My Name’s Yours, What’s Alaska?
October 6, 2021
I've become a fan of Drag Race recently, so it was fun to learn more about Alaska as a person, rather than just her drag persona and what's shown on the show, especially since so many other drag queens usually have nothing but praises for Alaska, and I've listened to podcasts where Alaska is a guest and enjoyed them a lot.
I really loved reading Alaska's journey, the way that she discovered doing drag, and how she evolved her drag as she learned about the history and the art of drag. It was so cool to see pictures of her throughout the years, where you can really see the growth to where she is now.
There isn't much about Drag Race in this book, but I was sad to read about how Alaska describes her time on season five compared to how she describes her time on All-Stars. Despite winning All-Stars, there's a line about how she didn't really leave the show feeling close to any of her sisters since she went into the season so focused on winning, and I liked the comment she made about how production seemed to really build her up throughout the season only to tear her down close to the end, resulting in her tantrum on TV.
Alaska's relationship with Sharon is described very candidly in the book, with all the messiness and regrets that come from a relationship that's not particularly healthy but obviously a big part of Alaska's life and very much formed a part of who she is today.
This was a super-fast read that engaged me from all the glossy pictures to the funny anecdotes to the pink brush-lettered chapter titles, I felt like I got a much better picture of who Alaska is and I enjoyed every second of it.
Thank you to Chronicle Books and NetGalley for the ARC.
More about My Name’s Yours, What’s Alaska? here:
Title: My Name’s Yours, What’s Alaska?: A Memoir
Author: Alaska Thunderfuck 5000
Before RuPaul's Drag Race became a worldwide phenomenon, Drag was mostly an underground art form, performed by the daring and the quick-witted, with maximum energy and a minimal budget. This is the story of one of the galaxy's greatest queens, Alaska Thunderfuck 5000, as she transforms from wearing dresses made of trash bags because she has to, to wearing dresses made of trash bags because she wants to. Finally coming clean on her home planet (earth), this dishy, visual memoir tells the stories that shaped Alaska into an All Star: from prom king to the House of Haunt, to the very public breakup that almost destroyed her. Intimate and alluring with exclusive photography throughout, and illustrations by the author, My Name's Yours, What's Alaska? is the ultimate backstage pass.