National Book Award winner James McBride goes in search of the ldquo;realrdquo; James Brown after receiving a tip that promises to uncover the man behind the myth. His surprising journey illuminates not only our understanding of this immensely troubled; misunderstood; and complicated soul genius but the ways in which our cultural heritage has been shaped by Brownrsquo;s legacy.NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR bull; LOS ANGELES TIMES BOOK PRIZE FINALIST Kill rsquo;Em and Leave is more than a book about James Brown. Brownrsquo;s rough-and-tumble life; through McBridersquo;s lens; is an unsettling metaphor for American life: the tension between North and South; black and white; rich and poor. McBridersquo;s travels take him to forgotten corners of Brownrsquo;s never-before-revealed history: the country town where Brownrsquo;s family and thousands of others were displaced by Americarsquo;s largest nuclear power bomb-making facility; a South Carolina field where a long-forgotten cousin recounts; in the dead of night; a fuller history of Brownrsquo;s sharecropping childhood; which until now has been a mystery. McBride seeks out the American expatriate in England who co-created the James Brown sound; visits the trusted right-hand manager who worked with Brown for forty-one years; and interviews Brownrsquo;s most influential nonmusical creation; his ldquo;adopted son;rdquo; the Reverend Al Sharpton. He describes the stirring visit of Michael Jackson to the Augusta; Georgia; funeral home where the King of Pop sat up all night with the body of his musical godfather; spends hours talking with Brownrsquo;s first wife; and lays bare the Dickensian legal contest over James Brownrsquo;s estate; a fight that has consumed careers; prevented any money from reaching the poor schoolchildren in Georgia and South Carolina; as instructed in his will; cost Brownrsquo;s estate millions in legal fees; and left James Brownrsquo;s body to lie for more than eight years in a gilded coffin in his daughterrsquo;s yard in South Carolina. James McBride is one of the most distinctive and electric literary voices in America today; and part of the pleasure of his narrative is being in his presence; coming to understand Brown through McBridersquo;s own insights as a black musician with Southern roots. Kill rsquo;Em and Leave is a song unearthing and celebrating James Brownrsquo;s great legacy: the cultural landscape of America today. Praise for Kill rsquo;Em and Leaveldquo;Thoughtful and probing . . . with great warmth; insight and frequent wit.rdquo;mdash;Rick Moody; The New York Times Book Review ldquo;[McBride] turns out to also be the biographer of James Brown wersquo;ve all been waiting for. . . . McBridersquo;s true subject is race and poverty in a country that doesnrsquo;t want to hear about it; unless compelled by a voice that demands to be heard.rdquo;mdash;Boris Kachka; New York ldquo;The definitive look at one of the greatest; most important entertainers; The Godfather; Da Number One Soul Brother; Mr. Please; Please Himselfmdash;JAMES BROWN.rdquo;mdash;Spike Leeldquo;A feat of intrepid journalistic fortitude.rdquo;mdash;USA Today ldquo;This is an important book about an important figure in American musical history and about American culture. . . . You wonrsquo;t leave this hypnotic book without feeling that James Brown is still out there; howling.rdquo;mdash;The Boston Globe ldquo;Illuminating . . . engaging.rdquo;mdash;The Washington Post
#3267294 in eBooks 2013-06-24 2015-04-30File Name: B00WY64G3K
Review
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. LameBy Michael TrimbleThis book is a joke; as is the proposition that its some sort of "encyclopedia" of chord progressions. The author uses the same few progressions over and over again in different keys; which means its about 80% filler. The print design is pretty awful too. If its a comprehensive exploration and/or delineation of chord progressions youre after; keep looking; this aint it.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. I find this to be the perfect beginners chord bookBy ShebaI find this to be the perfect beginners chord book. There is no confusing music theory here. The beauty of this book is that it was written by a master guitar player who has a graduate degree in music to be simple and concise so as not to discourage or overwhelming anyone into quitting. Mr. Wallach divides his book into two sections. Each section describes common chords that go together to form different genre of musicmdash;rock; blues; latin; folk; and jazz. The first section is dedicated to common open chords played in the first position. The second section is dedicated to moveable chords that can be played up and down the fretboard. All chord are very well illustrated and large enough to easily see. The finger positions are clearly indicated and there are easy rhythm lessons to go along with each section of related chords. I purchased this book to see how musicians choose their chords for songs. I ordered this book on Saturday and received it on Tuesday. Ive had it for a couple of hours now and have breezed through eight progressions. I wished I would have ordered this sooner it has totally changed my direction in my self study. Thank you Mr. Wallach0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy CustomerGreat book; prompt service.
