Book Review: "The Wonderful World that Almost Was" by Andrew Durbin

The Wonderful World that Almost Was by Andrew Durbin review – naked ambition

A vibrant account of the stratospheric rise and inner lives Peter Hujar and Paul Thek, the forgotten artist duo that shaped New York cool Andy Warhol sent Paul a Brillo box. Fran Lebowitz called Peter “a genius about sex”. The ending of Susan Sontag’s second novel was inspired by a bunch of Peter’s photographs. Sontag dedicated two books to Paul, and went to bed with him. The two men’s long list of admirers in the second half of the 20th century included Cy Twombly, Tennessee Williams, Gore V...

By Chloë Ashby