Customer Reviews

Perpetual Motion: The Public and Private Lives of Rudolf Nureyev

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Well, I don't care if it was hastily put together, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. As a long-time Rudi fan, I was pleased to reminisce, and I even learned some new facts. I also gained a new respect for everything Nureyev did for dance, and for the plight of the male dancer. Mr. Stuart has a fun writing style that was quite appropriate for his subject. I particularly liked his description of the job of a male dancer! ..."tote that swan, lift the sylph"! How true. I also laughed out loud at his descriptions of some of the more notorious melees Rudi got into (or created). The fight at the beach, which ended up partially a food fight, was very entertainingly described ("The hills were alive with marinara!"). I think this is a good introduction to Nureyev's life, and I respected and appreciated Mr. Stuart's frankness about Rudi's sexual persuasion and private life. It could have had more pictures of Rudi in flight (dancing). Lord knows, there are enough around!

"Perpetual Motion: The Public and Private Lives of Rudolf Nureyev" by Otis Stuart is a book well-named. Stuart gives us a look into this incredible life from birth to death, in what seemed to be a non-stop whirlwind of life. Nothing about Nureyev was ordinary. Born of all places, on a train, changing the world's view of ballet while performing brilliantly,his dramatic defection from Russia, and even continuing to contribute to the world of dance during the years he struggled with AIDS, up to the time of his death.

Mr. Stuart's account of this extraordinary life, seems to be very well researched. He brings to the reader a most compelling look at the fascinating life and loves of Nureyev, and tells his story from the point of great admiration. He explores all the many sides and layers of Nureyev.The almost super-human like engery, his passion for both the dance and his partners, both professionally and personally(an entire chapter is devoted soley to Margot Fonteyn), and we also see a more vulnerable side as well.

Reading the Author's descriptions of the performances, and reading this wonderfully up close and personal look at the life of this amazingly talented person, left me wanting to buy some of the DVDs with his dance.There is a section of some great pix included as well. I would recommend this biography to any fan of Nureyev or ballet.

Enjoy the read....Laurie

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This book is a collection of little gossipy vignettes told by somebody who wasn't even a bystander to the events of Nureyev's life. Stuart doesn't have an interest in the genius of Nureyev -- he was much more interested in the dancer being gay, and stretches the stories to showcase this slant of the book. I thought it was a trivial, jokey, silly book, revealing little about what made Nureyev a remarkable person. It's also fairly old, and it hasn't stood the test of time. A far better read is Julie Kavanaugh's fantastic bio, Nureyev, The Life.