young men, become fleshed-out characters. But I'm not necessarily convinced that the two belong together here. They were lovers for only a short time, and though Durbin tries to keep them connected, they had almost no contact during the last ten years of so of their lives. I came away feeling like Durbin was trying hard to establish an important relationship between them that maybe wasn't quite that important to the two men. Durbin also gives both men short shrift during their years apart, and I was left wanting to know much more about them separately.
Most disappointingly, for a book about two visual artists, very little of their art is present. There are 16 pages of plates but only about half of those contain photos of their works. Durbin describes many, many artworks, but I had to go to Google Images to find examples. Though I think Durbin tries to work against a tragic reading of their lives, I was left sad by the end: about their relative lack of success, their early deaths, and their inability to sustain a rich relationship. None of which should stop you from reading the book, especially if you are interested in gay art, the 1960s and 70s, and reclaiming the life stories of those who were taken far too young by AIDS. Durbin's writing is strong and compelling, and just enough names are dropped here and there (Susan Sontag, Andy Warhol, David Wojnarowicz) to give a picture of their larger worlds of friends and lovers. Also, Fran Lebowitz is quoted frequently and is a welcome presence.
The author states that he is at pains to not make their deaths the focal point of their stories, as often happens in biographies of people who die of AIDS, and he is successful at this. Both, at least as young men, become fleshed-out characters. But I'm not necessarily convinced that the two belong together here. They were lovers for only a short time, and though Durbin tries to keep them connected, they had almost no contact during the last ten years of so of their lives. I came away feeling like Durbin was trying hard to establish an important relationship between them that maybe wasn't quite that important to the two men. Durbin also gives both men short shrift during their years apart, and I was left wanting to know much more about them separately.
Most disappointingly, for a book about two visual artists, very little of their art is present. There are 16 pages of plates but only about half of those contain photos of their works. Durbin describes many, many artworks, but I had to go to Google Images to find examples. Though I think Durbin tries to work against a tragic reading of their lives, I was left sad by the end: about their relative lack of success, their early deaths, and their inability to sustain a rich relationship. None of which should stop you from reading the book, especially if you are interested in gay art, the 1960s and 70s, and reclaiming the life stories of those who were taken far too young by AIDS. Durbin's writing is strong and compelling, and just enough names are dropped here and there (Susan Sontag, Andy Warhol, David Wojnarowicz) to give a picture of their larger worlds of friends and lovers. Also, Fran Lebowitz is quoted frequently and is a welcome presence.
May 9, 2026
This wonderfully absorbing biography is a measured and thoughtful study of Peter Hujar and Paul Thek, focusing on both their individual artistic careers and their personal relationship, a biographical and critical study of two central figures in the downtown New York art scene of the 1960s–80s. The book draws on archival material, letters, artworks, and cultural context, and combines biography with elements of criticism and interpretation. The narrative situates Hujar and Thek within a broader artistic and social environment, including the downtown art scene and the impact of the AIDS crisis, which affected both artists (Hujar died of AIDS-related illness; Thek also died in the late 1980s).
Peter Hujar (1934–1987) was an American photographer known for his stark black-and-white portraits, including images of artists, writers, and members of New York’s downtown scene.
Paul Thek (1933–1988) was an American artist associated with sculpture and installation, known for works such as his “Technological Reliquaries.”
A central strength of the book is its attention to how their lives and work intersected. Hujar’s photography and Thek’s installations are considered alongside their friendship and shared milieu, giving a sense of how artistic communities functioned during that period. The book also acknowledges the historical context in which they lived and worked, including the impact of the AIDS crisis on that community. I found the book well-written, extremely interesting and informative and enjoyed the many illustrations. Overall I learnt a lot about these 2 influential artists and feel inspired to examine more of their work.
Peter Hujar (1934–1987) was an American photographer known for his stark black-and-white portraits, including images of artists, writers, and members of New York’s downtown scene.
Paul Thek (1933–1988) was an American artist associated with sculpture and installation, known for works such as his “Technological Reliquaries.”
A central strength of the book is its attention to how their lives and work intersected. Hujar’s photography and Thek’s installations are considered alongside their friendship and shared milieu, giving a sense of how artistic communities functioned during that period. The book also acknowledges the historical context in which they lived and worked, including the impact of the AIDS crisis on that community. I found the book well-written, extremely interesting and informative and enjoyed the many illustrations. Overall I learnt a lot about these 2 influential artists and feel inspired to examine more of their work.
May 16, 2026
A beautiful behemoth that I can hardly believe exists. Until this book was published, if you wanted a biography on Paul Thek you had to fork over hundreds of dollars for a copy of Artist’s Artist (I haggled on Amazon for mine). And if you wanted a biography on Peter Hujar, too bad.
This was a really ambitious project for a number of reasons. Hujar and Thek were not ever in a serious relationship with one another, were not heavily or directly involved in each other’s careers, were rarely on the same continent, and weren’t even on speaking terms towards the ends of their lives. I think that Durbin handled their intense and impactful dynamic really well, meaning that he wrote objectively about what was kind of a really complicated friendship. Durbin described the women in the book (Ann Wilson, Susan Sontag, Fran Lebowitz, et al.) as its backbone, which I think is correct. It makes you wonder why other major players in their lives were omitted. Writing a dual biography is a massive feat so I don’t fault the author for getting really clear about his vision, but it is kind of a curious thing.
Overall I think it’s worth a read for anyone interested in Hujar and Thek, but maybe not comprehensive enough for people who already have a strong knowledge of who they were and what they did. It’s a great book to discuss with anyone you know who was part of this scene and ran in their circles, or anyone in your life who lost loved ones to AIDS. In a lot of ways this book serves as a reminder that lives were cut short and relationships never got the chance to heal due to the AIDS crisis.
It’s truly a miracle at all that we have this book.
This was a really ambitious project for a number of reasons. Hujar and Thek were not ever in a serious relationship with one another, were not heavily or directly involved in each other’s careers, were rarely on the same continent, and weren’t even on speaking terms towards the ends of their lives. I think that Durbin handled their intense and impactful dynamic really well, meaning that he wrote objectively about what was kind of a really complicated friendship. Durbin described the women in the book (Ann Wilson, Susan Sontag, Fran Lebowitz, et al.) as its backbone, which I think is correct. It makes you wonder why other major players in their lives were omitted. Writing a dual biography is a massive feat so I don’t fault the author for getting really clear about his vision, but it is kind of a curious thing.
Overall I think it’s worth a read for anyone interested in Hujar and Thek, but maybe not comprehensive enough for people who already have a strong knowledge of who they were and what they did. It’s a great book to discuss with anyone you know who was part of this scene and ran in their circles, or anyone in your life who lost loved ones to AIDS. In a lot of ways this book serves as a reminder that lives were cut short and relationships never got the chance to heal due to the AIDS crisis.
It’s truly a miracle at all that we have this book.
June 10, 2026
Relationships say a lot about a person. This dual biography is about interaction and a creative community, 1960s legendary. It starts with alternating chapters on Hujar and Thek, a format that continues throughout the well-researched volume. It adds another facet to narratives written by others, edging into the Warhol world, the Linda Rosenkrantz friendship that resulted in the recent Peter Hujar's Day film. It is of expats in the 1960s, of pre-Stonewall, pre-AIDS gay life in America, of two artists who became more famous after their deaths. Andrew Durbin has talked about focusing on life over the specter of HIV, though Hujar and Thek were artistically driven by mortality from the start-- the formative experience of seeing catacombs in Italy when they were budding artists is a recurrent theme here. As there may not be enough documentation of the pair's romantic relationship, it's a little difficult to see that as a glue between these men, but there clearly is connective tissue, a relationship to their legacies.
May 28, 2026
This dual biography of two men whose lives intertwined as their creativity evolved was beautifully written and moving. It's also a book with lots of well documented history of the art world and gay culture in the 1950's, 60's, and 70's. I recognized the names of some well known people and learned about many more as they interacted with Paul and Peter over the years. Although a good number of pictures are included in the book, I found myself looking up more to see them up close as the book progressed. Durbin is to be commended on sharing the life and times of these two artists with today's readers.
June 15, 2026
This book was a a terrific read. I was long familiar with the work of Peter Hujar but less familiar with Paul Thek. Thek's work consisted mostly of evanescent installations on various subjects mostly in Europe. Both men had very complex personalities but Thek's problems seem to border on the pathological. They managed to have a relationship of offs and ons spread over about 10 years. It had unraveled about 1975.
Thek faded into obscurity or became a footnote in art, as his dear friend Susan Sontag quoted. Hujar's fame is probably stronger now than it was at the time of his death. This book does convey a wonderful world of NYC in 1960s Greenwich Village.
Thek faded into obscurity or became a footnote in art, as his dear friend Susan Sontag quoted. Hujar's fame is probably stronger now than it was at the time of his death. This book does convey a wonderful world of NYC in 1960s Greenwich Village.
June 17, 2026
At times incredible, at others a tad frustrating - I found the breadth of material and relationships covered fascinating, but my familiarity with some of the people involved and lack of familiarity with others slowed me down at times, and I think portions were a bit repetitive. Unbelievably well researched and informative - I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about both Peter and Paul and some of the other people involved in their life stories. I also wish there were more photographs / color photographs included of the various artworks referenced throughout the book as I found myself consistently having to stop and look for images of what was being referenced online. Highly recommend!
July 2, 2026
I don't remember how I heard about his book but I'm glad I discovered it. It was a wonderful time capsule of the intersection of gay culture, art, and society through the mid 20th century. I didn't know the artists before - and because they were hard to pin down - I don't necessarily know them much better but I do have a greater sense for what life was like for them and other gay men during this epic period. It saddened me a bit that their lives were ending just as mine was beginning and that, had they lived a few more years, they might have benefited from the profound discoveries made in the treatment of HIV and AIDS. Let's never forget this lost generation.
May 7, 2026
This lacks any framing or argument as to why should we care. Why are we writing about Hujar and Thek in tandem if they weren’t communicating for most of the last decade of their lives? Why are we writing about them now? Why do they matter? I don’t think any of that is ever articulated here, which makes this biography lose any weight it could’ve had. It ends up reading a bit bland and without depth; a compilation of letters and recreations of life that fails to give readers anything to grab on to. Which is unfortunate for two artists who clearly still matter today. I’m just unsure why.
June 15, 2026
Praise for 'The Wonderful World That Almost Was' should be without caveat. Durbin excels at every level - each sentence is so meticulously researched, so considered without ever sacrificing the text's broader arch, its higher purpose. This work is a bundle of accomplishments but for me its greatest feat is how it so comprehensively catalogues the loss begotten by AIDS without ever hardly mentioning the disease. This book has such conceptual might, I can hardly stand to review it.
July 5, 2026
A due dual biography, beautifully written and so well researched. Loved how friendship as a way of life, work, art is conveyed in this. Also loved the fact that Andrew Durbin has stated that the idea of making this book has been with him since he was a teenager and saw Susan Sontag's dedication to Paul Thek in Against interpretation. In our accelerated period, good writing, like Thek's and Hujar's art, still takes time.
July 1, 2026
I didn’t know much about Hujar or Thek before I read this in-depth, well researched dual biography. It’s less a full biography than a snapshot of the NYC art scene in the 1950s through the early 1980s. Beautifully written, striking and sad.
July 4, 2026
Andrew Durbin has created a masterful work which has allowed both Peter Hujar’s & Paul Thek’s legacies to unfold and regain their place in history. I was constantly pausing to find works mentioned and/or people in their orbits. Sublime and vivid.
April 26, 2026
Absorbing.... at times sexy, at times melancholic, and always moving.
May 6, 2026
Exhilarating.
May 24, 2026
Absolutely adored this wonderful book.
May 30, 2026
what a wonderful (pun intended) read. learned so much about peter and paul and their relationship with each other. truly, love does indeed transcend history and distance!
June 2, 2026
Good for wider biographical context but ultimately deeply deeply sad.
June 5, 2026
I’m gonna write a play about this one day somehow just wait
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews