English writer and raconteur Quentin Crisp (1908-1999) became a celebrity and gay icon at the age of 60 with the publication and televising of his 1968 memoir, The Naked Civil Servant. Unapologetically unconventional, he filled books and articles with his witticisms and opinions on popular culture, and packed theaters worldwide with his one-man show An Evening with Quentin Crisp. This biography chronicles Crisp's life, including his birth in pre-World War I England; his life as a gay youth on the streets of London; his early attempts at writing and job-seeking; his entry into the world of modeling; and his sudden success late in life. With this definitive chronicle, Quentin Crisp and his unique worldview are once again on display.