I Put A Spell On You: The Autobiography Of Nina Simone [Paperback]

Nina Simone (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 21, 1993

James Baldwin used to tell Nina Simone, "This is the world you have made for yourself, now you have to live in it." Simone has created for herself a world of magnificent peaks. Often compared to Billie Holiday and Edith Piaf, Simone is known as one of the greatest singers of her generation. She has recorded forty-three albums, ranging from blues to jazz to folk, and her hits like "I Loves You, Porgy," "My Baby Just Cares for Me," "I Put a Spell on You," and "Mississippi Goddam" have confirmed her as an enduring force in popular music. Her song "Young, Gifted, and Black" became the anthem for the Civil Rights Movement and thrust her beyond international stardom into the center of activism. But such worlds as Simone's are not without their grim valleys: disastrous marriages, arrest and the threat of imprisonment, mental breakdown, poverty, and attempted suicide. She has survived these trials and continues to perform throughout Europe and the United States. With undiminished passion and in her unconquerable voice, this is Nina Simone’s powerful memoir of her tempestuous life.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Simone grew up during the Depression in a small North Carolina town where, thanks to a farsighted music teacher and caring neighbors who paid for her lessons, she was trained as a classical pianist. After attending Juilliard on a scholarship she was rejected by the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia (a setback she attributes to the fact that she is black), and she became a nightclub entertainer, singing and accompanying herself on the piano and, with her skillful improvisations of popular songs in classical style, quickly becoming a star. In the 1960s she joined the civil rights movement and became well known as a protest singer. Then, in the 1970s and '80s, disillusioned with the U.S., she went into self-imposed exile in Africa and Europe. Unfortunately, written with freelancer Cleary, her account of these later years, in which she concentrates on personal problems and a number of tiresome love affairs, lacks the interest of the early part of the book, which describes her unusual childhood and remarkable rise to fame. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

Lincoln Center Institute Resource Center blog, 7/9/09
“Compelling, honest, and powerful. It is meticulously packed with historical information on America during some of its ugliest times, coming from the voice of someone who lived through it everyday…a voice of a woman who devoted her adult life to changing the face of society…From a musical standpoint alone, I Put a Spell On You is an extremely valuable read. However, this would also be a unique, relevant and worthwhile addition to any high-school or collegiate history library, or anyone with an interest in the civil rights movement both politically and artistically.”

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press (August 21, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0306805251
• ISBN-13: 978-0306805257
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,712,618 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Nina Simone is great, but this book needed more work, January 9, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: I Put A Spell On You: The Autobiography Of Nina Simone (Paperback)

Nina Simone is a great artist with a compelling story to tell. Unfortunately, little of that story comes across in this book. Ms. Simone shares all sorts of details about her lovers, but very little about her music. There is almost nothing in the book about her recording sessions or why she sings particular songs the way she does. While Ms. Simone is very frank about her personal life, I would have liked to have learned more about her music. The book is also confusing because Ms. Simone will spend many pages on just a few days, and then entire years will be dismissed by a sentence or two. Ms. Simone's collaborator should have edited the book better and drawn out more music-related stories from her.

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A book of facts not feeling, February 9, 2003

By 

z. Dolli. o "scorpiotype" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: I Put A Spell On You: The Autobiography Of Nina Simone (Paperback)

Nina Simone is one my All-time favorite artists and to read her story in her own words was quite a thrill. She has led a very interesting, unusual, and adventurous life. However, I found myself wishing that she would be a little bit more introspective in the telling of the story. She went from event to event without really giving a detailed picture of how she actually felt. When the book was over I didn't really feel any different than when I began reading the book, just more knowlegeable.

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars She put a spell on me, November 17, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: I Put A Spell On You: The Autobiography Of Nina Simone (Paperback)

Nina Simone proves in this autobiography that she is indeed a survivor...as a black woman trying to make it in a white man's world, Nina Simone soared to fame with her unique style and graceful approach to music. This book traces Nina's history as a young ambitious child in North Carolina to a sophisticated, wise diva in Amsterdam. It is apparent upon reading this book, that it was Nina's destiny to become an International success as a performer. Reading about what was at the heart of her decisions both as a performer and as a civil rights activist in the 60s, enabled me to admire her all the more. This book is essential for Nina fans all over the world!