Brian Howard was expected to become one of the leading authors of his generation, but instead he became a secondary character in the books of others. Marie-Jaqueline Lancaster’s biography makes him — at last — the protagonist of his own highly entertaining story. Packed with dishy reminiscences and extracts from Howard’s letters and writings, this book details the outrageous parties, stunts, and confrontations that were second-nature to this ne'er-do-well. Chronicling 30 years of waste and dereliction, Lancaster captures a prototypical gay literary life, perfect for anyone curious about gay history, the 1920s, modernism, or the mystery of failed artistic promise. From austere libraries in Oxford to seedy hotels in Amsterdam to darkened cinemas in Tangiers, Howard lived and died precociously and — most importantly — as he pleased. Brian Howard: Portrait of a Failure is the next best thing to an invitation to one of his famous parties.