Louis Armstrong was the founding father of jazz and one of this centurys towering cultural figures; yet the full story of his extravagant life has never been told.Born in 1901 to the sixteen-year-old daughter of a slave; he came of age among the prostitutes; pimps; and rag-and-bone merchants of New Orleans. He married four times and enjoyed countless romantic involvements in and around his marriages. A believer in marijuana for the head and laxatives for the bowels; he was also a prolific diarist and correspondent; a devoted friend to celebrities from Bing Crosby to Ella Fitzgerald; a perceptive social observer; and; in his later years; an international goodwill ambassador.And; of course; he was a dazzling musician. From the bordellos and honky-tonks of Storyville--New Orleanss red light district--to the upscale nightclubs in Chicago; New York; and Hollywood; Armstrongs stunning playing; gravelly voice; and irrepressible personality captivated audiences and critics alike. Recognized and beloved wherever he went; he nonetheless managed to remain vigorously himself.Now Laurence Bergreens remarkable book brings to life the passionate; courageous; and charismatic figure who forever changed the face of American music.
#1769856 in eBooks 2012-07-13 2012-07-13File Name: B008JE5IF6
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Four StarsBy Eldest daughterFun to read. but not a guide for fish in a small yard.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Not overly informative. but a delight.By eckiefThis was a fun book. I bought it because I wanted to learn more about ponds - ours was a mess. It did help. but not in the way I thought it would. Other reviewers are right - there is not an overabundance of information in the book. However. it made country living come alive for me and infused my sometimes grumpy attitude towards it with a bit of charm and enchantment. Sounds far fetched. but it is true. I loved the homey manner in which Louise Riotte told her stories and worked them into the ongoing saga of life on her little homestead. It was an absolute treasure of a read. I credit Riotte for my own affection for ducks. for duck eggs. for incubating ducklings. for putting up with all their demands - they bring just as much joy as she says they do - watching them waddle about and paddle on the pond.17 of 18 people found the following review helpful. Not Very HelpfulBy A CustomerI found that this book would have been helpful for pond plants or if I needed a recipe to cook something I had raised in a pond. but I wanted information on keeping fish in a pond. Specifically I was interested in catfish. and silly me. I judged the book by its cover. This book provides very little helpful infomation on raising pond fish as a hobby. If youre interested in spending several thousand dollars to commercially raise fish such as trout. then this book has something to offer. Otherwise dont bother.
