Intimate Nights: The Golden Age of New York Cabaret [Paperback]

James Gavin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2006

• Fully revised updated and expanded edition
of an ASCAP-Deems Taylor Award winner
that sold more than 10,000 copies


• Cultural history plus celebrity anecdotes


• Up-to-the-minute look at the current
New York cabaret scene


Intimate Nights is the definitive history of cabaret as it evolved in New York City in the years after World War II. But that doesn’t mean it's dry and academic. Good heavens, no! Settle in for racy tales of nightlife, revealed in interviews with dozens of the people who lived it: Bobby Short, Eartha Kitt, Mabel Mercer, Bette Midler, and many more. Author James Gavin has tracked down rare, early stories about the legends who came out of New York nightclubs—and that means Barbra Streisand, Woody Allen, Nichols and May, Johnny Mathis, Carol Burnett, Lenny Bruce, among others. Part cultural history, part celebrity gossip, Intimate Nights offers an intimate look at the creatures of the nightclubs.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

James Gavin has written for the New York Times, Vanity Fair, Entertainment Weekly, New York, and other publications. His most recent book is Deep in a Dream. He lives in New York.

Product Details

• Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Back Stage Books; Revised edition (April 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823088251
• ISBN-13: 978-0823088256
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #254,795 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars LIFE IS INDEED A CABARET, OLD CHUM!, July 7, 2006

By 

Alan W. Petrucelli (THE ENTERTAINMENT REPORT (ALAN W. PETRUCELLI)) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Intimate Nights: The Golden Age of New York Cabaret (Paperback)

If life is truly a cabaret, than James Gavin has written a spectacular history of that night life. This updated edition of Gavin's 1992 book of the same title concerns the history of cabaret in America--and it's a real dazzler.
Beginning in the speakeasies of the '30s and progressing through the glamorous '40s and '50s to the repressive '50s, the book takes us to the wide-open sexuality of the '60s and '70s, the devastation from HIV of the '80s and early '90s to where we stand today. It's a show-biz history of an admittedly small niche in American entertainment, but an extraordinarily rich and creative one. From Bobby Short and Mabel Mercer through Phyllis Diller and Barbra Streisand and Peter Allen to the Callaway sisters, Barbara Cook and Ute Lemper, there is something here for all tastes and all moods.
The art of cabaret--and be sure it is an art--is the experience of sitting in a quiet club, some glamorous, some sewers, and listening to a singer perform . . . seemingly just for you. Old standards are reinterpreted, new material marveled at, forgotten songs recalled. The audience in encouraged to feel, think--and maybe have a drink or two. Scrupulously researched, Gavin has managed to not only create a chronological history (including the stars, and the genius accompanists, crafty presenters, scummy landlords and adoring fans) but lovingly describes performers and performances. But be forewarned: The discography at the end of the book is incredibly comprehensive, and by the time you've finished reading about these legendary talents, you're going to want pull out the charge card and hit amazon.com
So stop sitting alone in your room, buy this book, and discovers just how much more music you can hear play, if, old friend, you come to the cabaret.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What an enjoyable book, June 29, 2006

By 

A reader (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Intimate Nights: The Golden Age of New York Cabaret (Paperback)

Gavin has done a lot more than just research the time period he covers with such liveliness in this comprehensive book about New York nightclub entertainment. He really seems to have immersed himself in the world that he describes, and his enthusiasm shines through on every page. This is a wonderful introduction to an essential part of entertainment history.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rich and Glorious, April 25, 2009

By 

Music Lover - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Intimate Nights: The Golden Age of New York Cabaret (Paperback)

Intimate Nights: The Golden Age of New York Cabaret
The header refers to the author as well as the book. I use the word 'rich' in all its meanings except the monetary one. A wonderful book full of wonderful detail by a wonderful writer. Luckily I had already amassed a number of the CDs listed in the discography, so there were few demands on my credit card. I can't say the same for 'Deep in a Dream', Mr Gavin's opus on Chet Baker, another hard-to-put-down book. I'm still paying for lots of Chet CDs. Now I'm eagerly awaiting James Gavin's imminent biography of Lena Horne, 'Stormy Weather'