About the Author

Paul Baker is Professor of English Language at Lancaster University. He has written 16 books including American and British English (2018) and, with Jo Stanley, Hello Sailor! (2003). He regularly gives talks and workshops about Polari and is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Reviews

'A fascinating and complex story, beautifully told with clarity, passion, and humour.'-David Crystal; 'By turns deeply edifying and hugely entertaining and unusual for succeeding at being both - a future classic!;-Damian Barr; 'Shot through with his nicely dry wit, this is a fascinating and important study . . . Yes, Polari might seem a camp relic, but it's a precious linguistic trace of generations for whom taking refuge in camp was a matter of survival.'-Patrick Gale