Steps in Time [Paperback]

Fred Astaire (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 25, 2000

Fred Astaire allows us to see through the effortless balletic exuberance.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“...brimming over with fresh and amusing anecdotes...” (New York Times )

“...as easy and as effervescent as his own personable way of dancing.” (New York Herald Tribune )

“Mr. Astaire’s writing, like his dancing, is precise and debonair...” (The New Yorker ) --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Cooper Square Press (July 25, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0815410581
• ISBN-13: 978-0815410584
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,637,849 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #76 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Arts & Literature > Dancers

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a must for fans of the talented Mr. A, February 17, 2003

By 

Crystal Wisdom (Tecumseh, OK United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Steps in Time (Paperback)

Fred Astaire tells his story in the same way he dances, with integrity and grace. I have been a fan of Mr.Astaire's for many years. The first movie of his I saw was "Daddy Long Legs." I was fasinated with the way he danced. When I found out that he had a biography I snatched a copy up. What I like about this book is that Fred Astaire wrote it himself. I found myself laughing at times, and after reading the book I felt as if I knew him personally. The best thing about this book is that it has 47 black and white photos. This book is a must for true fans of one of the greatest dancers who ever graced the big screen.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More than just dancing!, July 27, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Steps in Time (Paperback)

I am a big fan of Fred Astaire and this was the first book I was able to read about him. The fact that it is also written by him is a big plus. Fred is a shy and humble man, and his book gives that impression but it is a great account of a man that met everyone, from English and Hollywood royalty to bookmakers and bell hops (in fact, he made a point of knowing bell hops, they knew all the right places to go and the juicy stories). Fred was a private man and he never delves into much detail about his personal feelings. He's quick to acknowledge someone he likes, but you get the feeling that he holds back on people he might not have liked. He never puts down a film partner so if you're looking for an autobio that tells it all, this isn't it. However, Fred's story is still chock full of interesting tales. It doesn't just appeal to Astaire fans, it also appeals to vaudeville, theater, and history fans as Fred was born in 1899 and lived through some amazing times. The Roaring '20s were spent in New York and London (visiting with royalty and the upper class), the '30s in Hollywood where he and Ginger Rogers made people forget the Depression for a while with their movies, and he dedicates a chapter to rehashing his overseas experience in the '40s when he toured on a USO show during WWII. So if you want an easy read of an important movie and dance icon, I highly recommend "Steps In Time". Don't worry about being bored, Fred has a nice sense of humor and there are no lulls in his story. He wrote this book in the late '50s and still had decades of work in front of him, but unfortunately, he never wrote a follow up book chronicling what was still an exciting and glamorous life. Read this book and watch the movies!

29 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Legendary Artist; A Superficial Memoir, September 13, 2006

By 

Gary F. Taylor "GFT" (Biloxi, MS USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Steps in Time (Paperback)

Fred Astaire (1899-1987) was, quite simply, a dance genius. He appeared on stage, often with his sister Adele, in such landmark musicals as LADY BE GOOD and FUNNY FACE; he graced at least 43 films, 31 one of which were musicals; he is, for all practical intents and purpose, American dance, and he worked with artists no less legendary than he. But for all this, his 1959 autobiography is most notable for being, well, utterly mundane.

STEPS IN TIME is essentially a catalogue of the various shows in which Astaire performed, ranging from Vaudeville (with sister Adele) to SILK STOCKINGS with Cyd Charisse. He always loves his leading lady; he always likes his director; even when the show was not as good as it could have been he finds something nice to say about it; and he never, ever offers the least bit of insight into his private life, his work, or the many with whom he worked over the years. Indeed, Astaire actually has more to say about his love of the racetrack than he does about any of his films or specific dance routines.

Fans of Astaire and the Hollywood musical will certainly want to read STEPS IN TIME, but even the most ardent fan will likely be disappointed by the superficial quality of the work. One can only hope that a future biographer will give Astaire the full portrait that he himself could not.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer