Oddly imperial prose limns the music of the Fab Four, concentrating on the band rather than individual personalities. Journalist and author Hertsgaard (On Bended Knee: The Press and the Reagan Presidency, 1988, etc.) delivers a narrative focused mostly on the Beatles' music rather than their often outrageous personal lives. He chronicles with vivid color and exacting detail the recording sessions that produced the group's albums, providing considerable insight into the thought processes of John, Paul, George, and Ringo as they created. He lets readers in on the arguments, the thrilling moments when they found just the right touch to make a good song great, and the collaboration between Paul McCartney and John Lennon, which generally involved one of them coming up with some words and some music and the other taking it to new heights. Though Hertsgaard draws on his familiarity with the 400 hours of tapes made during the recording sessions at the Abbey Road studios (which ordinary Beatles fans would give anything to hear), footnotes reveal that he also relies heavily on the works of others. His early promise that facts will predominate in his account is repeatedly violated; he almost always tells readers particular songs are masterpieces, rather than simply showing how the process of writing and recording made them great. Most people who would be interested in this book don't need to be convinced that ``Hey Jude'' is a wonderful piece of work. Lots of interesting facts, figures, and anecdotes, though Hertsgaard's insistence on making the Beatles' the musical equivalent of Picasso or Faulkner wears pretty thin. (b&w photos, not seen)
Pub Date: March 21, 1995
ISBN: 0-385-31377-2
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1995
An enjoyable slice of 20th-century music journalism almost certain to provide something for most readers, no matter one’s...
Music journalist and musician Wald (Talking 'Bout Your Mama: The Dozens, Snaps, and the Deep Roots of Rap, 2014, etc.) focuses on one evening in music history to explain the evolution of contemporary music, especially folk, blues, and rock.
The date of that evening is July 25, 1965, at the Newport Folk Festival, where there was an unbelievably unexpected occurrence: singer/songwriter Bob Dylan, already a living legend in his early 20s, overriding the acoustic music that made him famous in favor of electronically based music, causing reactions ranging from adoration to intense resentment among other musicians, DJs, and record buyers. Dylan has told his own stories (those stories vary because that’s Dylan’s character), and plenty of other music journalists have explored the Dylan phenomenon. What sets Wald's book apart is his laser focus on that one date. The detailed recounting of what did and did not occur on stage and in the audience that night contains contradictory evidence sorted skillfully by the author. He offers a wealth of context; in fact, his account of Dylan's stage appearance does not arrive until 250 pages in. The author cites dozens of sources, well-known and otherwise, but the key storylines, other than Dylan, involve acoustic folk music guru Pete Seeger and the rich history of the Newport festival, a history that had created expectations smashed by Dylan. Furthermore, the appearances on the pages by other musicians—e.g., Joan Baez, the Weaver, Peter, Paul, and Mary, Dave Van Ronk, and Gordon Lightfoot—give the book enough of an expansive feel. Wald's personal knowledge seems encyclopedic, and his endnotes show how he ranged far beyond personal knowledge to produce the book.
An enjoyable slice of 20th-century music journalism almost certain to provide something for most readers, no matter one’s personal feelings about Dylan's music or persona.Pub Date: July 25, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-06-236668-9
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Dey Street/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)
Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996
ISBN: 0-15-100227-4
Page Count: 136
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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