Push Comes to Shove [Paperback]

Twyla Tharp (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 376 pages
• Publisher: Bantam (October 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553372645
• ISBN-13: 978-0553372649
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #664,325 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars what it really takes..., June 11, 2001

By 

Robert J. Crawford (Balmette Talloires, France) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Push Comes to Shove (Paperback)

to be an artist. If you ever had aspirations (or illusions) of being an artist, you should read this book. Not only is it a fascinating history of post-war modern dance, explaining the genius of Ballanchine and others, but it is an honest portrait of the pain and sacrifice that Tharp and others make to pursue their visions. You get to know that NYC scene of the 1960s and beyond in intimate and unflinching detail.

Tharp is a true original, self-made from the bottom up. You really get a feeling for the relentless drive, the long hours of work and experimentation, and the love that drive this artist to create. (At one point, she recounts the stress imposed on her upstate NY house of a dance troupe in its attic!) It offers both great advice and a cautionary tale. I learned an immense amount from this book at a moment - the mid-life crisis if you will - when I was reassessing my life course.

By turns funny and sad, this is truly great autobiography. Warmly recommended.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unexpectedly Fascinating, March 22, 2000

By 

Michael J Edelman (Huntington Woods, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Push Comes to Shove (Paperback)

I don't know much about modern dance; I discovered this book staying up late one night and seeing Tharp interviewed by Tom Snyder- which was pretty interesting in and of itself.

I was impressed enough by the interview to buy the book, and I was not disappointed. Tharp is a remarkably engaging speaker and writer, and she is completely open about her life, while avoiding the temptation to self-pity or self-aggrandizemnt typical of celebrity biography.

Strongly recommended, both for fans of dance and fans of autobiography.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating insight into the dance world by a true genius, December 16, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Push Comes to Shove (Paperback)

Twyla Tharp never disappoints with her choreography, and she doesn't disappoint here, either. She's written a marvelous book about her interesting life and the hard choices she made to make the dance her life. A must for all dancers, would-be dancers, and anyone who loves a good life-tale.