--- product_id: 31370080 title: "Henry Darger, Throwaway Boy: The Tragic Life of an Outsider Artist" price: "4163911₫" currency: VND in_stock: true reviews_count: 8 url: https://www.desertcart.vn/products/31370080-henry-darger-throwaway-boy-the-tragic-life-of-an-outsider store_origin: VN region: Vietnam --- # Henry Darger, Throwaway Boy: The Tragic Life of an Outsider Artist **Price:** 4163911₫ **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Henry Darger, Throwaway Boy: The Tragic Life of an Outsider Artist - **How much does it cost?** 4163911₫ with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.vn](https://www.desertcart.vn/products/31370080-henry-darger-throwaway-boy-the-tragic-life-of-an-outsider) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description While some art historians tend to dismiss Darger as possibly psychotic, Jim Elledge cuts through the cloud of controversy and rediscovers Darger as a damaged and fearful gay man, raised in a world unaware of the consequences of child abuse or gay shame. This thoughtful, sympathetic biography tells the true story of a tragically misunderstood artist. Drawn from fascinating histories of the vice-ridden districts of 1900s Chicago, tens of thousands of pages of primary source material, and Elledge's own work in queer history, Henry Darger, Throwaway Boy also features a full-color reproduction of a never-before-seen canvas from a private gallery in New York, as well as a previously undiscovered photograph of Darger with his lifelong companion William Schloeder, or "Whillie" as Henry affectionately referred to him. Engaging, arresting, and ultimately illuminating, Henry Darger, Throwaway Boy brings alive a complex, brave, and compelling man whose outsider art is both challenging and a triumph over trauma. Review: Thank You, Jim Elledge, For Setting The Record Straight! - Ever since my recent discovery of Henry Darger, I've wanted to know more about him. Unfortunately, the info out there isn't very helpful, accusing Henry of being "crazy" and a "pedophile" with no concrete evidence whatsoever. This book changes all that by putting the reader in Darger's shoes, uncovering Henry's tragic childhood and heartbreaking adult life. I found myself empathizing with this poor man who was dealt such a sad lot in life. I commend Jim Elledge for his thorough and outstanding job in researching Darger. After reading this book, I can honestly say, I have an understanding of the talented and tortured soul, known as Henry Darger. Review: Not a fantasy world - It's been for a long time one of my favorite tales of a life lived in the Twentieth Century, along with Patti Smith's life and Leonard Cohen's. A boy abused by his relatives and society in the turn of the century 1900s, relegated to a school for Feeble Minded Children who ultimately runs away and finds his future in the harsh, unforgiving underbelly of Chicago. He gains employment as a janitor in a hospital, gains an apartment, and maintains each for the next sixty-plus years, seldom seen by neighbors, a life lived in tragic seclusion. When he dies, his landlord discovers, in the apartment's back room, a nearly 50,000 page manuscript and the walls covered in amazing watercolor illustrations, a rich universe onto itself, an outsider art treasure trove. That's the general story you hear and most of it is true. In these versions, Darger is often portrayed as borderline retarded or naive enough not to know that little girls don't have penises, as he frequently drew them. Or as a psychotic that secretly dreamed of killing children. Jim Elledge dispels many of the lazy generalizations made about this special man and relies on facts as he can find them- school records, rent records, employment records, first hand accounts, ect. He painstakingly goes into the zeitgeist of the times as well- the treatment of homosexuals in the early 1900s, of the mentally ill, the lives lived by those in the stark subcultures of Chicago. In doing so, Elledge is able to come to terms with the controversial artwork and frame the art, and the artist, in a reasonable, factual light. The real history of Henry Darger isn't simple, isn't Herculean, isn't romantic and certainly isn't a modern fantasy. It was a real life lived under difficult circumstances, a life Darger dealt with through his paintings, cut-outs and writings. This book makes Henry Darger truly human. ## Features - Used Book in Good Condition ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #2,599,112 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #3,555 in Biographies of Artists, Architects & Photographers (Books) #11,665 in Art History (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.3 out of 5 stars 41 Reviews | ## Images ![Henry Darger, Throwaway Boy: The Tragic Life of an Outsider Artist - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71KCIRnjd4L.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thank You, Jim Elledge, For Setting The Record Straight! *by B***E on November 22, 2021* Ever since my recent discovery of Henry Darger, I've wanted to know more about him. Unfortunately, the info out there isn't very helpful, accusing Henry of being "crazy" and a "pedophile" with no concrete evidence whatsoever. This book changes all that by putting the reader in Darger's shoes, uncovering Henry's tragic childhood and heartbreaking adult life. I found myself empathizing with this poor man who was dealt such a sad lot in life. I commend Jim Elledge for his thorough and outstanding job in researching Darger. After reading this book, I can honestly say, I have an understanding of the talented and tortured soul, known as Henry Darger. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Not a fantasy world *by D***L on January 20, 2015* It's been for a long time one of my favorite tales of a life lived in the Twentieth Century, along with Patti Smith's life and Leonard Cohen's. A boy abused by his relatives and society in the turn of the century 1900s, relegated to a school for Feeble Minded Children who ultimately runs away and finds his future in the harsh, unforgiving underbelly of Chicago. He gains employment as a janitor in a hospital, gains an apartment, and maintains each for the next sixty-plus years, seldom seen by neighbors, a life lived in tragic seclusion. When he dies, his landlord discovers, in the apartment's back room, a nearly 50,000 page manuscript and the walls covered in amazing watercolor illustrations, a rich universe onto itself, an outsider art treasure trove. That's the general story you hear and most of it is true. In these versions, Darger is often portrayed as borderline retarded or naive enough not to know that little girls don't have penises, as he frequently drew them. Or as a psychotic that secretly dreamed of killing children. Jim Elledge dispels many of the lazy generalizations made about this special man and relies on facts as he can find them- school records, rent records, employment records, first hand accounts, ect. He painstakingly goes into the zeitgeist of the times as well- the treatment of homosexuals in the early 1900s, of the mentally ill, the lives lived by those in the stark subcultures of Chicago. In doing so, Elledge is able to come to terms with the controversial artwork and frame the art, and the artist, in a reasonable, factual light. The real history of Henry Darger isn't simple, isn't Herculean, isn't romantic and certainly isn't a modern fantasy. It was a real life lived under difficult circumstances, a life Darger dealt with through his paintings, cut-outs and writings. This book makes Henry Darger truly human. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Only Half of the Story *by S***A on July 29, 2017* Although this is a fine book, it falls short because the illustrations are few and tiny. Darger's paintings were sometimes 10 and 12 feet in length. The book illuminates his deep relationship with William (Sloeder/Schroder?] and the careless abandon with which his father treated him, as well as Darger's tendency to gloss over and even lie about traumatic events in his life. The film shows us his art and how he appeared to others in his daily life but simplifies some things. (For instance, Henry says that his father was a kind and gentle man. Maybe so, but also a selfish drunk. The book tells a deeper and more disturbing story. The book also tries to illuminate Henry's sexual orientation.) Either one on its own falls a bit short of showing us this complicated artist. Together they present a fascinating and (IMHO) comprehensive overview of Henry Darger. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.vn/products/31370080-henry-darger-throwaway-boy-the-tragic-life-of-an-outsider](https://www.desertcart.vn/products/31370080-henry-darger-throwaway-boy-the-tragic-life-of-an-outsider) --- *Product available on Desertcart Vietnam* *Store origin: VN* *Last updated: 2026-05-22*