The House of Hidden Meanings

A Memoir

By: RuPaul

Narrated by: RuPaul

***An Instant #1 New York Times Bestseller!***

From international drag superstar and pop culture icon RuPaul, comes his most revealing and personal work to date--a deeply intimate memoir of discovery, found family, and self-acceptance. The House of Hidden Meanings is a self-portrait of the legendary icon on the road to global fame and changing the way the world thinks about drag.

Central to RuPaul’s success has been his chameleonic adaptability. From drag icon to powerhouse producer of one of the world’s largest television franchises, RuPaul’s ever-shifting nature has always been part of his brand as both supermodel and supermogul. Yet that adaptability has made him enigmatic to the public. In this memoir, his most intimate and detailed book yet, RuPaul makes himself truly known.

In The House of Hidden Meanings, RuPaul strips away all artifice and recounts the story of his life with breathtaking clarity and tenderness, bringing his signature wisdom and wit to his own biography. From his early years growing up as a queer Black kid in San Diego navigating complex relationships with his absent father and temperamental mother, to forging an identity in the punk and drag scenes of Atlanta and New York, to finding enduring love with his husband Georges LeBar and self-acceptance in sobriety, RuPaul excavates his own biography life-story, uncovering new truths and insights in his personal history.

Here in RuPaul’s singular and extraordinary story is a manual for living—a personal philosophy that testifies to the value of chosen family, the importance of harnessing what makes you different, and the transformational power of facing yourself fearlessly.

A profound introspection of his life, relationships, and identity, The House of Hidden Meanings is a self-portrait of the legendary icon on the road to global fame and changing the way the world thinks about drag. “I've always loved to view the world with analytical eyes, examining what lies beneath the surface. Here, the focus is on my own life—as RuPaul Andre Charles,” says RuPaul.

If we’re all born naked and the rest is drag, then this is RuPaul totally out of drag. This is RuPaul stripped bare.

©2024 RuPaul Charles (P)2024 HarperCollins Publishers

An intimate look at RuPauls life

I love RuPaul’s narration of his newest memoir. It is a very personal and real sharing of what his life was like from his grown up perspective. Rupaul is a very intelligent and insightful person and he shows that in this book.

Engrossing story

Really enjoyed his memoir. He is a very good narrator. I felt like I was part of his journey. Good descriptions of places and time. Love you Ru!

Great memoir

Loved Ru's narration, felt like a friend just having a chat. The expression in his voice added to the great stories he shared.

Excellent book!

RuPaul has written an excellent book! I love Ru + really appreciated learning about Ru’s past prior to the fame as well as the struggles he faced while being famous. He is just like us, faced with difficult questions in life + insecurities. I appreciated the candor. I love his humor!

A House of Love

Thank you to RuPaul for sharing such intimate details of his incredible life. While the stories are fabulous and wonderful for any old club kid to hear, the real jewel of these stories are their hidden meanings. The life lessons that shaped Ru’s very unique lens of this world.

I took so much away from this book

I have loved Ru Paul from afar for years. This book shows so much resilience and grace of character. I feel like this will be one I listen to again. There is a spiritual element that holds a lot of truth about the world

Love and kindness

RuPauls narrating was my favorite. He is an Angel amongst us. Love yourself and be kind to yourself as well

Brutally honest, but also entertaining

I love the author read the book himself. I enjoyed the stories of RuPaul’s growing up. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a bio/memoir.

What really seems to be addressed is his childhood and how that affected his adulthood.

I was hoping to hear him play some of his hit songs throughout, mention how Drag Race came to be, and use different voice inflections. I liked when he voiced his mom. He definitely persevered to reach his destiny.

I love Ru

The book was an interesting glimpse into Ru’s life as a kid and growing up gay or queer when it wasn’t popularized by tv and social media. I enjoyed getting to peek into his life. Books narrated by the author are always the best!