Do Something

by Guy Trebay

Memoir

Cultural History

256 Pages

"Trebay captures a vanished New York with prose that's both gritty and dazzling—absolutely mesmerizing."

Synopsis

Born in the Bronx and raised in privilege on Long Island's North Shore, Guy Trebay seemed destined for conventional success until his family's world collapsed in spectacular fashion. His entrepreneurial father, who built a cologne empire with Hawaiian Surf, was revealed as a charismatic con artist, while his glamorous mother battled addiction and mental illness. When his mother died of cancer and the family home burned down in 1975, twenty-two-year-old Trebay fled to Manhattan with nothing but his wits and an insatiable curiosity about the world around him. What he found in the pre-AIDS, pre-gentrification city was a vibrant underground scene populated by Warhol superstars like Jackie Curtis and Candy Darling, fashion visionaries like Charles James, and a host of artists, writers, and performers who would later reshape American culture. Unschooled but determined, Trebay navigated this bohemian landscape while working menial jobs and gradually building connections in the media world. His memoir chronicles his transformation from wayward acidhead to respected cultural critic, capturing not just his personal journey but the raw energy of a New York that has since vanished. Through elegant prose that balances nostalgia with clear-eyed analysis, Trebay reveals how the city's outcasts and misfits became his chosen family and how the lessons learned in downtown's demimonde shaped his understanding of art, culture, and authenticity.

Our Take

Trebay brings the perspective of a seasoned cultural critic to his own wild youth, creating a memoir that functions both as personal testament and cultural history. His decades of experience writing for The New York Times and other prestigious publications show in his ability to contextualize his experiences within broader artistic and social movements. Readers who appreciated Just Kids by Patti Smith or The Colossus of New York by Colson Whitehead will be drawn to Trebay's lyrical yet unsentimental portrayal of a vanished New York. The book's strength lies in its vivid character portraits—from drag queens to fashion designers to fellow outcasts—all rendered with the eye of someone who understands that these seemingly marginal figures were actually cultural pioneers. Trebay's prose style is particularly noteworthy, combining the precision of journalism with the sweep of literary memoir. His exploration of family dysfunction and class privilege adds psychological depth to what could have been merely a catalog of colorful encounters. The author's honest examination of his own role as both observer and participant in these scenes prevents the memoir from becoming overly nostalgic or self-aggrandizing. While some readers may find his meandering narrative style occasionally indulgent, the cumulative effect is powerful and immersive. Perfect for readers interested in New York cultural history, LGBTQ+ history, and the intersection of art and counterculture. Do Something stands as both a remarkable personal story and an essential document of a transformative era in American culture.