Reviews for Resident alien

The average rating for Resident alien based on 2 reviews is 4.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2013-07-04 00:00:00 John Chavis Quentin Crisp (1908-1999) lived in a single room in a rooming house in England for over thirty years spending his time quite profitably by doing very little and living as modestly as possible, letting life pass him by to which he replied "Thank God I didn't get mixed up in the beastly thing." He was close to sixty when he wrote his autobiography, The Naked Civil Servant, a moving document, which according to Crisp represented a life of total failure. When it was made into a film in 1975, he was given the opportunity to come to the United States for the first time, to promote the film and introduce himself to American audiences. This success which he grabbed for all it was worth, changed his life. It was during this period that he left England and moved into a single room in New York City, where he remained for the rest of his life. The difference of course was that now he was famous. He was famous for two reasons. He had an incredible wit and dry humor like no other, which gave him his style. The other reason was because of his life in England. It was a life of rejection and abuse by a society that could not accept him for who he was. And he protested against that society by continuing to live as himself. He was a flamboyant homosexual for all the world to see. Quentin Crisp was a man of courage both in England and in his decision to move to another country when he was already an elderly man. This book is comprised of his journals from 1990 to 1994, a period that was possibly the most exciting time in his life. He had an opinion on everything from politics to films. His writing is vivid and entertaining, amusing and likeable. He is profound in his thinking and proudly talks about being invited to speaking engagements and other functions and once he arrived he ate as much as possible. He has no problem being a free loader. He quite rightly felt entitled to this. He hated the snow and loved films. He also worked in films during the '90s. He had minor roles in Orlando and Philadelphia with Tom Hanks. His phone number was listed in the telephone book and he loved when people called him, although not at 3am. He was finally living a charmed life in America by just being himself. He made friends and was limousined everywhere. He enjoyed the company of people since they were always interested in what he had to say. He was finally not only accepted for who he was but now celebrated for it. A documentary film was made about Quentin Crisp, entitled Resident Alien and he talks alot about that. This book is highly recommended and reading it is pure enjoyment for the uplifting message of hope it can bring when success happens to the most unlikely and most deserving, even when the life itself is nearing its end.

Review # 2 was written on 2008-02-10 00:00:00 Max Greenland witty, witty, witty!!! (i may just be misreading, but i just wonder why he had this thing against filipino nurses, whom he thought was rather so intrusive, so nosey as he was poked, checked on by 1 filipino nurse when someone must have called up 911 to wheel him up to the hospital.....his recollection of the experience was rather funny, but sadly condescending towards filipino nurses ........well, filipino nurses are among the world's best, if not the best...i should know.......my mom's one...even if some envious, ill-informed people, who'd be sick one day soon, think of the job of nurses as being "dirty" ha ha ha ha!!! )