GuRu (book)
GuRu is a 2018 autobiography and life guide from American drag queen and entrepreneur RuPaul.[1] Released in October 2018 by HarperCollins, with a foreword by actress and author Jane Fonda, included are quotes, phrases, advice and insight to help readers navigate the “chaos of modern life”, such as self-love, harnessing one’s inner critic, and finding your tribe.[2][3] Her previous books were Lettin' It All Hang Out (1995), an autobiography, and Workin' It! RuPaul's Guide to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Style (2010).[4]
Author | RuPaul |
---|---|
Country | United States |
Subject | autobiography, advice |
Genre | autobiography / self-help |
Publisher | HarperCollins |
Publication date | October 2018 |
Pages | 194 |
ISBN | 0062862995 |
Preceded by | Workin' It! RuPaul's Guide to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Style (2010) |
She was inspired to write the book to reach LGBTQ youth who often face ostracism and rejection from their parents and families, and society, because of their sexuality and gender identity.[5] RuPaul’s parents divorced when she was very young and the experience scarred her for years, during which she had to grow through the pain.[6] In an interview with WBUR, RuPaul notes the reason she wrote the book was to give young LGBTQ people a touchstone for their lives.[5] She explained that the queens who competed in RuPaul's Drag Race has similar family experiences of rejection, and talked about those stories inspiring the viewers in dealing with their own problems.[5] RuPaul sees LGBTQ people allegorically as lotus flowers growing through adversity; born under mud, growing through water, and then to reach air and light of the sun.[5][lower-alpha 1]
Notes
- The growth is identified with human life, born in earth but desiring elevation to the air; representing the middle stage between animals and the ultimate reality.[7] White Lotus Day is an annual celebration commemorating the story.
Reference
- "RuPaul's 'Guru' Tells You All You Need to Know". PopMatters. 2018-11-12. Retrieved 2019-05-21.
- Montero, Roytel. "Here Are 5 Life Lessons From Rupaul, The Mother Of Drag". Forbes. Retrieved 2019-05-21.
- Hornet Networks (2018-04-24). "Here's What Fans Can Expect From RuPaul's New Book, 'Guru'". Hornet. Retrieved 2019-05-21.
- Hornet Networks (2018-10-23). "RuPaul's New Book 'GuRu' Is Here, a How-To Guide for Living One's Truth". Hornet. Retrieved 2019-05-21.
- "RuPaul On Childhood, The Power Of Drag And The 'Tenacity Of The Human Spirit'". www.wbur.org. Retrieved 2019-05-21.
- "RuPaul Reveals the Worst Advice He Ever Received: 'Get a Job at the Post Office'". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved 2019-05-21.
- Griffiths, Mark. (2013). The lotus quest : in search of the sacred flower. New York: St. Martin's Press. ISBN 9781429964524. OCLC 865098724.