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Books > Biography > Film, television, music, theatre

We Did Ok, Kid - A Memoir (Hardcover): Anthony Hopkins We Did Ok, Kid - A Memoir (Hardcover)
Anthony Hopkins
R590 R429 Discovery Miles 4 290 Save R161 (27%) In Stock

Academy Award-winning actor Sir Anthony Hopkins delves into his illustrious film and theatre career, difficult childhood and path to sobriety in his honest, moving and long-awaited memoir.

Born and raised in Port Talbot – a small Welsh steelworks town – amid war and depression, Sir Anthony Hopkins grew up around men who were tough, to say the least, and eschewed all forms of emotional vulnerability in favor of alcoholism and brutality. A struggling student in school, he was deemed by his peers, his parents and other adults as a failure with no future ahead of him. But, on a fateful Saturday night, the disregarded Welsh boy watched the 1948 adaptation of Hamlet, sparking a passion for acting that would lead him on a path that no one could have predicted.

With candour and a voice that is both arresting and vulnerable, Sir Anthony recounts his various career milestones and provides a once-in-a-lifetime look into the brilliance behind some of his most iconic roles. His performance as Iago gets him admitted into the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and places him under the wing of Laurence Olivier. He meets Richard Burton by chance as a young boy in his art teacher’s apartment, and later, backstage before a performance of Equus as an established actor meeting his hero. His iconic portrayal of Hannibal Lecter was informed by the creepy performance of Bela Lugosi in Dracula and the razor-sharp precision of his acting teacher. He pulls raw emotion from the stoicism of his father and grandfather for an unforgettable performance in King Lear.

Sir Anthony also takes a deeply honest look at the low points in his personal life. His addiction cost him his first marriage, his relationship with his only child, and nearly his life – the latter ultimately propelling him toward sobriety, a commitment he has maintained for nearly half a century. He constantly battles against the desire to move through life alone and avoid connection for fear of getting hurt – much like the men in his family – and as the years go by, he deals with questions of mortality, getting ready to discover what his father called The Big Secret.

Featuring a special collection of personal photographs throughout, We Did OK, Kid is a raw and passionate memoir from a complex, iconic man who has inspired audiences with remarkable performances for over sixty years.

Future Boy - Back to the Future and My Journey through the Space-Time Continuum (Paperback): Michael J. Fox Future Boy - Back to the Future and My Journey through the Space-Time Continuum (Paperback)
Michael J. Fox
R470 R339 Discovery Miles 3 390 Save R131 (28%) In Stock

In early 1985, Michael J. Fox was one of the biggest stars on television. His world was about to get even bigger, but only if he could survive the kind of double duty unheard of in Hollywood. Fox's days were already dedicated to rehearsing and taping the hit sitcom Family Ties, but then the chance of a lifetime came his way. Soon, he committed his nights to a new time-travel adventure film being directed by Robert Zemeckis and produced by Steven Spielberg, Back to the Future. Sitcom during the day, movie at night - day after day, for months.

Fox's nightly commute from a soundstage at Paramount to the back lot at Universal Studios, from one dream job to another, would become his own space-time continuum. It was in this time portal that Alex P. Keaton handed the baton to Marty McFly while Michael J. Fox tried to catch a few minutes of sleep. Alex's bravado, Marty's flair, and Fox's comedic virtuosity all swirled together to create something truly special.

In Future Boy, Fox tells the remarkable story of playing two landmark roles at the same time - a slice of entertainment history that's never been told. Using new interviews with the cast and crew of both projects, the result is a vividly drawn and eye-opening story of creative achievement by a beloved icon.

The Woman In Me (Hardcover): Britney Spears The Woman In Me (Hardcover)
Britney Spears
R524 Discovery Miles 5 240 Ships in 5 - 7 working days

The Woman in Me is a brave and astonishingly moving story about freedom, fame, motherhood, survival, faith, and hope.

In June 2021, the whole world was listening as Britney Spears spoke in open court. The impact of sharing her voice—her truth—was undeniable, and it changed the course of her life and the lives of countless others. The Woman in Me reveals for the first time her incredible journey—and the strength at the core of one of the greatest performers in pop music history.

Written with remarkable candor and humor, Spears’s groundbreaking book illuminates the enduring power of music and love—and the importance of a woman telling her own story, on her own terms, at last.

Simply More - A book for anyone who has been told they're too much (Paperback): Cynthia Erivo Simply More - A book for anyone who has been told they're too much (Paperback)
Cynthia Erivo
R385 R299 Discovery Miles 2 990 Save R86 (22%) Ships in 5 - 10 working days

It is never too late to build the life you’re seeking.

Cynthia Erivo learned the music to Wicked a decade before she needed it, not knowing that those same lyrics would change her life. Ten years later, she performed those songs on a world stage, showing us that there is always time to keep discovering ourselves, and that the journey of becoming is not a finite one.

In Simply More, through a series of powerful, personal vignettes, Cynthia reflects on the ways that she has grown as an actor and a person, shares the lessons she’s learned over years of performing, and reminds us how we are capable of so much more than we think.

In this profoundly honest and moving memoir, Cynthia draws from her experiences running marathons, both real and metaphorical, on stage and on screen, to show how each challenge can help us. Through personal anecdotes, lessons and advice, she urges readers to lean into the wisdom of their bodies and to understand and strive for a physical and mental balance. Because when we chase our deepest desires, each small step leads us closer to where we want to go.

Part-memoir, part-inspirational manual for better living, Simply More is for anyone seeking greater harmony and fulfilment in their lives.

A Modern Man - The Best Of George Carlin (Paperback): George Carlin A Modern Man - The Best Of George Carlin (Paperback)
George Carlin; Foreword by Lewis Black
R456 Discovery Miles 4 560 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

It is impossible to talk about 20th century comedy without discussing George Carlin.

Named the 2nd greatest standup of the 20th century by both Comedy Central and Rolling Stone, Carlin garnered multiple gold records, 4 Grammys, 6 Emmy nominations, and the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. He was the first host of SNL, appeared on the Tonight Show some 130 times, and acted in beloved films like Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure and Dogma. Dubbed "the dean of counterculture comedians," George Carlin was an American icon.

A perfect introduction for new fans and a worthy addition to the collections of old fans, The Best of Carlin showcases the longevity, range, and - above all - hilarity of the master. Filled with thoughts, musings, questions, lists, beliefs, curiosities, monologues, assertions, assumptions, and other delicious verbal ordeals, it is drop-dead funny tour through Carlin's mind.

More than ten years after his death, Carlin's characteristically ironic takes on life's annoying universal truths remain thoughtful, fearless, and somehow more relevant than ever.

Marius Weyers (Afrikaans, Paperback): Chris Vorster Marius Weyers (Afrikaans, Paperback)
Chris Vorster
R507 Discovery Miles 5 070 Ships in 5 - 7 working days

Hierdie biografie van Marius Weyers deur sy vriend en mede-akteur Chris Vorster is ‘n nodige blik op die omvangryke loopbaan van ‘n Afrikaanse teaterlegende en ikoon.

Hy is in 2021 vereer deur die SA Akademie vir sy uitsonderlike bydrae tot rolprent en TV-kuns.

Daarna het hy aangekondig dat hy aftree ná 55 jaar in die bedryf en klaar is met toneelspel.

The Vagabond - Is Your Life Worth Living? (Paperback): Frank Rautenbach The Vagabond - Is Your Life Worth Living? (Paperback)
Frank Rautenbach 1
R285 R255 Discovery Miles 2 550 Save R30 (11%) Ships in 5 - 22 working days

Frank Rautenbach left South Africa for Los Angeles with stars in his eyes. After having great success with Egoli, 7de laan and movies like Faith like Potatoes and The Bang-Bang Club he thought the world was his oyster.

After years of trying and driving more than 10 000 kilometres to one failed audition after the other Frank had to find a job - a proper job that could put food on his table. He ended up driving a taxi in Los Angeles, just to lose that job too.

Eventually became the church's janitor.

But Frank felt betrayed - God promised him a life of abundance - why hasn't he received it yet? Frank felt like all God’s promises had come to nothing; he felt angry and embarrassed.

Frank had to learn that he couldn't ask God to make all this dreams come true, he is in God's service, not the other way around. Life is not about him, it is about God.

Last Rites (Paperback): Ozzy Osbourne Last Rites (Paperback)
Ozzy Osbourne
R470 R339 Discovery Miles 3 390 Save R131 (28%) Ships in 5 - 22 working days

'People say to me, if you could do it all again, knowing what you know now, would you change anything? I'm like, f*** no. If I'd been clean and sober, I wouldn't be Ozzy. If I'd done normal, sensible things, I wouldn't be Ozzy.'

Husband. Father. Grandfather. Icon.
1948 - 2025

At the age of sixty-nine, Ozzy Osbourne was on a triumphant farewell tour, playing to sold-out arenas and rave reviews all around the world.

Then: disaster.

In a matter of just a few weeks, he went from being hospitalised with a finger infection to having to abandon his tour - and all public life - as he faced near-total paralysis from the neck down.

Last Rites is the shocking, bitterly hilarious, never-before-told story of Ozzy's descent into hell. Along the way are reflections on an extraordinary life and career, including his marriage to wife Sharon, and what it took for him to return to the stage for the triumphant Back to the Beginning concert, streamed around the world, where Ozzy reunited with his Black Sabbath bandmates for the final time.

Unflinching, brutally honest, but surprisingly life-affirming, Last Rites demonstrates once again why Ozzy transcended his status as 'The Godfather of Metal' and 'The Prince of Darkness' to become a modern-day folk hero and national treasure.

Fry's Ties (Hardcover): Stephen Fry Fry's Ties (Hardcover)
Stephen Fry
R431 R392 Discovery Miles 3 920 Save R39 (9%) Ships in 9 - 17 working days

Discover the tales behind the ties in Stephen Fry's witty companion to our most distinguished accessory, the perfect gift for the tie-wearer in your life.

'A well-tied tie is the first serious step in life' Oscar Wilde

'What do ties matter, Jeeves, at a time like this?' 'There is no time, sir, at which ties do not matter' P.G. Wodehouse

Every single one of Stephen Fry's ties - whether floral, fluorescent, football themed; striped or spotty, outrageous or simply debonair - tells an intimate tale about a moment in Stephen's life. Inspired by Stephen's hugely popular Instagram posts, this book will feature beautiful, hand-drawn illustrations and photographs to celebrate his expansive collection of man's greatest clothing companion: The Tie, in all its sophisticated glory.

Distinctively funny and offering witty asides, facts and personal stories, this book will make the perfect gift for anyone who has ever worn a tie.

I'm Your Huckleberry (Paperback): Val Kilmer I'm Your Huckleberry (Paperback)
Val Kilmer
R473 R447 Discovery Miles 4 470 Save R26 (5%) Ships in 18 - 22 working days
Diddly Squat (Paperback): Jeremy Clarkson Diddly Squat (Paperback)
Jeremy Clarkson
R295 R255 Discovery Miles 2 550 Save R40 (14%) Ships in 5 - 10 working days

Welcome back to Clarkson’s Farm.

So, that went well . . .

The spring barley crop failed.
Just like the oil seed rape.
And the durum wheat.
Then the oats turned the colour of a hearing aid and the mushrooms went mouldy.
Farming sheep, pigs and cows was hardly more lucrative. Jeremy would be better off trying to breed ostriches.

But in the face of uncooperative weather, the relentless realities of the agricultural economy, bureaucracy, a truculent local planning department and the world’s persistent refusal to recognise his ingenuity and genius, our hero’s not beaten yet. Not while the farm shop’s still doing a roaring trade in candles that smell like his knacker hammock, he isn’t.

On the face of it, the challenges of making a success of Diddly Squat are enough to have you weeping into your (Hawkstone) beer, but misery loves company and in girlfriend Lisa, Farm Manager Kaleb, Cheerful Charlie and Gerald his Head of Security Jeremy knows he’s got the best. And it’s hard for a chap to feel too gloomy about things when there’s a JCB telehandler, a crop-spraying hovercraft and a digger in the barn.

Because as a wise man* once said, ‘there’s no man alive who wouldn’t have fun with a digger . . .’

Rihanna (Hardcover): Rihanna Rihanna (Hardcover)
Rihanna 1
R3,875 R3,132 Discovery Miles 31 320 Save R743 (19%) Ships in 10 - 15 working days

Rihanna invites you into her world with this stunning visual autobiography.

From her Barbados childhood to her worldwide tours, from iconic fashion moments to private time with friends and family, the book showcases intimate photographs of her life as an artist, performer, designer, and entrepreneur. Many of these images have never before been published.

This large-format book is 504 pages with 1,050 color images on 3 paper stocks and 7 single- and double-page gatefolds, 9 bound-in booklets, 1 tip-in sheet, and a double-sided, removable poster.

What I Ate in One Year (and related thoughts) (Paperback): Stanley Tucci What I Ate in One Year (and related thoughts) (Paperback)
Stanley Tucci
R295 R263 Discovery Miles 2 630 Save R32 (11%) Ships in 5 - 10 working days

‘Sharing food is one of the purest human acts'

Food has always been an integral part of Stanley Tucci’s life: from stracciatella soup served in the shadow of the Pantheon, to marinara sauce cooked between rehearsals and costume fittings, to home-made pizza eaten with his children before bedtime.

In What I Ate in One Year, Tucci records twelve months of eating, in restaurants, kitchens, film sets, press junkets, at home and abroad, with friends, with family, with strangers, and occasionally just by himself.

Wat's Nuus? (Afrikaans, Paperback): Riaan Cruywagen Wat's Nuus? (Afrikaans, Paperback)
Riaan Cruywagen
R10 Discovery Miles 100 Ships in 5 - 10 working days

Hier is dit nou! Riaan klim uit die TV-kas! Sy langverwagte outobiografie met die ware Riaan gaan elke mens laat regop sit.

Gou word die leser in hierdie kostelike, gemaklike en informatiewe biografie ingetrek, sodat jy later absoluut meegevoer word deur die welkome inligting. Dit voel eintlik asof jy vir ete by die Cruywagens genooi is en jy in 'n diep gemakstoel na daardie welluidende mooi stem sit en luister wat op 'n boertige en gesellige manier onthou. Hy bring al vir die afgelope 47 jaar vir ons die nuus in ons huis en lyk sowaar nog presies dieselfde. Vind uit hoekom hy die geloofwaardigste Suid-Afrikaner naas Nelson Mandela is. In hierdie boek wys ons jou wie Riaan werklik is. 'n Familieman wat ‘n passie het vir Afrikaans en wat mal is oor 'n goeie grap.

Hierdie boek gaan jou laat skater van die lag en jou hart laat warm klop na jy dit gelees het.

Liyoze Line Nangakithi (Paperback): William Zulu Liyoze Line Nangakithi (Paperback)
William Zulu
R75 R70 Discovery Miles 700 Save R5 (7%) In Stock
Bob Dylan - Jewish Roots, American Soil (Paperback): Harry Freedman Bob Dylan - Jewish Roots, American Soil (Paperback)
Harry Freedman
R364 Discovery Miles 3 640 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

From the day that Bobby Zimmerman first turned on the radio in his parents' home in Hibbing, he'd had a pretty good idea that big things were happening, that old values were changing, that something new was on the way.

Bob Dylan arrived in New York one winter morning in 1961. His music and spirit would go on to capture the hearts and minds of a generation, but what no one knew then was that, like so many before him, Dylan was concealing his Jewish origins.

For Harry Freedman, Dylan's roots are the key to grasping how this complete unknown burst onto the scene and reinvented not only himself, but popular music. The instinct for escape and reinvention has defined Dylan's long career.

In this insightful biography Freedman traces the heady atmosphere of the 1960s and the folk-rock revolution spearheaded by Dylan. Right up until the moment in 1966 when Dylan stepped out onto the stage and went electric – exploring how his musical decisions, genius for reinvention and his Jewishness go inescapably hand in hand.

Matriarch - A Memoir (Paperback): Tina Knowles Matriarch - A Memoir (Paperback)
Tina Knowles
R470 R419 Discovery Miles 4 190 Save R51 (11%) Ships in 5 - 22 working days

In her first-ever memoir, Knowles presents a celebration of feminism, identity and pursuing your dreams.

To understand the icons Beyonce, Solange and Kelly, you have to understand where they came from... A deeply personal and revelatory memoir by Ms Tina Knowles - as you've never seen her before.

Tina Knowles, the mother of icons Beyonce Knowles-Carter, Solange Knowles and bonus daughter Kelly Rowland, is known the world over as a Matriarch with a capital M: the woman who raised and inspired some of the great artists of our time. But this story is about so much more than that.

For the first time ever, Tina Knowles shares her remarkable story in Matriarch. A life of grief and tragedy, love and heartbreak, the nurturing of her superstar daughters - and the perseverance and audacity it takes for a girl from Galveston, Texas to change the world.

This intimate and revealing memoir is a multigenerational family saga and a celebration of the wisdom that women, mothers and daughters pass on to each other across generations.

A glorious chronicle of a life like none other and a testament to the world-changing power of Black motherhood.

Simply More - A book for anyone who has been told they're too much (Hardcover): Cynthia Erivo Simply More - A book for anyone who has been told they're too much (Hardcover)
Cynthia Erivo
R566 R486 Discovery Miles 4 860 Save R80 (14%) Ships in 9 - 17 working days

It is never too late to build the life you’re seeking.

Cynthia Erivo learned the music to Wicked a decade before she needed it, not knowing that those same lyrics would change her life. Ten years later, she performed those songs on a world stage, showing us that there is always time to keep discovering ourselves, and that the journey of becoming is not a finite one.

In Simply More, through a series of powerful, personal vignettes, Cynthia reflects on the ways that she has grown as an actor and a person, shares the lessons she’s learned over years of performing, and reminds us how we are capable of so much more than we think.

In this profoundly honest and moving memoir, Cynthia draws from her experiences running marathons, both real and metaphorical, on stage and on screen, to show how each challenge can help us. Through personal anecdotes, lessons and advice, she urges readers to lean into the wisdom of their bodies and to understand and strive for a physical and mental balance. Because when we chase our deepest desires, each small step leads us closer to where we want to go.

Part-memoir, part-inspirational manual for better living, Simply More is for anyone seeking greater harmony and fulfilment in their lives.

Bono - Stories of Surrender (Paperback, Updated & Abridged Edition): Bono Bono - Stories of Surrender (Paperback, Updated & Abridged Edition)
Bono
R345 R299 Discovery Miles 2 990 Save R46 (13%) Ships in 5 - 10 working days

An updated and abridged edition of Bono’s bestselling memoir, including a new introduction by the author, Stories of Surrender is an unforgettable love story, a tribute to fatherhood, friendship, faith and music. Honest, irreverent, and intimate, it’s a backstage pass to a frontman's remarkable life, from Bono’s childhood in Dublin to the rise of U2. A companion to the Apple Original Film of his critically acclaimed solo theatre show, Stories of Surrender is a luminous autobiography of one of the great voices of our time.

Bono: Stories of Surrender, An Apple Original Film is streaming on Apple TV+ this May.

Addict - A Tale of Drugs and Recovery (Paperback): Milton Schorr Addict - A Tale of Drugs and Recovery (Paperback)
Milton Schorr
R320 R286 Discovery Miles 2 860 Save R34 (11%) Ships in 5 - 10 working days

‘I wanted to be who I felt I was. Broken. A wreck. A nobody.’

There’s a moment where life happens. It’s the moment just before making a good decision, or a bad one. For Milton Schorr, just such a moment took place at the age of seventeen, when he found himself squatting on his haunches in a Cape Town flat with a heroin needle in his arm.

A friend sat with him, his thumb on the plunger, and a decision was to be made. Let the heroin slip inside, and take the road the drug offered, or turn away, and find a new life not defined by the endless quest for oblivion.

For Schorr, the path was already set, as it had been at his first taste of shoplifting, porn, cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, Mandrax, LSD, Ecstasy and sex. No decision is separate from any other, each one is a continuation of all that have gone before, and it is only by a monumental reckoning with the self that the course can be altered.

This book is the story of Milton Schorr’s life as a drug addict, both in active addiction and recovery. Today, two decades sober, he relates the pivotal points in his own journey toward death, and back to life.

The Book of Small (Hardcover): Emily Carr The Book of Small (Hardcover)
Emily Carr
R625 Discovery Miles 6 250 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

The Book of Small is a collection of thirty-six short stories about a childhood in a town that still had vestiges of its pioneer past. Emily Carr tells stories about her family, neighbours, friends and strangers-who run the gamut from genteel people in high society to disreputable frequenters of saloons-as well as an array of beloved pets. All are observed through the sharp eyes and ears of a young and ever-curious girl. Carr's writing is a disarming combination of charm and devastating frankness.

Rememberings (Paperback): Sinead O' Connor Rememberings (Paperback)
Sinead O' Connor
R424 R367 Discovery Miles 3 670 Save R57 (13%) In Stock

From the acclaimed, controversial singer-songwriter Sinéad O’Connor comes a revelatory memoir of her fraught childhood, musical triumphs, struggles with illness, and of the enduring power of song.

Blessed with a singular voice and a fiery temperament, Sinéad O’Connor rose to massive fame in the late 1980s and 1990s with a string of gold records. By the time she was twenty, she was world-famous—living a rock-star life out loud. From her trademark shaved head to her 1992 appearance on Saturday Night Live when she tore up Pope John Paul II’s photograph, Sinéad has fascinated and outraged millions.

In Rememberings, O’Connor recounts her painful tale of growing up in Dublin in a dysfunctional, abusive household. Inspired by a brother’s Bob Dylan records, she escaped into music. She relates her early forays with local Irish bands; we see Sinéad completing her first album while eight months pregnant, hanging with Rastas in the East Village, and soaring to unimaginable popularity with her cover of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U.”

Intimate, replete with candid anecdotes and told in a singular form true to her unconventional career, Sinéad’s memoir is a remarkable chronicle of an enduring and influential artist.

The Last Days of Marilyn Monroe (Paperback): James Patterson, Imogen Edward Jones The Last Days of Marilyn Monroe (Paperback)
James Patterson, Imogen Edward Jones
R440 R369 Discovery Miles 3 690 Save R71 (16%) Ships in 5 - 10 working days

BORN IN THE SHADOWS. LIVED FOR THE SPOTLIGHT. WAS SHE MURDERED?

Before Marilyn Monroe, there was Norma Jeane. No one would have thought that the girl who spent her childhood between foster homes and orphanages would one day become a global star.

The Last Days of Marilyn Monroe tells the extraordinary story of Marilyn Monroe’s life – and the shocking circumstances of her death.

For decades, fans have speculated about the truth of her final days. Was it suicide? A tragic accident? Murder? Drawn from rigorous research, this book seeks answers.

Told in vivid, dramatic scenes, James Patterson and Imogen Edwards-Jones uncover the life and death of the remarkable woman who was Marilyn Monroe.

Restless Ambition - Grace Hartigan, Painter (Hardcover): Cathy Curtis Restless Ambition - Grace Hartigan, Painter (Hardcover)
Cathy Curtis
R1,037 Discovery Miles 10 370 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

This first-ever biography of American painter Grace Hartigan traces her rise from virtually self-taught painter to art-world fame, her plunge into obscurity after leaving New York to marry a scientist in Baltimore, and her constant efforts to reinvent her style and subject matter. Along the way, there were multiple affairs, four troubled marriages, a long battle with alcoholism, and a chilly relationship with her only child. Attempting to channel her vague ambitions after an early marriage, Grace struggled to master the basics of drawing in night-school classes. She moved to New York in her early twenties and befriended Willem de Kooning, Jackson Pollock, and other artists who were pioneering Abstract Expressionism. Although praised for the coloristic brio of her abstract paintings, she began working figuratively, a move that was much criticized but ultimately vindicated when the Museum of Modern Art purchased her painting The Persian Jacket in 1953. By the mid-fifties, she freely combined abstract and representational elements. Grace-who signed her paintings "Hartigan"- was a full-fledged member of the "men's club" that was the 1950s art scene. Featured in Time, Newsweek, Life, and Look, she was the only woman in MoMA's groundbreaking 12 Americans exhibition in 1956, and the youngest artist-and again, only woman-in The New American Painting, which toured Europe in 1958-1959. Two years later she moved to Baltimore, where she became legendary for her signature tough-love counsel to her art school students. Grace continued to paint throughout her life, seeking-for better or worse-something truer and fiercer than beauty.

Preachin' the Blues - The Life and Times of Son House (Hardcover): Daniel Beaumont Preachin' the Blues - The Life and Times of Son House (Hardcover)
Daniel Beaumont
R725 Discovery Miles 7 250 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

In June of 1964, three young, white blues fans set out from New York City in a Volkswagen, heading for the Mississippi Delta in search of a musical legend. So begins Preachin' the Blues, the biography of American blues signer and guitarist Eddie James "Son" House, Jr. (1902 - 1988). House pioneered an innovative style, incorporating strong repetitive rhythms with elements of southern gospel and spiritual vocals. A seminal figure in the history of the Delta blues, he was an important, direct influence on such figures as Muddy Waters and Robert Johnson.
The landscape of Son House's life and the vicissitudes he endured make for an absorbing narrative, threaded through with a tension between House's religious beliefs and his spells of commitment to a lifestyle that implicitly rejected it. Drinking, womanizing, and singing the blues caused this tension that is palpable in his music, and becomes explicit in one of his finest performances, "Preachin' the Blues." Large parts of House's life are obscure, not least because his own accounts of them were inconsistent. Author Daniel Beaumont offers a chronology/topography of House's youth, taking into account evidence that conflicts sharply with the well-worn fable, and he illuminates the obscurity of House's two decades in Rochester, NY between his departure from Mississippi in the 1940s and his "rediscovery" by members of the Folk Revival Movement in 1964. Beaumont gives a detailed and perceptive account of House's primary musical legacy: his recordings for Paramount in 1930 and for the Library of Congress in 1941-42. In the course of his research Beaumont has unearthed not only connections among the many scattered facts and fictions but new information about a rumoured murder in Mississippi, and a charge of manslaughter on Long Island - incidents which bring tragic light upon House's lifelong struggles and self-imposed disappearance, and give trenchant meaning to the moving music of this early blues legend.

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