Raga Mala: The Autobiography of Ravi Shankar [Paperback]

Ravi Shankar (Author), George Harrison (Editor, Illustrator), Lord Yehudi Menuhin (Afterword)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 27, 2001

Raga Mala is an unprecedented look at Ravi Shankar, master of the sitar and one of the most enduring and inspriational performers of the twentieth century.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Shankar, a sitar player known as the godfather of world music for his role in opening Western ears to sounds from the East, gives an honest, in-depth look at his life and work in this prodigious autobiography. Like a fine musical composition, Shankar beautifully narrates his life's milestones--his early years in India, his travels as a performer in Paris during the 1930s, his breakthrough in the West and rise to stardom during the '60s, his turbulent personal life in the '70s and '80s--while periodically returning to his basic theme: his love of music and the sitar. Throughout, Shankar builds on his 1968 book, My Music, My Life, which provided a general introduction to Indian music. He describes his performances in U.S. music festivals (Woodstock, he says, was " a terrifying experience" where "the music was incidental"); he also weaves in tales of people he affected (Gene Kelly, Richard Burton, Peter Sellers, Marlon Brando and, of course, editor Harrison), and those who influenced him--most importantly Ustad Allauddin Khan, the classical musician and pioneer of modern Hindustani instrumental music. Along with the enormous number of photographs that accompany this dense and lengthy work, Shankar presents letters and musical transcriptions to produce a history of Indian music during the 20th century. Although Shankar has been somewhat taken for granted in recent years due to his long-standing popularity, this book convincingly reasserts his historical importance. (Jan.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Born in India, sitar master Shankar was raised in his brother Uday's dance company, which toured internationally. His life, populated by a rich cast of family and friends, thus reveals a fascinating tension between Western and Eastern cultures. In this book, the man who was India's premier musical ambassador for over 40 years displays both sincere humility and the sort of self-confidence that borders on boastfulness. But, for the most part, his manner is so gentle that the reader cannot help but be charmed. Edited by Harrison--the ex-Beatle who propelled Shankar to a kind of pop star-like fame when he became Shankar's student in 1966--his narrative tends to meander; an "additional narrative" by Oliver Craske provides important background information and context for Shankar's many reminiscences. The emphasis throughout is on Shankar the man; those interested in his ideas about India's musical traditions should seek out his earlier book, My Music, My Life (1968). Recommended for popular and world music collections.
-Lloyd Jansen, Stockton-San Joaquin Cty. P.L., CA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Welcome Rain Publishers (August 27, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566492173
• ISBN-13: 978-1566492171
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,540,710 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A "must" for all Ravi Shankar fans!, May 4, 2000

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Raga Mala: The Autobiography of Ravi Shankar (Hardcover)

Not to be missed and are recommended for any library collection strong in music holdings, George Harrison edits and introduces Ravi Shankar with the ex-Beatle providing a fine opening for Indian musician Shankar's powerful autobiography. From a teen dancer in 1930s Paris and New York to a master of classical Hindustani music, this traces his journey from East to West, from dance to music, and his friendships and life. The accompanying photos from his archives are as outstanding as his story.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating, June 14, 2003

By 

Erika Mitchell (E. Calais, VT USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Raga Mala: The Autobiography of Ravi Shankar (Paperback)

This book is a fascinating account of the life of Ravi Shankar. I was a little reluctant to pick up this book at first- -I thought to myself, "Ravi Shankar- pop star, a musician who lives on hype - who wants to read a fan book? If George Harrison hadn't stumbled across him, he would have been just another sitar player." But after reading this book, I have a much greater understanding and respect for Shankar and all that he has accomplished.

Shankar's early life was simply amazing. His first tour of the US was in 1932, when he was all of 12 years old. With that in mind, it makes perfect sense for Shankar to be the leader in bringing Indian classical music to the West, since he spent so many of his formative years in Paris and on tour throughout Europe and the US. During this time, he became familiar with Western audiences and their expectations, as well as with Western music traditions. It is this familiarity that has enabled him to be so successful at explaining Indian music to Westerners. But as this book details, Shankar was not only popular in the West, but long before George Harrison met him, he had built a very successful career in India. For example, he was the one who did the music for film director Satyajit Ray's Apu Trilogy, among so many other projects.

Shankar's influences on music in both India and the West are enormous and far-reaching. He was one of the first musicians to gain a following in world music, and he fought strongly against the marginalization of world music as a field only fit for ethnomusicologists. As described in this book, in India, he helped change attitudes towards musical performance and performers by demanding full attention from audiences and formal venues, much like classical performers in the West expect.

Interspersed throughout Shankar's text are short interludes from friends such as Yehudi Menuhin and George Harrison. The book includes hundreds of pictures that span Shankar's entire career, including the pre-World War II tours with his brother Uday. There is also a very informative glossary at the end, as well as a chronology and index.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Jewel of India, January 11, 2002

By 

James H. Barkas (Willoughby, OH USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Raga Mala: The Autobiography of Ravi Shankar (Hardcover)

Raga Mala is destined to be a classic of literature.
It is a biography, history, diary, and a basic primer
of Hindustani (North Indian) music.
As a beginning Sitar student under a Guru myself.
I appreciate Raviji's journey from student to master.
The life covers so many memorable moments of history.
His triumphs and pain are an inspiration to all who
are open enough to see it. There is not enough that
can be said to fully explain the depth of this book.
It is fair to say that most will not fully understand
it in one reading.
In closing, Raga Mala will be the textbook to be used
by all interested in Pandit Ravi Shankar, Indian music,
and how it has gained popularity in America since the
1960's. I recommend this book as in the top 5 of my
all time favorite books.