Louis Armstrong: An Extravagant Life [Paperback] Review

This biography of Louis Armstrong presents the rich mosaic that was the life of one of the greatest musicians and entertainers of the 20th Century.It uses his life story to describe the history of early jazz--from hischildhood on the streets of New Orleans, his move to Chicago where he madehis famous recordings with the Hot Five and Hot Seven, and on to New Yorkand Europe.I was surprized to learn that in many ways his charismaticstage persona was his real personality.But at the same time he was quitea complex character (four marriages, daily marijuana use, managers with mobconnections, laxative proselytizations).Aside from his musical genius, hewas a cultural icon--the first African American entertainer to cross overto broad popularity throughout America.The story is often told in Louis'sown words, making it easier to get to know him.I loved the story abouthis first trip back to New Orleans after he spent nearly a decade goingfrom being a local talent to an international star.When I got to the lastchapter I put the book aside for a little while--I didn't want the book orLouis's life to end.

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City Limits [Paperback] Review

I enjoyed Terry Teachout's book of autobiographical essays "City Limits". There is nothing terribly important in the book, but its tone and pace are leisurely & enjoyable and his stories reveal interesting details about an important cultural critic whose influence is rising each year through his books and articles in "Commentary", "The Wall Street Journal" and other influential conservative journals of opinion. Teachout's writing reminds me of my favorite writer, Joseph Epstein (it is probably no coincidence that you often find their pieces in the same issues of publications). Both writers are extremely culturally fluent with a lot of interesting things to say. Their writing is also very accessable to the average, educated person who is looking to learn more about literature, music, theater, art, and the good life in general.

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Stardust Melody: The Life and Music of Hoagy Carmichael [Paperback] Review

We owe Richard Sudhalter for preserving the often-forgotten history of America's early jazz pioneers and composers. His subjects are white musicians, but he doesn't write about them with a nasty political agenda. He just doesn't want their contributions to be forgotten. Along the way, he pays warm tribute to the black musicians who led the musical revolution. Unfortunately, politically-charged reviewers refuse to see this.
I especially love this Sudhalter work. Sadly, Hoagy is becoming a forgotten genius of American song. Duke Ellington once called him America's greatest songwriter, and Sudhalter goes a long way in providing the evidence to such a claim. I especially enjoyed the focus on Hoagy's home state of Indiana, which was an amazing hotbed for jazz in the 1920s. One should take this book and drive around Bloomington, Indiana, and find all of the haunts described in rich detail by Sudhalter. Then go to Indianapolis, and Richmond, Indiana. Sudhalter really did us all a huge favor in providing such a wonderful document.

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