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Table of Contents
About The Book
THE “DEFINITIVE” (VANITY FAIR ) BIOGRAPHY OF LEGEND LENA HORNE—THE CELEBRATED STAR OF STAGE, MUSIC, AND FILM WHO BLAZED A TRAIL FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS IN HOLLYWOOD AND BEYOND
Drawing on a wealth of unmined material and hundreds of interviews— one of them with Lena Horne herself—critically acclaimed author James Gavin gives us a “deftly researched” (The Boston Globe) and authoritative portrait of the American icon. Horne broke down racial barriers in the entertainment industry in the 1940s and ’50s even as she was limited mostly to guest singing appearances in splashy Hollywood musicals. Incorporating insights from the likes of Ruby Dee, Tony Bennett, Diahann Carroll, and Bobby Short, Stormy Weather reveals the many faces of this luminous, complex, strong-willed, passionate, even tragic woman—a stunning talent who inspired such giants as Barbra Streisand, Eartha Kitt, and Aretha Franklin.
Drawing on a wealth of unmined material and hundreds of interviews— one of them with Lena Horne herself—critically acclaimed author James Gavin gives us a “deftly researched” (The Boston Globe) and authoritative portrait of the American icon. Horne broke down racial barriers in the entertainment industry in the 1940s and ’50s even as she was limited mostly to guest singing appearances in splashy Hollywood musicals. Incorporating insights from the likes of Ruby Dee, Tony Bennett, Diahann Carroll, and Bobby Short, Stormy Weather reveals the many faces of this luminous, complex, strong-willed, passionate, even tragic woman—a stunning talent who inspired such giants as Barbra Streisand, Eartha Kitt, and Aretha Franklin.
About The Author
Photograph by Michael Childers
James Gavin is the author of Deep in a Dream, Intimate Nights, and Stormy Weather. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, and Time Out New York, among other publications. He lives in New York City.
Product Details
- Publisher: Atria Books (July 20, 2010)
- Length: 608 pages
- ISBN13: 9780743271448
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Raves and Reviews
“EVENTFUL AND SUSPENSEFUL. . . . A THOROUGH AND FLUENT BIOGRAPHY.” —THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW
“MAGNIFICENT, GRIPPING, MARVELOUSLY WRITTEN . . . [IT] MAY JUST BE ONE OF THE BEST BIOGRAPHIES ABOUT SHOW BUSINESS, RACE, LOVE, SEX, AND MUSIC EVER WRITTEN.” —LIZ SMITH, VARIETY
“A FASCINATING STUDY OF A COMPLICATED WOMAN AND THE
COMPLICATED TIMES THAT SHAPED HER.” —USA TODAY
“IN GAVIN’S CAPABLE HANDS, LENA HORNE’S STORY IS BOTH UNIQUELY HER OWN AND AN INTEGRAL PART OF A LARGER CULTURAL JOURNEY.” —SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
“SYMPATHETIC AND TOUGH.” —THE NEW YORKER
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High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): Stormy Weather Trade Paperback 9780743271448
- Author Photo (jpg): James Gavin Photograph by Michael Childers(0.1 MB)
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