Customer Reviews

The Trouble with Cinderella: An Outline of Identity

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An intelligent,insightful and entertaining autobiography.A delightful read. For many years I thought Artie Shaw was an old grouchy talented musician who flippantly gave up his musical profession. This book changed my mind completely and anyone who appreciates Mr. Shaw's music should read it. A great book.

As a student, reading this is pretty eye-opening. I am a clarinetist myself, and some of the things that Mr. Shaw accomplished were pretty darn amazing. His book shoed how we are all running after something, and it can be fun, but we look forward to catching it until we actually catch it and realize that it's empty.
The book wasn't amazing because Mr. Shaw possessed musical expertise. It was amazing because he understood the way the human race works. His work showed that he could see things other people couldn't. The book is interesting, but very tough reading. If you don't have enough time to tackle this all at once, then I suggest that you wait until you have the time, or you will lose some of the impact.
This book is one of the most powerful I have read in my life. It really shows how life works and how people react to life. It may ruin your little bubble in life, but it may also help give you new direction.

Captures the essence of not only Artie Shaw, the man and his ideas of life, but of the big band scene of the thirties and forties. Especially for devotees of Artie Shaw, a must read.

Artie Shaw,the handsome, musical genius could also write and write well.This book is from his heart and he tells an interesting story of his life. Couldn't put the book down and managed to finish it in one day.

I had been searching for a copy of this book for years, so was pleased to see it advertised at a pretty good price. When it was received, it was in excellent condition and was signed by the author - once again Amazon - brilliant service, great value, a terrific book. Thanks and Merry Christmas.

Bought this for my Dad's 89thy birthday. Arrived on time and he is enjoying it so much. Excellent informational book and entertaining, especially for the homebound. Thank you!

Writers of memoirs and autobiographies are all liable to fall into the trap of being defensive, of belaboring their points, grinding axes and opening old wounds. It is the mark of a good writer (and a relief to the reader) that he navigates these pitfalls with some modicum of success. Artie Shaw falls for all of them. Hook, line and sinker. The writing in this memoir could drive you up a wall.

His style is chatty, strained informality. The Grouch posture is honest enough but gets a little thin, the opinions are really not so outré and there are too many of them.

If this book caught your eye, you likely want to know something about the man. The style, tone and content of the first dozen pages will give you that. After that you wish he would stop grinding his ax and just tell his story. The fact that the stories, the narrative of his life, might make his points with equal force does not seem to have occurred to him so he is constantly at pains to be sure you get the moral.

But he does have stories to tell and the best parts of the book are when he gets around to them. He thankfully is not out to dish dirt, bless him for that. And he is careful to mention some of the lesser lights in the history of the music you'd never hear about otherwise (Mr. D'Isere is a good example). But too often he leaves you begging for details. Who was in his first band, or the quartet that played the first gig that started it all? I don't think he gives the date more than 5 times throughout the book so you are left to guess when most of the events take place. And he constantly cuts himself off just as things get interesting, because it's "too technical", "too much detail", which looks to me like too much authorial laziness.

If you want to know something about the man Arthur Arshawsky, this book will tell you about as much as you need to know. As much of the man comes through in the style as the content. If you want to know something about his life and the times he lived in, a good biography would almost certainly be a better read. This one could be edited down to half it's length and be twice as good.

Ever since I was introduced to the world of Artie Shaw's music - at about the age of 14 - I have been a devotee of his work. Easily my favourite big band of the fabled Swing Era, I thought Artie's clarinet had a woodsy tone which was prettier than Goodman's (although Benny was undoubtedly the better clarinetist) and felt that his band sounded more swinging and modern than Goodman's. Shaw's 1938 band ("Begin the Beguine") was fantastic as was his equally famous 31 piece 194O band ("Frenesi"). His 1941 Orchestra gave us the lush classic versions of "Star Dust", "Moonglow" & "Dancing in the Dark" Classy and unforgettable records, those three sides!

Born in NYC 23 May, 191O, Arthur Issac Arshawsky somehow escaped living a life of poverty via sheer will and determination to "be somebody": perhaps the most innovative and creatively intellectual of all the big-time leaders, one can hear Shaw's genius in his music: his diversity, originality and creative tendencies are fascinating and astounding to hear.

His initial band in 1936 included strings - something which was highly unusual for a swing band. "There's Frost on the Moon" vocalised by Peg La Centra and "Japanese Sandman" are both available on CD - as good examples of his music from this period.

In 1939, at the height of his popularity, Shaw - who could never abide bobby-soxers & autograph hounds - simply walked off the bandstand one night and fled to Mexico. Shaw loved music and all its aspects - but LOATHED the business side of his career. But he couldn't stay away for good. Artie was back on top with another great hit he found south of the border: "Frenesi".

This intellectual genius - still living in Southern California - married Kathleen Winsor, who authored "Forever Amber". Lana Turner was his young bride and another wife - Ava Gardner - was crazy about him. Shaw was also married to Scarlett O' Hara's younger sister - Evelyn Keyes. Creative, frustrated, brilliant and a perfectionist, Shaw's legacy is his fabulous music - most of which is re-mastered and available to the public on CD's. Perhaps the most inspired "small group" of the entire Swing Era was Artie's terrific Gramercy Five.

My personal favourites of his records are BEGIN THE BEGUINE, MOONGLOW, STAR DUST, DANCING IN THE DARK, OCTOROON, OUT OF NOWHERE, LOVE FOR SALE, NOCTURNE, CONCERTO FOR CLARINET, TEMPTATION, COMIN' ON, BACK BAY SHUFFLE, ONE FOOT IN THE GROOVE, ONE NIGHT STAND, CHANTEZ-LES BAS, FRENESI, SUMMIT RIDGE DRIVE, BLUES IN THE NIGHT, THE MAID WITH THE FLACCID AIR, SEPTEMBER SONG, BETWEEN A KISS AND A SIGH...among many others.