Polari - The Lost Language of Gay Men

okay i just wanna respond to the other reviewer here— this isn't a how-to guide, this is a book about twentieth century subculture slang. it was actually a crime to be homosexual back then, so a need to not be understood was needed.. also it was a way to find & connect with other gay people without actually asking "hey are you a homosexual?" This book is a cultural & linguistic study, not a Secret Guide for All Gay Men to Memorize Right Now So We Can Talk About Sex in Public. Also it's not gibberish, it's a slang language with words derived from french, cockney rhyming slang, italian, backslang, yiddish, etc. Polari has had an impact on mainstream english (ex. popularizing the word 'naff') and mainstream culture (it shows up in Velvet Goldmine, David Bowie songs, Round the Horne, etc), so it's really not that niche of a thing either.
Polari is a super interesting subject and I was thrilled someone actually went to write a book about it! it's very hard to find information on this subject and I honestly don't think there are any other books on it out there (especially none as thorough as this one). 

Polari-schlemari what the shizzle?
The lost language of gays? I understand the hard work Mr Baker has put into this book, but what the makes him think it's worth anything over $35.00. After all it's not like we gays are clamoring to learn it. It's mostly gibberish anyways. Speaking in tongues makes about as much sense. If people don't like the idea of you talking about your last tryst they shouldn't be eaves dropping. You could also learn not to talk about certain things in certain places. I would think using common sense would be a lot easier to learn than Polari.