Dress to Kill Book

Following his success as stand-up comic and theatrical performer, Eddie Izzard has turned his attentions to the written word. His first book, Dress to Kill, is a series of conversations with writer/presenter David Quantick that claim to reach "deep inside the most original head in Britain". Presented as a mixture of opinion and autobiography, Dress to Kill is a riveting, witty read that features a number of stunning photographs by Steve Double. These capture Izzard on and off the stage in London, New York, and San Francisco, illustrating the subject's colourful persona, not to mention vast wardrobe and astonishing array of nail varnishes. Izzard employs his unique conversational style to describe his journey from his birth in South Yemen through his itinerant childhood to coming out as a transvestite, and finally becoming a comic, media personality, and film star. Those who have seen Izzard perform will immediately recognise the digressive meandering of his stream-of-consciousness anecdotes and monologues. Using this to great effect while discussing such topics as comedy, popular culture, sexuality, and hairy mammals, he generally succeeds in firing the imagination. However, as anyone who has seen his shows and is later asked to "repeat one of his jokes" will discover, delivery of his material is of the essence. Confessing at the end of the book that he doesn't write his act down, we discover why, as occasionally it fails to transfer to the written page. Although not as incisive as the bold claim on the inlay, Dress to Kill reveals the world of and according to Eddie Izzard, a world fascinating and humorous enough to be enjoyed by a much wider audience than his current fan base. --Robert BrookesRead More