Like Young: Jazz, Pop, Youth, and Middle Age [Paperback]

Francis Davis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 5, 2002

Modern jazz and rock 'n' roll, both of which were once identified with youthful insurrection, have reached middle age. So have many longtime listeners -including Francis Davis. Now, in these thirty-one articles, the revered jazz critic considers music young and old, examining performers from Frank Sinatra and Billie Holiday to Ornette Coleman and Sun Ra. But what makes this Davis's most surprising book is the inclusion of such pop icons as Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Burt Bacharach, and Lou Reed. Using himself as an example, Davis pinpoints our collective longing for a time when we (and our music) were younger-and more inclined to take risks. Lively, opinionated, gracefully written, and often very funny, Like Young is a book for those who have long savored Davis's writing, as well as for those just now discovering him.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"He's a very impressive critic.... You feel you're reading an honest man." -- -Pauline Kael --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Francis Davis is a contributing editor of the Atlantic Monthly and writes regularly for the New York Times and the New Yorker. He is the author of the acclaimed books Outcats and History of the Blues and a biography of John Coltrane (Knopf). He lives in Philadelphia.

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press; First Printing edition (November 5, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0306811863
• ISBN-13: 978-0306811869
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,548,634 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A Delightful Book - Highly Entertaining, August 10, 2011

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L. Columbus "lou1492" (Panama City, FL) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Like Young: Jazz, Pop, Youth, and Middle Age (Paperback)

This is my second book by Francis Davis. My first was Jazz And Its Discontents: A Francis Davis Reader, another fun read. I'm sure I'll now be seeking out most of his other work. In this book, Mr. Davis ponders the question of how the music we grew up with colors our lives. While he is considered a jazz critic, in this particular book he also covers pop, country and even Broadway music. Each of the pieces was previously published, but according to the author, were modified in different ways to fit the book. There are sections on Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Billie Holiday, Brian Wilson, Bob Dylan, Burt Bacharach, a fascinatingly strange interview segment with Sun Ra, plus many others. Most of these are not profile pieces, but rather studies of how their lives influenced their art and in turn, how we are effected by listening. What makes this all such a pleasure to read, is the style in which it's written. Many authors writing becomes almost scientifically cold and detached, when analyzing such topics; whereas Mr. Davis keeps it warm and human. If music has always been an important part of your life and especially if you are middle aged, you will find much to relate to in many of these articles.