Now available in paperback, ""That Furious Lesbian"": The Story of Mercedes de Acosta is the first book-length biography of the flamboyantly uninhibited early-twentieth-century author, poet, and playwright. Theater historian Robert A. Schanke adroitly mines lost archival materials and mixes in his own interviews with de Acosta's intimates to correct established myths and construct an accurate, detailed, and vibrant account of her life and loves on Broadway and in Hollywood.

About the Author
A Professor Emeritus of Theatre at Central College, Iowa, Robert A. Schanke is the editor of the international journal Theatre History Studies and the Southern Illinois University Press series Theater in the Americas. His previous books include Eva Le Gallienne: A Bio-Bibliography and Shattered Applause: The Lives of Eva Le Gallienne, a finalist for both the Lambda Literary Award and the Barnard Hewitt Award for theatre research.

Reviews
Drawing on countless hours spent with de Acosta's personal correspondence and unpublished writings, Schanke puts together a compelling portrait of a woman whose confidence in herself is striking, particularly because she stood tail in an era when women were taught to do the opposite.... Although de Acosta's writing is largely neglected, Schanke's well-crafted, deeply researched biography makes her live again, gliding down the streets of New York to show other women how it should be done. -New York Times Book Review


Awards
Winner of IndieFab awards (Gay/Lesbian Nonfiction) 2003. Short-listed for Lambda Literary Awards (Biography) 2003.



Book Information
ISBN 9780809325795
Author Robert A. Schanke
Format Paperback
Page Count 272
Imprint Southern Illinois University Press
Publisher Southern Illinois University Press
Weight(grams) 385g