Customer Reviews

Queen of the Blues: A Biography of Dinah Washington

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is a good "snapshot" of the life of this remarkable woman. Most of the people interviewed by the author were in New York; thus, much of her history from Chicago -- where she was raised, and where her family lived -- is missing. What we get here is a partial recollection devoid of interpretation and depth which might cast light on the musical, spiritual and racial dimensions of this complex personality which resulted in her unique contributions to music and to "soul." No where is there to be found an exploration of her music as a reflection of her experience. "Lord, You Made Me Human," "This Bitter Earth," are reflections of her struggle to be her higher self in the midst of emotional and social assaults. And what about her identification with and admiration of Billy Holliday --- "God Bless the Child Who's Got His Own." For all of its deficiencies, Haskins' book allows her to emerge as a woman many decades ahead of her time. The whole story has yet to be written.

This book is a good "snapshot" of the life of this remarkable woman. Most of the people interviewed by the author were in New York; thus, much of her history from Chicago -- where she was raised, and where her family lived -- is missing. What we get here is a partial recollection devoid of interpretation and depth to cast light on the musical, spiritual and racial dimensions of this complex personality and which resulted in her unique contributions to music and to "soul." Nowhere is there an exploration of her music as a reflection of her philosophy and experience. "Lord, You Made Me Human," "This Bitter Earth," are reflections of the struggle to be a higher self in the midst of emotional and social assaults. And what about her identification with and admiration of Billy Holliday --- "God Bless the Child Who's Got His Own." For all of its deficiencies, Haskins' book allows her to emerge as a woman many decades ahead of her time. The whole story has yet to be written.

Great book!I am in my twenties, yet I am fascinated by the legacy left by this remarkable artist. Oddly, this was the hardest book to locate, not to mention the only book written on the life of Ms. Washington.
Knowing very little about her life, this book is a great introduction into Ms. Washington's early life in Chicago, and her introduction to the music business. It also highlights her many hit recordings as well as her legendary track record of marriages. Most importantly, this book paints a picture of a woman confronting the everyday battles of life, including her infamous attitude, problems with weight, and career disappointments. Ms. Washington comes across as a very complex, yet comical individual, and reading will be at the delight of the reader.
However, this book could easily have garnered the full five stars had it given more in depth information and feedback on her childhood and the relationship with her family, including pictures from her early years, her family, and her husbands, and more commentary from her musical peers.
The world truly lost a national treasure with the loss of Ms. Washington. Much to our benefit, this book, along with her timeless recordings, allows the Queen's legacy to be upheld for generations to come.

I read this book recently, and I must say I was really disappointed. I thought it was quite poorly written, and terribly edited. There are typos throughout the book, misspellings, etc. Some of the interview material was just plain confusing. However, having said that, it is the only book I personally have been able to find on Dinah Washington, so it must get some credit for that. There is quite a bit of information in the book, but I felt it could have been much better organized, and I felt like the author's personal critiques were a bit misinformed. Overall, not that great of a read, as far as enjoyment, but it does provide some information on a terrific lady, which is sorely lacking in the jazz annals.

My rating would have been higher. However, there are typos, errors, and poor editing. It also could have been better organized. I would have also liked to read accounts of more close family members. Maybe they chose not to participate. As for the content, I found it very interesting, especially the accounts of the musicians who played with her. I think it provided more insight into Dinah Washington than the encyclopedic Nadine Cohodas book (which, although well-researched, is a cold recitation of Dinah's shows and appearances).

I love it when there are still honest people around! The book has a little tear, or so....but the seller refunded me $1.95! I still don't see the damage but I love any kind of blessing!