The Queen Is Dead: A Story of Jarheads, Eggheads, Serial Killers and Bad Sex

by Steven Zeeland and Mark Simpson

A chance letter speaks off a transatlantic literary romance between two writers, one British, one American, in which they share their unhealthy and unfashionable passions for military men, cruising and cats.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1900850494
• ISBN13: 9781900850490
• Release Date: April 2001
• Publisher: Arcadia Books
• Length: 290 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.5" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

The Over- Examined Life is a Pain in the Arse

If the unexamined life is meaningless, then the over-examined life is a pain in the "arse". This is not a frivolous, "let me tell you how I got laid last night" type of book. Rather, it is an often lyrical, but never sentimental look at the need to bond, and the just as equally strong impulse to be alone. In the end, one senses that the two writers recognize that all enduring relationships are "the union fo two solitudes" and the only choice is whether such unions are ultimately informed with kindness or bitterness. One wishes that an ocean and a continent did not keep these two soulmates apart.

Very Funny, Very Wise

I read the rave reviews in the newspapers but was a bit sceptical - the title doesn't exactly fill you with enthusiasm. Then some friends recommended it and I finally got around to buying a copy. In fact, it turned out to be one of the best books I've ever read - and I read it almost in one sitting, despite it being quite a thick volume (complete with fascinating snapshots). It's extremely funny, but isn't 'light' (i.e. vacuous) in the way that most 'funny' books are. In fact, it's very moving and very wise and recklessly honest. True, the humour is black humour - but then, that's the best and possibly the only kind.

HILARIOUS & GRIPPING

Hilarious and gripping This book is just superb. Two gay dissidents with a shared lust for marines open a transatlantic correspondence revealing marvellous, trivial and disturbing details of their lives. London lad Simpson, best known for his book Anti-Gay, is his usual witty, perceptive self and finds in Seattle based Zeeland not just a soul-mate but an effective foil for his dry commentary. Quite why a pair of misanthropic, cynical armchair philosophers writing about transsexuals, military men's bottoms and cats should make for worthwhile reading is a mystery, but it does. For their own sakes, these writers should get out more. But that wouldn't make for half as interesting a book.