For fans of Susan Cain and Jenny Odell, an indispensable, paradigm-shifting exploration of flamboyance—tracing its history and social significance through the lives of those who embody it and offering a roadmap for anyone looking to harness the power of their own inner flame

Flamboyance ignites every aspect of our lives, from art and entertainment to ritual and protest. The word connotes an exuberance of thought and expression, and often, unbridled, unashamed passion. Yet historically the term “flamboyant” has been reserved for the over-the-top and the outré, invoked at times as a pejorative innuendo or worse.

Celebrated author and scholar Jack Parlett digs into the nature of flamboyance to offer a new, empowering reframing of a quality that any of us can and should harness more regularly. From Judy Garland to Lil Nas X, Parlett highlights the stories of flamboyant figures throughout history to show how, by harnessing our own inner flame, we break free from cultural expectations that don’t serve us and live a brighter, happier, more audaciously fulfilling life.