One of The New York Times’ “50 Best Memoirs of the Past 50 Years”
David Wojnarowicz’s life was a war—against a world that rejected him, against a system that silenced him, and against the disease that ultimately took him too soon. From a childhood marked by neglect, abuse, and survival on the streets of New York, to his rise as an incendiary artist and activist, Wojnarowicz lived unapologetically, challenging a society that sought to erase him.
In Close to the Knives, his searing collection of essays, Wojnarowicz captures the raw beauty and brutal truth of life on the margins. Unflinching, poetic, and devastatingly honest, his words cut deep, leaving an unforgettable mark.
“Fierce, erotic, haunting, truthful.” —Dennis Cooper
A memoir that mesmerizes, horrifies, and inspires in equal measure—Wojnarowicz’s voice refuses to be forgotten.
