In this, the year of The Sinatra Centennial, the reason why I re-read this book at this particular time is because it comes on the heels of my recently having read an early history of Sinatra reviewed here in which it was frequently cited and because it is such a short book, making it a quick read; I literally re-read it in a day. Since summer is rapidly drawing to a close, I wanted to finish with something I knew could be completed relatively quickly.
After reading many biographies about Sinatra over the years, it is my personal opinion that in order to understand Sinatra, you must first understand the history of America in the 20th century; likewise, to understand the United States of the 20th century is to also understand Sinatra — and not just to understand who Sinatra was, but also to understand why he was relevant and to appreciate his impact on modern society at that time.
Sinatra was a fighter because he had to be; he was brought up during a time when bigotry was less subtle than it is now — to put it simply, intolerance was tolerated if not expected. To ask why this is so would be a far more useful project. Doyle offers another lucid, inspiring chronicle of female empowerment and the rewards of self-awareness and renewal. More life reflections from the bestselling author on themes of societal captivity and the catharsis of personal freedom.
In her third book, Doyle Love Warrior , , etc. Some stories merely skim the surface of larger issues, but Doyle revisits them in later sections and digs deeper, using friends and familial references to personify their impact on her life, both past and present.
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Name required. About Contact Resume. Follow Following. Megan Mirabito. Sign me up. I've come away from this book more convinced of ol' blue eyes' involvement with the mob than I ever was before. I'd always more or less dismissed it as tabloid tattle before now; after reading this book, I'm not so sure.
Fortunately for Frank's defenders, I don't really care one way or the other. To sum up, this is an interesting and entertaining read.
I've given it three stars but, for a Sinatra fan, it would probably be a five star read. Oct 04, GoldGato rated it really liked it Shelves: biography , celebrity , music , essays , year-round. After Frank Sinatra died in , there were many tributes written about his music and his life. Special edition magazines and general biographies abounded, but the one I like the most has been this slim volume by the late Pete Hamill R. I'm not a New Yorker so Hamill's journalism never affected me on a daily basis, but his farewell ode to Sinatra is quite enjoyable.
At nine, I was too young to understand what Sinatra was doing with his music. I did know it was different. Cro After Frank Sinatra died in , there were many tributes written about his music and his life. Crosby made us feel comfortable and, in some larger way, American. But there was a tension in Sinatra, an anxiety that we were too young to name but old enough to feel. When Hamill writes about the grit and grime of the Depression on the East Coast, he is also explaining why Sinatra became one of the biggest stars of the twentieth century.
The hunger and the passion from Sinatra's youth was still there when he was in his fifties, competing vigorously to stay on the music charts with rock and pop idols of the s. More importantly, Frank Sinatra symbolized the triumph of Italian immigrants and their integration into the American way of life, adding yet another layer to the national cultural cake.
For Hamill, this was an essential core of Sinatra's personality, that pugilistic don't-mess-with-me attitude that made anything he did a noteworthy media item. And the music, always the music. His finest accomplishment, of course, was the sound. The voice itself would evolve over the years from a violin to a viola to a cello, with a rich middle register and dark bottom tones.
But it was a combination of voice, diction, attitude, and taste in music that produced the Sinatra sound. It remains unique. Although this book is an easy read, I took my time, savoring the writing style of Hamill. Blunt and working class, the words will suddenly pop like a newly painted red door on a renovated home. Sinatra was the American-born son of immigrants from Italy. Hamill was the American-born son of immigrants from Northern Ireland. The perfect eulogist for the always flawed icon.
Nov 29, Louise rated it liked it Shelves: biography , entertainers. This works as a eulogy or paean, but you get very little of the title's promise. It has a strong beginning. You see how the immigrant experience, being an only child with two busy parents in a neighborhood of big families and the influence of the World War II shaped him, but none of this shows why he matters. There is one paragraph on how his songs of "tender and tough" defined a "new model for American masculinity p.
There is some biographical info here, the only n This works as a eulogy or paean, but you get very little of the title's promise. There is some biographical info here, the only new items being some quotes from conversations with the author. The Dorsey contract and the dubious "mob connections" are neatly outlined.
I got this at the public library. View 2 comments. This was a wonderful book, for a die-hard Sinatra fan like me. It's not a "biography" in the classic sense, but rather the personal recollections of someone who knew and liked him. I especially enjoyed the section toward the end of the book where the author analyzes Sinatra's music; as a sing This was a wonderful book, for a die-hard Sinatra fan like me.
I especially enjoyed the section toward the end of the book where the author analyzes Sinatra's music; as a singer myself I found that fascinating I didn't want this book to end and, in fact, the only negative thing I have to say about it is that it's too short. Mar 22, Christopher Rodriguez rated it liked it. Let me first say that I love Sinatra and I don't know much about history.
With that said, I loved reading about his life through the perspective of Pete Hamill. He writes in a way that focuses on the romance of FS's life. The challenge of an Italian singer coming out of the depression and as an American that was not able to serve but wished he could, even if only to prove to the other men in his generation that he was one of them.
Or as FS might say, dem. The struggle of a man in love with the n Let me first say that I love Sinatra and I don't know much about history. The struggle of a man in love with the night life but seeing the drink and women making a muck of everything. I learned about his use of proper English and his New York flare. About the way he lived with stride and acknowledged his stupidity yet would not be called a hypocrite.
About his vulgarity, and yet his deep love of music and the dedication he had to make it. FS grew. From a boy who could sing to a washout that played and danced for his dinner to finally the risen star that developed a history that was dark enough for intrigue but not dark enough to dull out the romance of the midnight hour.
I love FS. His swagger. He brash boldness to be him. To be a loser. To be a winner. To hope and continue to hope even as he walked in the rain. His is a life I don't want, its too sad. To full of a regret and hurt I couldn't bear. But whenever his music is playing I can't help to wish I was there with him and the ratpack smoking at one in the morning. Walking out into the rain and heading over to start the show. How could you not? The music followed him. If you like Sinatra, do your self a favor and read this.
You'll like him even more. You'll be able to read something you've always felt while listening to him. Pete Hamill will give you words to better listen to and for the basic principle in all of Sinatra's music, loneliness. You'll read about how this one theme is everything and that Sinatra was always the man either coming out of love or falling into it. Additionally, and I must admit that though it is a plus for the book I do not feel much about it, you'll learn a good deal about the impact FS had on his culture and the way his story and the stories of other Italians like DiMaggio worked together to create a hopeful story for immigrants.
With that said, I hope you read and enjoy. Nov 19, LeAnn Swieczkowski rated it really liked it Recommends it for: Sinatra fans and history buffs. Shelves: entertainers , biographical , great-american-songbook. I don't recall anything I read about this book the first time so I had to reread it.
So I took the book off the shelf and read it again. I'm so glad I did. Especially during the th anniversary of his birth.
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