Night Class: A Downtown Memoir

by Victor Corona

The playground of the rich and the beautiful, downtown New York’s nightlife spectacles and power of self-invention incubated pop icons from Andy Warhol to Lady Gaga. NYU sociologist Victor P. Corona sought a new education, where night classes held in galleries, nightclubs, bars, apartments, stoops, and all-night diners taught him about love, loss, and the living possibilities of identity. Transforming himself from dowdy professor to glitzy clubgoer, Victor immerses himself among downtown’s dazzling tribes of artists and performers hungry for fame.

Night Class: A Downtown Memoir investigates the glamour of New York nightlife. In interviews and outings with clubland revelers and influencers, including Party Monster and convicted killer Michael Alig, Night Class exposes downtown’s perilous trappings of drugs, ambition, and power. From closeted, undocumented Mexican boy to Ivy League graduate to nightlife writer, Corona shares in Night Class the thrill and tragedy of downtown and how dramatically identities can change.

Genres: Nonfiction

328 pages, Paperback

Published July 11, 2017

Reviews

[Alex Reneski · Rating 2 out of 5]

A glitzy, wannabe version of "breaking bad." By emphasizing the more salacious and publicity grabbing stories and "happenings" , the author unconsciously paints a picture of a shallow, sad part of our "culture" which, unfortunately, he seems to wholeheartedly embrace.
From a serious student of our society to a name dropping gossip columnist is a long drop.

[Nikki Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have had a deep interest in Club Kids, ravaging everything, from old Donahue and Giraldo videos, Nelson's Vlogs, Party Monster (movie and book), countless documentaries and so many magazine articles.

When Michael Alig died over Christmas holiday the rabbit hole I crawled into got deeper and deeper. A former student of Victors recommended on a subreddit I was on, "Night Class". I bought the book without reading a description. All the student told me was that he had been Michael's assistant and had wild stories, so I ended up being pleasantly surprised by the other subjects of the memoir.

I thoroughly enjoyed his take on the different scenes and people. Never too harsh in criticism and is very honest in what he writes.What began as wanting more club kid information has now turned into googling Susanne Bartsch, LadyFag, Rose Wood...list goes on. In his journey he met all this amazing characters from all walks in life and was able to really bring out their personalities so much so that I felt close to them. He also links all the real movers and shakers together (from the Factory all the way to Gaga's Monsters.)

But above all I felt inspired by this sociology professor and writer of this book. His due diligence and aspirations have made me realize that I am truly interested in sociology. I never realized me researching and obsessed with different movements, scenes, people, places, ect. was actually me studying. I would love to go back to school.

Thank you Victor for a wonderful read and for inspiration.

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway.

I've always been fascinated by the story of Michael Alig, and the "club kid" culture, even though it's not something I would ever participate in myself. I wanted to read this because of that interest, but unfortunately it reads as more of a self-congratulating "Hey, guess how many celebrities I've been in the same room as?" diary. I felt like I was reading the memoirs of an aged paparazzi, and it just was not something I could put myself through.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

**I received this book in a Goodreads First Reads Giveaway**

I loved this book. It's full of names that were familiar to me, but I never knew the stories to go with them! And the author describes these people in full color! Very informative, and VERY interesting!

Read it right now! :D