Royal Young has accomplished a rare feat in his fresh and riveting debut: he manages to recount his fascinating youth and unconventional family with a mixture of humor, scathing honesty and tenderness. Much more than simply a book about a kid who dreams of stardom, Fame Shark is a thoughtful, hilarious and moving love letter to his family and the Lower East Side of New York City.

My way was not to be the petite, gorgeous, little cheerleader. My way of getting by was making people laugh.

I'd so much rather people think I was funny than pretty.

I like people-watching and fading into crowds.

I think Janeane Garofalo is incredibly funny, and I love Dennis Miller.

May I say, if you were suddenly put into a woman's body, wouldn't you be slightly interested in your breasts, and why people look at certain parts of you, and why certain parts move like they do?

It was only when I moved to New York that I realized tall is good.