Please help me to understand this sentence. I think it is talking about readers. This was before the era of television talk-show best sellers fashioned their follow-the-leader tastes into a drab society of the mutually hip.

Paul was pulling his Orson Welles bit. I know Orson Wells is an actor. But what is Paul doing?

She probably studied EST or reiki or whatever New Age pap was all the rage then. What is EST? And reiki? And New Age pap? Thank you.

what kind of people are thought of as "the überculture"? thank you.

how can I understand "one's head is due to roll"? Here is the context: She was even attractive, in a nervous, pallid way, like a princess whose head was due to roll.

what does "trip over their egos to do" mean? thank you.

what does "ribbons of agony" mean? many thanks.

what does "kicked in like a dozen cups of percolated coffee" mean? why coffee?

How can I understand "gritty glamour"? It's talking about Annie Leibovitz. Thank you.