The Art of Drag

Reviews / Votes

Wigs have never looked taller, nor eye shadow so excessive. The result is a truly fabulous combination history and gift book. * Publisher's Weekly * The broad-minded perspective [The Art of Drag] adopts when looking to the past translates into how it looks to the future, too. * I-D Magazine: The Vixen and Crystal Rasmussen on the future of drag * Accompanying Hall's extensive history is a seemingly endless supply of bold illustrations, created in collaboration with artists Sofie Birkin, Helen Li, and Jasjyot Singh Hans. * Dazed Digital * The colour work is in the book is gorgeous too, it's a beautiful book that any fan of drag would love. * rareopalreads on Instagram * A lavishly illustrated guide hopes to tell the complete story of the Art of Drag * @Creativeboom on Twitter * Helen Li, Jake Hall, Jasjyot Singh Hans and Sofie Birkin's book is a tremendous feat of inclusivity that should have queers and straights alike reaching for it. * Pop Matters * An upcoming non-fiction book, full of gorgeous art. It shows readers the history of drag through beautiful illustration and fun comic characters. * Book Riot * Meticulously details everything from the ancient beginnings of drag to its present day ubiquity... and explores how fashion, theatre, gender and politics come together to create the fabulous art form. * Dazed * Fun, thorough and so beautiful! It taught me more about drag than I could have ever imagined. -- Amelia Abraham * Queer Intentions * The book is an essential guide to drag, its history, its impact and its continued potency. -- Amrou Al-Kadhi * Unicorn * Utterly desirable as an art object but also hugely informative about the art of drag. -- Juno Roche * Trans Power * A colorful compendium of queer history.
From ancient times to the modern day, human beings have bent and broken rules about gender through clothing, makeup, and performance. Tracing this history through to the possible future, Hall attempts to synthesize larger theories of drag and queer liberation while also providing thumbnail sketches of individuals, communities, and timeframes. They use a cheery tone to introduce readers to Kabuki theater in Japan, the Peking opera, British pantomime, the Pansy Craze of early-20th-century New York City, the Harlem ballroom scene that came to prominence in the 1980s, and other subjects. The book also introduces famous drag queens like House Mother Crystal LaBeija, RuPaul, Divine, and masc-presenting performers and drag kings like Gladys Alberta Bentley and Storme DeLarverie (though William Dorsey Swann, a formerly enslaved Black pioneer of American drag, is noticeably missing). Through mostly serviceable prose, occasionally given to run-on sentences or vague platitudes, the book addresses the impact that drag has within queer communities and references the social change created by drag, though readers seeking concrete information about the material impact that drag has had on policy and legislation will be disappointed. The illustrations by a variety of artists offer stylized, full-color renderings of the people mentioned.
Useful and optimistic. * Kirkus Reviews * Rated 5/
It's hard to look away from this exuberantly illustrated book on all things drag. With a cover title and accents in embossed silver, pages framed and edged in neon pink, and fantastic queens of every stripe on every page, this is a visual feast. And beyond the varied art styles of the eight talented artists' gorgeous illustrations, the author presents a thorough and interesting look at the performance, glamour, fashion trends and political influences of cross-dressing through history. The importance of the phenomenon for LGBTQ+, Black and other racial and cultural groups is given prime importance. And the outfits! The makeup! Wow! Such artistry! Each chapter includes fascinating information: from "400 BCE - 1900's", to early 20th century, to 2000 and beyond, including looks at Stonewall, John Waters, Rocky Horror Picture Show, RuPaul, and so many more amazing people, movies, clubs, music, and shows.
Hall includes a substantial bibliography, a table of contents and an index. This book is entertainment and reference in one package: it's respectful AND fun. I feel that readers will come away with such an appreciation of this very special art. Personally, I look forward to exploring more about the artists and films featured in the book . -- Stephanie Tournas (Retired Librarian) * Youth Services Book Review * This is a considered and nuanced non-fiction book, exploring the vast history
of drag culture. Matched with upbeat, funky illustrations and with reference to
the multi-faceted, multi-cultural specifics of drag performance, the information
wonderfully balances queer and trans history with a deep dive into the elements
of drag. Weaving in historical touchstones, this book reflects on the ways in
which different art forms can inform and influence each other, and how all are
constantly changing. With reference to some challenging themes this book is
more suited to older teens. (Non-fiction, Age 16+) -- Children's Books Ireland * Read With Pride Reading Guide 2025 * The Art of Drag is a delightfully informative and visually striking exploration of drag culture's rich history and evolution. Far more than entertainment, drag is a dynamic performance art rooted in self-expression, protest, and joy. Author Jake Hall, alongside a talented team of illustrators and contributors, traces drag's multifaceted lineage-from kabuki theater and vaudeville to pantomime and classic Hollywood cinema.
Hall highlights how drag has shifted over time, shaping and being shaped by broader cultural movements. Readers will journey from the underground ballrooms of the 1960s to iconic figures like Crystal LaBeija, Danny La Rue, and Leigh Bowery, and witness drag's role in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights and its rise to mainstream recognition.
This beautifully rendered book is an ideal primer for those new to drag or anyone interested in understanding its cultural significance. It's also a timely reminder of why drag matters. As anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric strengthens in political discourse, The Art of Drag urges readers to celebrate and protect queer expression.
For many, drag is an act of self-love, resistance, and radical imagination. Whether humorous, glamorous, political, or provocative, drag is always creative. This book captures its dazzling complexity with insight and affection. 5/5. -- Maileen Hamto * Seattle Book Review *