Book Description
For the longest time, during some rough boyhood years in Alabama and the grind of performing on the road, the odds against me were discouraging. But there was always a voice inside telling me it was going to get better.
Mom and Dad certainly started out with good intentions, but early on, as their marriage went south and I went in whatever direction was necessary to avoid the fallout, I realized my life was going to be up to me.
Thinking back, my first step toward singing for a living was stealing an Otis Redding album when I was nine. What I heard on that platter was life-changing, and pretty soon I was learning to play the harmonica, which, I can assure you, didn’t attract many female fans—in fact, any fans at all.
I eventually decided that not being taken seriously can be a good thing. It stokes the fires. Maybe the reason I like soul music so much is that it inspires with its pain. The best artists, like Ray Charles, reach out and say, “You’re not alone, brother.”
In all my years on the road—trying to make it in Nashville and those Southern honky-tonks known as the “Chitlin Circuit”—I never thought it would take an act of God to push my destiny into the right groove. But as you’ll hear, it was nearly getting washed away by Hurricane Katrina that led to my Idol tryout. And what happened next was a little bit like when Alice dropped down that rabbit hole—just substitute Simon Cowell for the Mad Hatter.
In Heart Full of Soul, I share some life stories that will hopefully inspire you—give you a sense of my philosophy and how it drove me. For example, I talk about my good friend who died in a tragic accident and the prediction he made that tugged at my thoughts throughout Idol’s qualifying rounds. I also discuss what it was like when I realized Eminem has it right: when you only have one shot, you’d better lose yourself in the music.
A lot of great fans lined up behind me the night of the Idol finale. This book is about the strange path that led me to that pop-culture moment, and the sharp directional changes that occurred after that phenomenal night, including touring America, producing an album, and experiencing that two-sided gig known as American celebrity.
I hope that some of the lessons I’ve learned along the way will help you, especially if the shot you’ve been yearning for is just around the corner.
Customer Reviews:
Full of integrity and guts.......2007-09-26
Taylor Hicks book was so heartwarming to me. He has true moxie because he made it on his own without much support in his childhood. I loved him on American Idol and I am happy to know him better through his book.
Wonderful bio of Taylor .......2007-09-23
This book was well written with many humorus lines, giving a real insight to who Taylor Hicks really is and what he has endured to follow his dream. We, who are avid fans, are glad that he never gave up. He is truly unique and inspiring, both musically and personally. Oh, and lest I forget, he is most definitely easy on the eyes and seeing him live in person is an unforgetable experience.
Taylor Hicks- My American Idol........2007-09-07
I was real excited to read this book as it had been a year since I had read any book due to loss of vision. Now that I have my "Reader" I chose this book. It was an easy read and moved right along. I really enjoyed hearing about his life and all the things that went on during his ride to be the American Idol. There was some good photos in it also.
Heart Full of Soul and Taylor has it!!.......2007-09-03
I loved Taylor's book in both the hardback and audio versions. Hearing Taylor's voice telling his own story is amazing. Taylor's life journey to this point is incredible. He has certainly "paid his dues" and is very deserving of all of the good things that are coming his way since he was discovered! Anyone reading this book would be inspired to never give up because you never know what the future holds. I for one have been uplifted by his message.
Like the rest of Taylor's career: soon to be in a bargain bin.......2007-09-01
It's obvious that the majority of reviews written for this skimpy and hollow book are written by Taylor's fans. That's fine. People who are really into their AI faves usually have no sense of blind fanboyism and will highly rate anything that their idol puts out. The fact of the matter, however, is that Hicks' career has been a flop, both in terms of comparing it to other AI contestants (save for Justin Guarini's and Corey Clark's) and on its very own. The guy couldn't eke out a career before Idol, and now in the aftermath of winning it, it looks like he's still not making any headway.
This book attempts to wring out any last popularity the guy may have. The problem is, only the fans are going to buy it and declare it as wonderful, while everyone else will simply pass it by, knowing full well that the story inside will well be forgotten a few months from now. Hicks may well have been AI's biggest anomaly as far as its grand prize winners went, but it looks like it was all for naught. So don't be surprised when you start seeing this book being dumped by the truckloads into bargain book warehouse stores and the like. While Hicks may have had honest and noble intentions behind his AI career, the fact is the young and ever-fickle audience the show is geared towards just aren't interested in the long haul.
Book Description
At a time when most girl groups merely swayed back and forth on the stage, the Marvelettes came out of nowhere to take on the music world and give Motown its first #1 pop record, "Please Mr. Postman." During the next decade the Marvelettes evolved to the sexy, sultry sound of "Don't Mess with Bill" and other Billboard top-40 hits. What happened in between and why their rise to the top was followed by their sudden demise is the brutally honest story behind The Original Marvelettes: Motown's Mystery Girl Group.
Find out first-hand from Katherine Anderson Schaffner, "the tall one," what really happened on stage...and behind closed doors. Includes interviews with other giants of Motown.
Customer Reviews:
A Great 60's read !!.......2005-12-01
If you love those fabulous girl groups of the 60's, then you must read this one. Really fun and informative from one of the great Girl Groups that very little is known about. Very well written.
By the way, when are we going to see a book about the SHANGRI-LAS??
Again, another wonderful act that very little is known about.
Haven't Fallen Yet.......2005-12-01
The Golden Marvelettes are still in the hearts of die hard Motown Fans...move over Diana, Martha... Gladys Wanda and Katherine still reign...
Long overdue but well worth it.......2005-03-25
( Cover photo: Clockwise from top center, Katherine Anderson Schaffner, Gladys Horton Coleman, Georgeanna Tillman Gordon, Wanda Young Rogers )
At long last, in March 2004, the Marvelettes finally got their own story told, so late after the biographies of many other Motown colleagues had come and gone. Author Marc Taylor faced a daunting task asking Motowners entering their 60s to remember in the early 21st century, events of the 1960s. An early member of the group ( originally a quintet), Wynetta Cowart Motley, had left in 1962 when the group's success had only gotten under way. Georgeanna was forced from the group by illness in 1965; she died of lupus in 1980. Gladys offered only limited participation, saying she was working on a book of her own, and Wanda had fallen far from the groups heyday and had known many years of alcohol and substance abuse.
That left Katherine to primarily tell the story of the Marvelettes tenure at Motown, but it didn't hobble at all the success of Mr. Taylor's finished work.
Ms. Anderson-Schaffner is scrupulously honest in her recall giving her group their due without overstating their talent. In particular, when it comes to the later 60s and the group's unceremonious disbanding, she is just as quick to place appropriate blame on the group's internal dissention as much as Motown's by-then corporate indifference.
Nothing can change the fact that the Marvelettes were the first artists to give Motown a No. 1 pop single ( "Please Mr. Postman," December 1961 ), and their string of subsequent and pleasing hits are as integral to the Motown story as the more known successes of the Supremes, Four Tops, Temptations, Stevie Wonder & Marvin Gaye.
Gladys was the groups lead singer on early successes like "Please Mr. Postman," "Playboy," "Beechwood 4-5789," and "Too Many Fish In The Sea." It was later on, when producer-composer Smokey Robinson turned his interest toward the group, that Wanda Young Rogers was brought forth to sing lead. The petite Wanda, giving breathy and seductive readings to Robinson's more adult styled compositions, gave the group something they hadn't had till then: sex appeal. Wanda's 'little sexy-country voice', as Robinson termed it, exists on immortal later Marvelettes songs like 'The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game,' 'My Baby Must Be A Magician' and, especially, 'Don't Mess With Bill.'
This book is highly recommended to anyone who loves 60s Motown music. And now, perhaps, may we have the life and career stories of Mary Wells and Junior Walker, for instance?
Presto, Change-O, Alikazam.......2005-01-05
What a book! Marc Taylor goes way underground to come out with the 60s story that could only have happened in Detroit, the saga of the marvelous Marvelettes. Somehow he got the cooperation of the "tall one," Katherine Anderson, and so at every turn we hear Katherine's version of events, always a little bitter and skewed, although she always prefaces her remarks with something like, "Oh, I didn't really mind, BUT--" We take the whole tumultuous roller coaster ride from sleepy little Inkster, Michigan (remember on American Bandstand when an addled Marvelette claimed that "Detroit is a suburb of Inkster" and then she got laughed right out of the group?) to the disastrous final move of Motown to LA during the course of which the Marvelettes just got forgotten about and had to disband. In the face of what seems like extensive drug, drink and mental problems of their lead singer, the "wanda-ful" Wanda Young, it's surprising they stayed afloat so long, not to mention being able to record such masterworks of the human spirit as "The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game," "My Baby Must be a Magician," "Don't Mess with Bill" (all written and produced by Smokey Robinson) and the divinely inspired cover remake of "When You're Young And In Love." Taylor takes us there every step of the way.
Others have criticized him for relying too heavily on Katherine's jaundiced memories. But what was the guy supposed to do? She has a good and extensive memory and she seems to recall every slight and every hurt ever dealt to her, all under a cover of pretended indifference. Besides, most of her stories get corroborated by others Taylor interviews, whether they be members of the Vandellas, or Brenda Holloway, or perhaps some of the mysterious Aldantes--the backup girl singers who wound up singing on 75 percent of the later Motown releases. I wish there were a movie of this book. It out does "Dreamgirls" the musical.
A Marvelous Story of the Marvelettes.......2004-10-21
Many people think the Supremes are what put Motown on the map. The startling truth is, the Supremes probably never would have happened if it weren't for the Marvelettes. In 1961, "Please Mr. Postman," by the Marvelettes, was the hit that kept Motown Records from sinking.
This and other startling revelations are found in "The Original Marvelettes: Motown's Mystery Girl Group" by Marc Taylor. The good and the bad are there in a tantalizing dichotomy. This is a book that will please the reader who has a casual interest in girl groups, yet has the depth that a die-hard girl-group fan wants.
The girls in the Marvelettes were thrilled and shocked that what started as informal high-school singing had instantly launched them into national fame. But they weren't ready for what was to come next. Motown execs asked them to quit high school. They were put on a grueling tour, riding a bus with no bathrooms stopping in towns that wouldn't let blacks use their bathrooms. In fact, shocking incidents like these are the best part of the story.
The book was created mostly by input from Katherine Anderson Schaffner, "the tall one," who was also the only member of the group from the beginning to the end. The story includes quotes from other group members and other girl-group icons. Not only is the story about the girl-group days, but also the events, sometimes bittersweet, that happened to the women after their years of fame. The photos are good ones, not the usual seen-them-everywhere shots. Marc Taylor has been writing about soul music for more than a decade and deftly handles the amazing story of this well-loved group.
Book Description
It must be a part of human nature to love drama. We never would have sold as many records -- and we never would have been this popular -- if our member changes did not happen. Up until that point, we were squeaky-clean nice girls who couldn't get on the cover of any magazines. --Beyoncé Knowles
They're beautiful, they're talented, they're bootylicious . . .
From first kisses and broken hearts to pillow fights and legal battles to losing friends and finding strength in God, Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams share it all. Their example of survival has made Destiny's Child one of the most beloved, bestselling female groups ever.
Here for the first time, the three share the struggles that have made them stronger, from Beyoncé's battles with weight loss and shyness, Kelly's coming to terms with growing up without a dad, and Michelle's triumph over grade-school bullies. They've grown up under the media microscope, and have had to deal with lineup changes and media rumors. Now they set the record straight.
The demands and drama, the schedules and scrutiny -- from the tour bus to the dressing rooms to backstage at awards shows, Beyoncé, Kelly, and Michelle talk about what it takes to be successful. Whether it's changing outfits in the rain, changing their hair color, or changing a name, they've done it.
Don't be mistaken, they're not a prefab group of young girls -- they're smart, independent women with a lot of soul. When these ladies had only minutes of studio time to work with Wyclef Jean to remix one of their songs, they didn't stress, they just started singing faster -- and the result was a unique sound that put them on the map. Everyone has caught on to the Destiny's Child groove -- Whitney Houston, Bono, and Michael Jackson have all given them props, and the King of Pop himself serenaded them with a rendition of “Bootylicious.”
Beyoncé, Kelly, and Michelle take you behind the scenes of a video rehearsal at which Aaliyah rewound their practice music, to the set of Austin Powers 3, where a starstruck Beyoncé felt anything but foxy before auditioning for the part of Foxxy Cleopatra, and backstage at the Grammys, where a last-minute costume change fiasco nearly kept Michelle from going onstage.
With total honesty, these soul survivors not only dish the details of their past, but share their hopes, plans, and dreams for the future.
Customer Reviews:
DC3.......2005-03-21
I READ THIS BOOK AND I WAS SHOCKED AT HOW GOOD IT WAS. IT TALKED ABOUT THE MEMBERS OF DESTINY'S CHILD AND THEIR LIVES AT HOME AS WELL AS ON THE ROAD. IT TALKED ABOUT THE MEMBER CHANGES AND WHAT REALLY HAPPENED. IT TALKED ABOUT THEIR STRUGGLES WITH GETTING A RECORD DEAL AS WELL AS THE STRUGGLES WITH THE MEDIA. I REALLY LIKE THIS BOOK BECAUSE IT TALKED ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT THE MAGAZINES DONT.IT MADE ME FEEL AS IF I KNEW THEM. IF ASKED IF I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO A FRIEND I WOULD BECAUSE IT'S AND EXCELENT BOOK.
the best book!!!!!!!!!!!.......2005-01-05
It is a great book. I definetly recommend it. It tells what happened with the group members, first kisses, boyfriends. I never ever wanted to read a book,{BECAUSE I AM NOT A GOOD READER} but when i got the book i couldnt put it down. I read it in one day and i am a slow reader. They didnt say anything bad about farrah, letoya, or latavia. I WOULD always recommend you to get the book, and it is worth every penny. You wont be disappointed. Also it tells about their childhood, with pics which is cool.
P.S: You can have a opinion but dont hate, appreciate. Also u will probably hurt their feeling so dont say anything stupid.
very good book.......2004-03-12
the book is very good i want to read over and over again and i like how they put pictures in the middle of the book and they talk about their child hood but they talk to much about the break up but not the future and what they have accomplished as a group with out the other members but i would recomend this book
It's Pretty Good.......2003-02-10
I enjoy Destiny's Child, and I thought it would be interesting ot read about them. It was a good book mostly, and you learn a lot about these three members, like their childhood, early life, school years, how they joined Destiny's Child, and more. What was strange to me was the title of this book. I really am not sure that these three rich woman who are famous all around the world are really "soul survivors". What did they survive? Sure, they lost three group members but that's about it. Another thing that bothered me was that the book was mostly Beyonce this, Beyonce that. She did most of the writing, or should I say talking because they just told their story to James Patrick Herman, who actually wrote it. Also, it seems like the book is mainly about her. So what, she writes their songs and is their (Destiny's Child) lead singer. It dosn't mean she should always get all of the attention! Overall, the book is great, but I think big Destiny's Child fans would like it the most.
Destiny's child are talented.......2003-02-02
The book gave a look into the lives of the group destiny's child and the women. I just don't feel it. I think the only way to be really honest is to have the ex-members tell there side a well. If it's not that way then you're really getting a one sided story. And I need to hear everybody's piece. I think they are talented and everything, but really you are just throwing away money if you get this. Money that could be in your pockets. Please do not keep slipping further into idol worship. This are just people. Some of ya'll need to really calm down. Some girl was going off. Like she was a friend of those girls. Just like she, said she don't know them personally either. So how can she try to make it like they are just survivors, no. They really honestly didn't lose anything. Everybody is picked, shy sometimes, and grows up without a father. Just because they are stars do not make there story more heart touching. I need to hear from everybody to know the truth. That's just me. So For all of ya'll obsessed crazy fans. Please, calm down. It ain't that serious, really. Remember they are just people, psychos.
Book Description
After thirteen printings and with nearly 100,000 copies in print since its publication twenty years ago, Boundaries Of The Soul has become recognized as THE classic introduction to Jung and the practice of Jung's psychology. The book has been described as "the clearest and most coherent exposition of Jung's total thought," by Robertson Davies, and Alan Watts has called Dr. Singer "one of the great masters of the art." Now, in a completely revised edition of Boundaries Of The Soul, Dr. Singer incorporates the latest developments in Jungian psychology over the last two decades, particularlv in the areas of masculine/feminine relationships, the use of psychotherapeutic drugs, and the evolution of Jung's concept and personality types and its application both clinically and in the world of business and industry. In addition, the case histories, so central to understanding many of Jung's concepts, have been re-examined and revised where necessary to correspond to the spirit of today's world. The updated edition of Boundaries Of The Soul should reaffirm the book's long-standing reputation as the best introduction to Jung's thought available.
Customer Reviews:
A 1st step in reading about Jung before reading Jung.......2006-05-28
A wonderful accessible book written in warmth and sincerity and utilizing real case examples throughout in furthering understanding the applicability of Jung whose impact remains paramount.
Obviously a well studied book by Jungian practicioners,this books appeal is it's lucid prose and style,never dry, written by a then leading Jungian therapist carefully in tune with her then radical climate of the day.
The book remains contemporary and not dated with time especially since the revised edition was written in 1994 and changed where she deemed appropriate.
The major concepts of Jung are explained here through case studies in addition to great insights, such as her take on the understanding of Plato as distinct from Aristotle and the fusion that Jung accomplished between Adler and Freud with his development of his Personality Theory.
A very useful,enjoyable and needed book allowing one to enjoy the appetizer with all the historical background and theories dealt with prior to relishing Jung's actual text.
A rich & deep introduction to Jung.......2005-01-06
I first read this wonderful book some 30-odd years ago, and I've returned to it many times since. It remains one of the best introductions to Jung's thought & basic concepts that I know. Singer's personal touch, both in her own case histories & her autobiographical anecdotes, add to the book; the feeling is one of listening to a wise woman, rather than hearing a dry lecture. Singer not only knows her material intellectually, she knows it in her soul, and that comes through on every page. This book made me start paying attention to my dreams, and gave me a much-needed framework for understanding my life at a crucial time, when I was most in need of such a framework.
While the revised & updated edition is excellent, I'd also recommend reading the original 1972 edition if you can find it. For example, Singer's chapter on Jung & the Counterculture is superb, and not nearly as dated as the author herself believed; in any case, it provides a valuable on-the-spot account of Jungian thought & its intersection with the 1960s, the impact of which is still being felt today. Yet it's also fascinating to read the follow-up stories of some of her patients in the newer edition.
Jung is a much better known name today than when this book first appeared, but his thought isn't always as well understood as it might be. Let Singer take you on a revelatory tour of the Psyche & learn far more about both Jung & yourself than you ever imagined. Highly recommended!
You feel like you are being analyzed by a great mind.......2003-11-11
I have now read this book twice during crisis in my life and find June Singer's book on Jung the most accessible, understandable approach to Jungian analytical psychology that I have ever read. (I have read about 4000 pages of Jung's own work and undertood much of it.)
It is helpful to have a woman's approach to how the analytical process actually happens. She gives away the secrets as to how analysis ought to be done by a faithful but always questioning Jungian analyst.
I recommend this book for anyone who has problems, who has an interest in psychology, or wants to understand how really advanced therapies such as analytical psychology (depth analysis) actually works.
Excellent Insights Into the Application of Jungian Analysis.......2003-02-13
Very practical and useful for the reader interested in implementation of Jungian analysis. It's a bit light, however, on theory. The case examples can be a bit tedious at times and somewhat repetitive. I would have appreciated a greater context applied to the examples through explanation of original Jungian theories.
Overall, I think this book is best read in concert with Jung's original texts.
Analysis in Action.......2002-10-11
I have to give this book 5 stars not just because I found it to be a very thorough explanation of Jung's theories but also because readers much greater than I have given this book rave reviews as noted from the back cover! Admittedly, this book is not easy to get through but worth the bit of struggle; it seems everyone should be interested in psychology since it's how we think, our attitudes and resulting behavior that rules our lives and the lives of all the human beings that we come in contact with!
Interspersed with Jung's theories are real life psychoanalytical scenarios most centered around dream analysis which I thought was way more real and interesting than reality TV! Prior to reading this book, I did not realize how much of Jung's theory has become a part of our lives, such as archetypes, although I think these were originally discussed by Plato, projection and transference, synchronicity and of course the individuation process. The latter is the acceptance of our humanness on a holistic level and the continuing discovery of our potential.
Warning, this book may raise your level of consciousness and force you to realize that the world does not revolve around you! The sooner we all face up to the truth of our existence, that all human beings are untied, regardless of their race, color or creed, the sooner we can achieve internal and therefore external peace.
Average customer rating:
- Better Insight
- YOU WILL CRY WHEN YOU READ THIS BOOK! FRANKIE'S POIGNANCY HAD ME MOURNING MARVIN'S DEATH AND HIS DEATH AS WELL, ALL OVER AGAIN.
- The Truth is Not Always What People Want to Read
- Not the best read.
- Marvin Gaye fans, take this one lightly
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Marvin Gaye, My Brother
Frankie Gaye
Manufacturer: Backbeat Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0879307420 |
Book Description
Marvin Gaye's life and brilliant career were cut tragically short on April 1, 1984 - one day before his 45th birthday - when he was shot and killed by his own father. Now, for the first time ever, Marvin Gaye's story is told in intimate detail by a member of his own family. Frankie and Marvin Gaye were close from childhood until Marvin's death. Frankie was at Marvin's side when he died, and only Frankie heard his deathbed confession. Full of never-before-told personal anecdotes, this book takes you behind the scenes from Marvin's childhood, through his spectacular success at Motown and then Columbia, his stormy relationships with women, and finally to his descent into drugs and despair. The true story of the man behind the beloved music is now available to fans old and new. Includes great photos throughout, a helpful index, and a timeline of important events in Marvin's life.
Customer Reviews:
Better Insight.......2006-11-03
This is the second book I have read about Marvin. This book had far more insight as it was written by his brother. Very good reading for fans of Marvin, Motown or Music.
YOU WILL CRY WHEN YOU READ THIS BOOK! FRANKIE'S POIGNANCY HAD ME MOURNING MARVIN'S DEATH AND HIS DEATH AS WELL, ALL OVER AGAIN........2006-08-30
I've read Divided Soul twice, once when it was first published and again in the late 90's. For me, it was the definitive Marvin Gaye book, until I read Frankie Gaye's book!
Frankie Gaye's book is so compassionate and tender, so factual. After all, he was Marvin's best friend and confidante. Whatever you do, do not skip to the end. Read the entire book and when you get to the ending, you will have gone through Marvin's struggle with him, with Frankie. My only regret about this book is that I never bothered to know more about Frankie Gaye.
The Truth is Not Always What People Want to Read.......2005-11-08
I read this book, and I think that it is an honest book written by Marvin's brother, Frankie. He was someone who was close to him and knew him better than a paid writer. Most people would rather read spicey sensationlism, and juicey gossip written by someone who never really knew Marvin than to read about the not so spicey truth from one of his sibling. Most people get so used to hearing the rumors, and he-say she-say junk until the real truth seems like a rumor. In real life Marvin was a man who was talented, with numerous problems, and he was killed by his father, who also was a complicated man with problems. Sad as it was, that's probably what happened. No deep dark secrets there, his father was just a mentally ill man who killed his son in a fit of anger or rage, just as Frankie's book says. Marvin should not have never been living with his parents in the first place, since he and his father were having so many problems with one another. Marvin should have been somewhere getting his life straightened out.
Not the best read........2005-07-15
I was disappointed in this book. Frankie Gaye did not tell all the facts especially about how Marvin was killed. Why would the police refuse to enter the home and let Marvin lay their bleeding to death? Something about that just does not ring true.
Marvin Gaye fans, take this one lightly.......2004-09-12
I won't reiterate what the other reviewers have said, because they make a great point--the book is light on real information. Much of what Frankie covers is what we already knew about Marvin (drugs, women, mental woes), which leads me to think Frankie didn't know Marvin that well at all.
I was hoping to learn the hardcore, real reason Marvin Sr. shot Marvin. Frankie can only speculate, and since Marvin Sr. is gone, the world will never really have a clear understanding what happened the fateful day that shook the music world. What was appalling then--and still is now--is that Marvin Sr. didn't even get much of a slap on the wrist. The crime is given the almost-justifiable gloss of "Marvin had it coming." Like another reviewer mentions, no one in the family ever sought professional help for Marvin, and if everyone thought the man was such a loose cannon, why didn't they? It's my guess that Marvin Sr. would have blocked that attempt anyway, given that he was such an attention hound, to hear Frankie tell it. Frankie makes it clear that Marvin Sr. caused a significant amount of pain to his own family, through routine unemployment, anger-loaded outbursts, and all-around childishness. I had heard that Marvin and his sibs were abused sexually as children, but not a word of that appears in this book.
The book isn't bad, but I agree with the reviewer who noted that the co-author didn't seem to have a voice within the pages, and I believe that would have made the book much less subjective. Frankie writes as if he is sitting in front of you, just talking about his brother, so the tone and style are very loose and informal. Not a bad book, but I think there are better, more meaty biographies out there. It's my guess that Frankie left a lot of family detail out to spare those still living; maybe he felt that Marvin's very public demons were enough embarrassment.
Side note: Frankie makes mention of Ritz and claims that what information he spewed out isn't reliable and that Marvin only met him one time. I think I'll read that one next...
Book Description
BiographyLarge Print Edition* A New York Times BestsellerPatti LaBelle has enjoyed phenomenal success for over three decades and won admiration not only for her music but for her tireless charity work and devotion to her fans. Here we get to know Patti LaBelle, a woman who recounts the ups and downs of her life, including the personal tragedies that haunted her even as she reached every professional goal that she set for herself. In the down-to-earth style shes famous for, Patti tells the real story her fans have been waiting for years of crippling fear that she cloaked with non-stop performances. A terrible sense of guilt she tried to assuage through tireless charity work. And finally, a hard-won peace a deep understanding of whats important in life and how its available for all of us if we dont block the blessings.
Customer Reviews:
Don't Block the Blessings.......2007-05-15
I have yet to read this book, but it is in good condition.
AWESOME BOOK.......2005-12-24
This book is one of the best autobiographies I've ever read. Not only is it filled with details of Patti's life, it also takes you to the lessons that she's learned from the time when she was a shy little girl, to life as a megastar. This book will truly touch your heart as you cheer on the diva that is Patti LaBelle.
Joy to read this book.......2002-07-11
Congratulations, A reflective autobiography with some depth and truth. Before reading Patti's, I read Aretha's, which I ultimately felt like tossing in the middle of the street! Great job! I thought the book was very inviting to the personal side of Patti. I have always admired how forthcoming she has been with the public in relation to her late sisters. This book can truly encourage one to live life, as well as love and appreciate life.
However, there are a few things I would like to clear up, which I found inaccurate or inappropriate. The Jackie Wilson episode I found rather distasteful, particularly since he is not around to defend himself(it was o.k. to slander Al Green). Also, as I had to do with Gladys in her book, I need to clarify a few inaccurate points you raised in your book. In reading your relationship with Atlantic Records in the 1960's, one is left with the impression your group wasn't given a fair shot due to the success of Aretha. Well, that's not totally true, since you were with the label two years before she signed on. It just wasn't your time yet! Now is your time. You sound greater and look more beautiful than ever. You have a wonderful spirit in which people adore you far and near. You are truly a blessing. Wonderful job.
What a blessing to read!.......2002-03-11
Patty LaBelle is amazing. She has an incredible voice, a career full of ups and downs, and can bring down the house in concert. This book is just another triumph for a lady who deserves all the accolades she receives. With absolute honesty, she reveals so much about her life--from sexual abuse to the fear of dying of cancer like her sisters and good friend--you feel that Ms. LaBelle has given you all that she can. Throughout her life, she has faced a good deal of challenges but has emerged with a positive attitude about life and can still entertain with the best of them. I have seen her in concert 3 times and she blew me away each time. This book does the same. After reading the dismal biography of Aretha Franklin (From the Roots), I realized what a gem this is. If you wanna read a really good book about an incredible entertainer, give this one a go. Its worth every penny!
Patti**Soul Sister #1.......2001-12-16
PATTI takes you on a journey-from the Bluebelles, to LaBelle and through her solo career. She talks about her battles with her self-esteem, record companies, men and THE TRAGIC deaths of sisters. Did you know that NONA had a nervous break down during one the LaBelle concerts-and was taken to the hospital in restraints? WOW! This lead to the break-up of LaBelle! Pick this one up and you'll find out much more.
Book Description
From the critically acclaimed, best-selling author of Holler if You Hear Me, a fresh reassessment of the remarkable life, art, struggles, and death of an American icon.
Twenty years after his murder at the hands of his own father, Marvin Gaye continues to define the hopes and shattered dreams of the Motown generation. A performer whose career spanned the history of rhythm and blues, from doo-wop to the sultriest of soul music, Gaye's artistry magnified the contradictions that defined America's coming of age in the tumultuous 1970s. In his most searching and ambitious work to date, acclaimed critic Michael Eric Dyson illuminates both Marvin Gaye's stellar achievements and stunning personal decline--and offers an unparalleled assessment of the cultural and political legacy of R&B on American culture.
Through interviews with those close to Gaye--from his musical beginnings in a black church in Washington, D.C., to his days as a "ladies' man" in Motown's stable of young singers, from the artistic heights of the landmark album What's Going On? to his struggles with addiction and domestic violence--Dyson draws an indelible portrait of the tensions that shaped contemporary urban America: economic adversity, the drug industry, racism, and the long legacy of hardship.
Published to coincide with the twentieth anniversary of Gaye's death in 1984, and infused with the soulful prose that has become Michael Eric Dyson's trademark, Mercy, Mercy Me is at once a celebration of an American icon whose work continues to inspire, and a revelatory and incisive look at how a lost generation's moods, music, and moral vision continue to resonate today.
Customer Reviews:
Worse than a root canal.......2005-05-16
I thought the Publishers Weekly review was pretty accurate. This book read like a textbook. Maybe that is because Dyson is a college humanities professor. I could only get half way through before as Popeye said That's all I can stands, I can stands no more. Now I understand why I was able to purchase this book for 84 cents.
Congrats to Prof. Michael Dyson.......2005-01-25
Michael Dyson is such a great author and activist. He really knows the ups and downs of Marvin Gaye's life. Oh that's such a blessing I think every Marvin Gaye fan should get this just b/c they wanna learn more 'bout this man. 2 me he's one of my idols I grew up 'cuz he's such an inspiration. This book tells it all from his days of sex, drugs, violence, threats between his dad, how he got involved in the resurrection of life and death and the coming side of R. Kelly's admirer of Gaye. You see Marvin never say "Give up on what u got". No he saids "Take it lightly and slowly when u dead and gone". That's why we need to check ourselves everyday to the fullest until we live this normal or martyred life. I haven't bought the book yet but I'll may go it ASAP once it's still here. This is such an interesting story from the man who did the lifetimes of Tupac Shakur, black women, black people, the culture of our nation and black music and now. Definitely recommend along w/ Mase's memoir and Miles' memoir.
For the musicologist or sociologist, but not the rest of us.......2005-01-21
Dyson has written a fascinating analysis of the life and career of the late Marvin Gaye, a book that will appeal even to readers who don't know Gaye's music all that well. That having been said, this is a weighty tome, which touches on the religious, cultural and social influences of the black community and how they shaped the singer.
For example, in examining the effect of childhood abuse on Gaye, Dyson traces the problem of domestic violence in the black family to slavery. While this is an interesting discussion, it sways quite a bit from the book's star. Some readers will find these diversions tedious.
Because Gaye's relationship with Motown founder Berry Gordy is discussed at length, anyone who has studied the studio and its music will find something of interest here. References to the black church and family will ensure this book's place in programs of African-American study. Finally, the last chapter is in large part about present-day soul star R. Kelly. Dyson's discussion of how both men merged concepts of spirituality and sexuality within their music is interesting. In short, this book is a real find for a musicologist or sociologist, but it's not a biography "for the rest of us."
Disappointment.......2004-10-22
The reason I didn't care for this book may partially be my fault--I did not realize it was an essay instead of a biography. But the rest of the reason is on this author--this book was pretty much fact-based, reasons for songs were thrown out sporadically, Tammy Terrell's name was all over the place but the beatings were danced around (and one speaker even plugged her own book--why is that even in there?) and the author went on a history lesson through Motown with other artists. The organization was terrible, there was no set subject pattern, and it was a dry read. I ended up just skimming the book after page 20.
And as big a fan as I am of R. Kelly, I did NOT want to read about HIM in a book with Marvin Gaye on the cover. It's like the author forgot who he was writing about through half the book; he starts talking about the Supremes, Gordy, R. Kelly, James Brown; stick to the man on the cover!
The Man and His Music: A Critical Analysis.......2004-08-09
Michael Eric Dyson is known for his critical analysis of such public African American figures as Martin Luther King and Tupac Shakur. He has also delighted his fans with an ode to black women in Why I Love Black Women. In this body of work, Mercy Mercy Me, he explores the arts loves and demons of Marvin Gaye, one of the greatest singers of all time. This however, is not a biography in the traditional sense of how biographies are usually constructed. While accounts of Gaye's life from birth to death are chronicled, this writing is more of an analysis of the life of a man who essentially plotted his own death. When Gaye's father pulled the trigger in April 1984, twenty years ago, ironically the gun was the one he gave his father for protection.
Marvin Gaye was a genius, born to a fanatically religious father who ruled his home and family as a dictator. He was cruel, issuing beatings for the smallest infraction to both his wife and children. While the others buckled under the heat, Marvin, the most talented, rebelled and received the lion's share of punishment. He both loved and reviled his father, who was sexually deviated, yet proclaimed to be holier than thou. Marvin was a victim of his total upbringing, a loving, beaten down-trodden mother who coddled him and a sadistic father, who withheld his love. We learn of the psychological and emotional background of his Pentecostal father, Rev. Marvin P. Gaye and of what really went on behind the scenes.
Marvin loved women; he married Berry Gordy's sister, Anna, but it was a troubled marriage complicated by their age differences and her inability to have children. Yet, a son was produced--- that was Marvin's child-- sanctioned by the Gordys who had their own code of conduct for living that did not adhere to society's acceptable rules. In Gaye, we see a tortured soul as we learn how religion, sex and race intersected and became as one in his music and his life. There were women and more women. There was Tammy Terrell and depending on whom you talk to they were lovers or they were brother and sister. Also, there was a second wife, Janice.
The album that brought Marvin Gaye into mainstream American, What's Going On, was at first rejected by Berry Gordy as too radical but it was not to be denied. With the war in Viet Nam, the civil rights and free love movements, this album spoke volumes about the world in which we lived and that Marvin embraced. His music was his life and his life was music. Through careful text, Dyson takes us through a journey of how each album came to be. Here My Dear, Trouble Man, Let's Get it On were works of labor from a genius who was in a constant state of emotional turmoil
If you are looking for a straight biography of Gaye and his life from birth to death, this is not the text. There are several biographies on the market and Dyson highly recommends a few. At times the writing was dense with scholarly criticism and clinical terminology. However, it is offset by revealing commentaries such as an excellent chapter on the comparison and contrast of Marvin Gaye and R. Kelley which this reviewer found fascinating. The similarities are surprising and alarming and quite revealing when looking into the black family and community. Additionally, critical review of African Americans' attitudes on slavery and how black women are viewed in the black community is forthright, stunning and at times shameful. This manuscript will be long remembered and studied as a tool for looking into the life of a man who was an enigma even to himself. As always, Dyson delivers in his own style.
Dera Williams
APOOO BookClub
Marcus Book Club (Oakland)
Book Description
Bobby Womack is a legend—a phenomenally gifted singer, songwriter, and guitarist with 40 albums and 30 million record sales to his name. A protégé of Sam Cooke, Womack wrote classics that include "Lookin' for a Love" and "It's All Over Now" (a smash-hit for the Rolling Stones). Their success helped make him a star, but ongoing battles with drugs and the record industry nearly destroyed him. Behind his music lies a life scorched by tragedy, beginning with his impoverished childhood in Cleveland, to his years touring and recording with the greats—including James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Eric Clapton, and Elvis Presley—and through the years of drugs, partying, and riotous abuse, this is the authentic voice of a major soul artist.
Customer Reviews:
spotlighting the man.......2007-05-14
This is an autobiography, and seeing as Bobby Womack is a musician and not a writer, one has to cut him some slack when it comes to his writing skills. This being said, the story he weaves is interesting and at times very moving. There is no doubt Womack is a tremendously gifted musician-self taught, plays the guitar upside down without inverting the strings(like Hendrix did) and furthermore he is a dynamite vocalist. Before reading this book I was unaware of the extreme poverty of his upbringing, which makes his achievements all the more amazing. His life has had many up and downs, tragedies and hardships but he survived it all and created a solid musical legacy for himself. Bobby may not be as well known as James Brown or Otis Redding, but anyone who taps into the Womack vibe will surely discover an artist of true greatness.
Yep, World's Greatest Soul Singer!.......2006-12-29
You know... he ain't lyin'. This is an awesome, entertaining, insightful, fact-filled read. All you want to know (sometimes more than you want to know -hehehe!) about James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, Wilson Pickett, Sly Stone, and Elvis Presley, Solomon Burke, Ike Turner, The Rolling Stones & more. Hey, there's cocaine, murder and suicide too. My only gripe is he didn't really discuss his work on Ronnie Wood's "Now Look" album (Womack is credited as a co-producer on the album).
Great musician, interesting man, fascinating read. Worth the $. Buy this book!
uncut Book.......2006-08-07
Bobby Womack is a heck of a Cat. dude Musically is scary versatile&has always been straight to the point on a variety of subjects. in this Book He talks about his music career&the various Politics in&Around the Business. he doesn't hold back about Sam Cooke&His Marriage to His Widow 6 months after Cooke was Killed. Bobby Talks about working&playing with a whose who of the music business. He pulls no punches&puts it all out there. Bobby Womack is a very Underrated Artist. this Book sets the record straight on different topics.
Book Description
"Ms. Simone's vocal and piano style make her a culture unto herself." --New York Times
A gorgeous, inimitable singer and songwriter, Nina Simone (1933-2003) changed the face of both music and race relations in America. She struck a chord with bluesy jazz ballads like "Put a Little Sugar in My Bowl" and powerful protest songs such as "Mississippi Goddam" and "To Be Young, Gifted, and Black," the anthem of the American Civil Rights movement. Coinciding with the re-release of her famous Philips Recordings, here are the reflections of the "High Priestess of Soul" on her own life.
The mesmerizing autobiography of one of the most revered soul, jazz, and blues divas of our time-the late Nina Simone.
Customer Reviews:
A case study in mental illness/ stupidity/ pure insanity.......2007-07-06
This book was good in that it was concise and to the point (unlike the bloated, rambling autobiography of Miles Davis)-- and that's a good thing, because 176 pages is about all of Simone that I could handle.
The book was written for an American audience, but a lot of the usages/ spellings were British English, and that became annoying.
The quality of the photos was very poor-- One comes away from this book with the impression that it was done in a very seat-of-the-pants way.
1. She seems to think that every thing that went wrong in her life is the fault of America. So, she did not pay attention to where her money was going during the time that she was performing and duly got ripped off. But that has something to do with America and the establishment.
2. Ego! She's been known to call herself "Dr." Simone-- on the basis of having been granted an honorary degree. She also talks of being able to play "hundreds of songs" and reviews herself in glowing terms-- but her songs are distinctly not even as technical as, say, something done by Ray Charles.
3. Not the sharpest pencil in the box! Can you imagine someone that marries a man AFTER he beats her to a pulp and then has no memory of doing it? Can you imagine someone that talks about socialism as something that was a good idea-- in a book that was published AFTER the collapse of the Soviet Union?
4. Very needy/ emotionally unstable. Someone dancing naked at a club? Passing over many other men to find a married man that she thought was going to leave his wife for his piece on the side? Huh? Huh?
Not worth more than $5 (I bought it second hand) and one afternoon of reading time.
Nina Simone .......2005-07-28
I found this book to be a very insightful look in the personal life and perofessional life of Nina Simone. I particularly enjoyed learning about how her musical talents were shaped by her family and her upbringing in the South. This book provides a very facinating look into the life of a gifted artist.
I LOVE this book.......2004-01-04
This is a most fabulous book! I could not put it down! It's a fascinating account of Nina's life.....which is never a dull moment. Lots of incredible insight into what it's like to be a performer. Beautifully written, as though she's in the room with you, telling you her own story. Nina was such an amazing person, and there is so much depth in this book. I highly recommend this book....I can't say enough. If you love Nina, if you love autobiographies.....this is THE book!
Nina Simone writes about lovers, not music or her life.......2003-09-09
It's a sad commentary that Nina Simone wrote such a meaningless book in 1991. I couldn't wait to purchase it after it was released, yet I kept asking myself why she wrote it and who this woman really was. Besides being an interesting interpretor of jazz classics and folk songs, and well known for her ascerbic manner onstage and off, it would have been more thrilling to read about Simone as an artist, instead of finding out about her litany of lovers. I felt a bit short changed by her writing...although most of it was no doubt ghostwritten, Nina Simone seemed to show no real interest in music, instead considering jazz an afterthought in her career. She never goes into any details about her life except to blame her husband Andy Stroud for mismanaging her career, America for not giving her a chance, Curtis Institute of music for not accepting her application to study there, and the list goes on...if it were well-written, perhaps it would have been interesting reading, but most of this book is not well written at all...it is quite amateurish, and often boring...even the discography included at the back is lack luster..Nina Simone was so well associated with the Civil Rights Movement, yet you get no real feeling or emotion from her words, After reading the book, I continued to buy and listen to her music, but my respect for her is lacking. It's a shame that Nina Simone didn't realize her potential, but there were many artists worse off than Nina Simone, and I for one think she owes a great debt to the US for giving her success and the opportunity to succeed.
In Memoriam.......2003-04-25
In Memoriam of Nina Simone, the great singer, pianist, composer, arranger, songwriter, feminist, activist, mother and woman.
Nina was born in North Carolina, USA, February 21, 1933.
Although Nina was called the "High Priestess of Soul" by her fans and was regarded by them as an almost religious figure, she was often misunderstood as well. The High Priestess would walk different paths to find the adequate songs to spread her message.
A protest singer; a jazz singer; a pianist; an arranger and a composer, Nina Simone is a great artist who defies easy classification. She is all of these: a jazz-rock-pop-folk-black musician. In fact, we can find her biography in jazz, rock, pop, black and soul literature. Her style and her hits provided many singers and groups with material for hits of their own.
Nina Simone passed away on April 21, 2003 in Carry-le-Rouet, France. She was Aged 70.
She is survived by her daughter and will be forever missed - yet forever treasured.
May our high priestess find her path to peace.
Average customer rating:
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CCEL Classics CD: works by Saint Augustine, John Calvin, John Donne, Julian of Norwich, Brother Lawrence, Martin Luther, Saint Teresa of Avila, Thomas Aquinas, Thomas a Kempis, John Wesley, and more!
Dr. W. Harry Plantinga
Manufacturer: Christian Classics Ethereal Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: CD-ROM
Mariology | Catholicism | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Luther, Martin | ( L ) | People, A-Z | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Augustine, Saint | ( A ) | People, A-Z | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1931848076
Release Date: 2006-12-15 |
Product Description
The most important spiritual writings of Christian history are available on this Classics CD by the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) at Calvin College. It contains 118 Christian classics, including three versions of the Bible, several commentaries, Bible dictionaries, readings, spiritual guides, sermons, poems and journals -- all in a convenient, searchable form. Books are available in HTML and PDF formats. The easy-to-use CCEL Desktop software powering the CD enables users to browse and print books and install additional books from the Web. The top-of-class search engine can search for words or phrases in books, in authors works or in the whole library. In addition, it can search for dictionary definitions of words and commentary or references to scripture passages. The interface is a Web browser. The CD is compatible with Windows 2000+, Macintosh 10.3+, and most Linux versions.
Books:
- Heaven and Hell (North and South Trilogy Series Volume 3)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Books Index
Books Home
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Taylor Hicks
"Do I Make You Proud" / "Takin' It To The Streets"
Constantine
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Small Town Girl
