I Am Not Myself These Days

A Memoir

By: Josh Kilmer-Purcell

Narrated by: Johnny Heller

I Am Not Myself These Days follows a glittering journey through Manhattan's dark underbelly---a shocking and surreal world where alter egos reign and subsist (barely) on dark wit and chemicals...a tragic romantic comedy where one begins by rooting for the survival of the relationship and ends by hoping someone simply survives. Kilmer-Purcell is a terrifically gifted new literary voice who straddles the divide between absurdity and normalcy, and stitches them together with surprising humor and lonely poignancy. As Booklist raved, I Am Not Myself These Days is "as tart and funny as a Noel Coward play, for Kilmer-Purcell is especially good at dialogue, and, as in Coward's best plays, under the comedy lies the sad truth that even at our best, we are all weak, fallible fools. Again and again in this rich, adventure-filled book, Kilmer-Purcell illustrates the truth of Blake's proverb, 'The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom.'"

©2006 Josh Kilmer-Purcell (P)2011 Tantor

Critic reviews

"As tart and funny as a Noël Coward play." ( Booklist)

Unxpected diamond in the rough.....

Would you listen to I Am Not Myself These Days again? Why?

Yes because it is just fun and wild with just the right amount of bittersweet after taste. I didn't actually know this book would be about a drag queen when I started it guess I should have paid more attention before selecting, but after the surprise of finding out it was just a fun read.

What was one of the most memorable moments of I Am Not Myself These Days?

The description of the Christmas "performance" by one of the drag queens with the candy-cane prop had me crying I was laughing so hard and the finality of the end and push forward in time and sad pathetic "death" of Aqua also had me in tears but this time from sadness.

depressing

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

First of all, it's hard to listen to a story about a twenty something drag queen read but what sounds like an old straight guy. The story for me would have been much better if it actually sounded like the guy telling the story was about the story. secondly, i don't want to spoil the end but did it really have to end this way???

Great story

Great read, funny at times, original storyline that leaves you in awe.

July 18th, 2015

Great Read, Hilarious!

This book was hilarious, I was utterly amazed at times thinking oh my gosh did this really happen? I recommend it!

I was sobbing at the end

This is one of the saddest stories I have ever heard. Yes, there are many amusing incidents, but underlying everything is a fierce and desperate struggle. I kept trying to reconcile this Josh Kilmer-Purcell with the successful Beekman Boy, and it was almost impossible. All I can do is marvel that he survived, and that he is thriving despite the sorrow of his past. His story will stay with me for a long, long time.