The late, great, queer trailblazer, Quentin Crisp offers The Last Word, the third and final installment of his autobiography. Marc Andrews reviews the book and recalls the night he was Quentin’s date.

Quentin Crisp was many things – a homosexual provocateur, a flamboyant dandy, a delicious raconteur, a nude model, a book designer, a film actor – he even dabbled in prostitution in his early years. He was queer before it cool. But it’s for being his own truly fabulous and one-of-a-kind creation that he is best remembered.

Last November saw the publication of the third and final installment of Quentin’s autobiography, which coincided with his passing, 18 years ago on November 21, 1999.

Written with the help of his friend, Phillip Ward who tape-recorded and later transcribed Quentin’s words in the last three years of his life, it follows the first two installments, The Naked Civil Servant and How To Become A Virgin. In the movie versions (both of which are terrific viewing), Quentin was played by Oscar-nominated actor John Hurt who, himself, passed away in January last year.