Overview

A southern gay college boy sets out for the Big Apple where a demonic Svengali lures the nave student into the razor-wire underworld of international drug smuggling. Upon his arrival in Bombay, Louie-now rechristened Eli-detours to the mystical ashram of guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (Netflix's ""Wild, Wild Country"") and explores new possibilities. With a flawed moral compass, he's trapped in purgatory: Is it too late to walk away, or is he fated to follow in the nefarious footsteps of his father, Nick the Greek? Woven throughout this epic true story is a proud heritage dating back to ancient Sparta, the struggle between a pious mother and rebel father, and the battle that rages on in the soul of their only son. Think Augusten Burroughs' DRY meets THE SONG OF ACHILLES by Madeline Miller.

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Reviews

""Flew Too High: A gay drug smuggler's transcendent odyssey in the heyday of Studio 54 by Louie Mandrapilias is a fascinating, deftly crafted, authentic, emotionally engaging, and simply riveting memoir that will fully compel the reader's full attention from start to finish. Of special and particular relevance to readers with an interest in LGBTQ life experiences and unique/unusual life stories, Flew Too High is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and college/university library Contemporary American Biography/Memoir collections."" --Midwest Book Review ""Flew Too High is a fascinating story, well-told. At times harrowing, at times heartbreaking, and compelling throughout, it captures a moment in time and one young man's dangerous but unforgettable adventure."" -- Trudy Ring, The Advocate ""A coming-of-age journey into the heart of psychedelia and reality's bitter truth, Flew Too High is a thrilling memoir that summons a gilded and infamous past. Laced with clever prose, simmering erotic tension, and incisive passages about existential purpose, this globe-spanning romp of self-discovery and salacious adventure is truly unique among memoirs."" --Self-Publishing Reviews ""Loved it! Not many memoirs can create the same page-turning motivation as a thriller novel. So sensational, you keep questioning if it's really nonfiction. The spiral of love and sex and drugs is real enough. Yet, it's the distance that spiral takes the author on, and the people he meets along the way who feel larger than life."" --Reedsy Discovery

Author Information

Dropping out of art school, Louie Mandrapilias moved to New York City to pursue a brief career in drug smuggling, followed by a journey into the art of woodworking in a Midtown Manhattan loft. He returned to the University of Houston to complete his B.A. in Graphic Design. Louie has spent forty years contributing to top-tier media brands - including LGBTQ+ publishing pioneers The Advocate and Out magazines - while executing successful design work for major global luxury brands. An imaginary conversation with his father resulted in his memoir Flew Too High. A true Renaissance man, Louie recently renovated a historic Brooklyn brownstone. He lives a blessed life in the City of Angels where the adventure continues - a sequel to his first book is in the works.

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