Over the Top

Jonathan Van Ness

- 4.7 • 598 Ratings

- $16.99

- $16.99

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

GOOGLE'S BEST AUDIOBOOKS OF 2019

NPR'S FAVORITE BOOKS OF THE YEAR

INDIE BESTSELLER

GOODREADS CHOICE AWARD WINNER: BEST MEMOIR & AUTOBIOGRAPHY

A laugh-and-cry-out-loud memoir from the beloved star of Netflix’s Queer Eye, Jonathan Van Ness, sharing never before told, deeply personal stories of growing up gay, transforming pain into positivity, and embracing what makes you gorgeously different.

Who gave Jonathan Van Ness permission to be the radiant human he is today? No one, honey.

The truth is, it hasn’t always been gorgeous for this beacon of positivity and joy.

Before he stole our hearts as the grooming and self-care expert on Netflix’s hit show Queer Eye, Jonathan was growing up in a small Midwestern town that didn’t understand why he was so . . . over the top. From choreographed carpet figure skating routines to the unavoidable fact that he was Just. So. Gay., Jonathan was an easy target and endured years of judgement, ridicule and trauma—yet none of it crushed his uniquely effervescent spirit.

Over the Top uncovers the pain and passion it took to end up becoming the model of self-love and acceptance that Jonathan is today. In this revelatory, raw, and rambunctious memoir, Jonathan shares never-before-told secrets and reveals sides of himself that the public has never seen. JVN fans may think they know the man behind the stiletto heels, the crop tops, and the iconic sayings, but there’s much more to him than meets the Queer Eye.

You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll come away knowing that no matter how broken or lost you may be, you’re a Kelly Clarkson song, you’re strong, and you’ve got this.

APPLE BOOKS REVIEW

The outrageous glamour, magnificent hair, and endless good vibes that Jonathan Van Ness serves up in every episode of Queer Eye have made him a breakout gay icon even the most conservative grandma can love. And that’s exactly why his memoir, Over the Top, is so startling and brave. It would have been easy for JVN to slap together a best-selling mix of grooming tips and sparkly-unicorn epigrams, but he chose a very different path—his autobiography is as raw as a skinned knee. Growing up gay in a conservative Illinois town, Van Ness endured childhood sexual abuse and relentless bullying, which led to an adulthood marked by depression, addiction, and a spiraling collapse that’s genuinely painful to read about. But his narration isn’t without humor—and it’s intimate in a way that feels like sitting with a new friend as they tell you about their life. There’s a lot of anguish in the telling, but it just makes Van Ness’ eventual rebirth that much sweeter.

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