Beautiful Dreamer: The Life of Stephen Collins Foster (Paperback)

~ (Author)

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Product Description

While East Coast composers of the mid-1800s continued to imitate the music of their European forebears, Pittsburgh native Stephen Foster infused his compositions with the rich and diverse flavors of river life. By mixing this "western" essence with the style of traditional English folk songs, he created an original American sound. "Oh! Susannah," his first hit, became the banner song of forty-niners during the California gold rush. "Old Kentucky Home," "Old Folks at Home," "Camptown Races" and "Jeannie With the Light Brown Hair" are still sung a century and a half later. But despite the popularity of his music, the pioneer of American songwriting died in poverty. Beautiful Dreamer is his story.

Product Details

• Paperback: 108 pages
• Publisher: Xlibris Corporation; illustrated edition edition (March 16, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1413467369
• ISBN-13: 978-1413467369
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #787,751 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Dreamer: The Life of Stephen Collins Foster, March 25, 2009

By	Ellen H. Ulken (Peachtree City, GA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Beautiful Dreamer: The Life of Stephen Collins Foster, written by Ellen Hunter Ulken, is a well-written account of Lawrenceville's most popular native son. The chapters flow as gently and gracefully as the Swanee River. The author is so tuned into Foster's life and character that she even names the chapters after Stephen's songs. the book is written in a style that a teenager could understand it and an adult enjoy it.

The chapters are nicely flavored with the lyrics of some of Foster's songs. Although the text ends on page 76, the book continues with a two-page chronology of Foster's life. A listing of all his songs and the year in which they were published, a handy glossary, a bibliography listing 17 sources, a very extensive index, and a map brings the total number of pages to 105. The index makes this excellent book easy to use as a reference tool.

So Open Thy Lattice Love, curl up with Old Dog Tray, and read your very own copy of Beautiful Dreamer: The Life of Stephen Collins Foster.

This review is by Jude Wudarczyk and is taken from the Lawrenceville Historical Society website. [...]