Customer Reviews

Unforgettable: The Life and Mystique of Nat King Cole

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This book gives a nice overview of the life of Nat King Cole but is never critical, never takes a stance and does not even go into length about some issues i would like to have read more about. His whole stance in race relations is about one page, and Gourse isn't even critical of his role in that. I was new in the world of NKC so I definitely learned some stuff, but it could have been so much better.

I am very happy with my purchase.It arrived in the condition claimed by the
seller (MINT),well packaged,clearly addressed and it arrived within
10 days. I would have no hesitation in dealing with this seller again.

Leslie Gourse had made a career of collecting informations about jazz musicians - but all the infomations in the world dont neccesary make this book interesting.From time to time it seems to me like Im reading Nat Cole's concert date-to-date schedule,but there were any author's style or opinions to be found.Gourse has obviously spend hours researching the documents about this book,yet there is nothing to be said about MUSIC (except providing chart numbers,again so boring and grey).This book cries to be updated,as Natalie Cole recorded her classic "Unforgettable" album after this book was finished!I am currently reading Louis Armstrong's biography "An extravagant life" which has everything this book lack: class,style and most of all,the feeling that author was really involved in writting the book,not just collecting recording dates.

Leslie Gourse's book is interesting to read, with the interviews with friends and family members of Cole's. I found some inaccuracies in describing daughter Natalie's career, but it was a good read. Obviously this book was written right before Natalie released her biggest selling CD, UNFORGETTABLE WITH LOVE, which was a loving tribute to her deceased father, because Gourse doesn't mention it at all. I also noticed that Gourse tends to go off on tangents at times, discussing other people and situations, then is suddenly reminded that this is a book about Nat King Cole.

Gourse gives the reader a behind-the-scenes look at the life of this legendary jazz musician whose fame was only eclipsed by his distinctive and warm baritone voice. He endured many battles against prejudiced whites, in the entertainment industry, in his own family, and in his own race, feeling like he had to act a certain way just to please everybody. It's heartbreaking to know that he died so young. And for all the criticism he received from his own race and from other jazz artists (who never seem to want to acknowledge Nat's background in that genre, unless it's in passing, but yet you had so many groups copying his King Cole Trio format), he was truly a trailblazer, and without him, things may not have happened for blacks when they did...not saying that they wouldn't have happened at all, but because of Nat, THEY DID HAPPEN. I recommend this book when it comes back into print by the end of this year. Reading this and the Epstein biography of Cole (which is more recent, released in Oct. 1999), will give you great insight into his life. You will feel as if you knew him, like I did. Worth checking out.