Straight Life: The Story Of Art Pepper by Art Pepper, Laurie Pepper
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Book Reviews of Straight Life: The Story Of Art Pepper
Book Review: Stunning Book!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is one of the most powerful and moving autobiographies I have ever read, in any context. In the sphere of jazz, it is unsurpassed. Even someone who has never heard or heard of Art Pepper should read this book. If you like his music, it is indispensible. Just when you start to wonder where fact ends and fiction starts, the author keeps jolting you back to total belief with brutally honest criticisms of himself, his weaknesses and his talents. A superb book on and by a superb artist, and the wife who clearly gave him immense support, love and inspiration. All life is here.Book Review: Straight Life
Summary: 5 Stars
I read so slow that I can never bring myself to read books twice, it just takes me too long. I read about as fast as I talk, some people may say that's quite fast but it's not really. Anyway, this book is quite hard to get hold of and I really wanted a friend to read it. When's he's finished with it, I'm actually going to read it again. I was a massive Art Pepper fan and was even more so after reading this. I recommend listening to the albums that he writes about as you read it. It gives you so much more of an insight as to how talented this man really was. What a life, what a player.Book Review: FRIGHTENING
Summary: 5 Stars
THE ONLY TIME THAT I COULD PUT THIS BOOK DOWN WAS WHEN I HAD TO TAKE A BREAK FROM THE HORROR OF ART PEPPER'S LIFE. WHAT WAS THE MOST AMAZING THING WAS THAT HE HAD TO TAKE DRUGS UP UNTIL HIS DEATH, EVEN AFTER ALL HE HAD BEEN THROUGH. THE HONESTY IN THE TELLING OF THIS LIFE WAS BRUTAL AND BEAUTIFUL AT THE SAME TIME. AFTER READING THIS BOOK, I THEN VIEWED THE DVD, NOTES FROM A JAZZ SURVIVOR. TO SEE HIM AND LISTEN TO HIS MUSIC AFTER READING HIS WORDS BROUGHT IT ALL TOGETHER. WAS IT ALL WORTH IT TO HIM? I THINK IT WAS,TO HIM, AND THAT HE WOULDN'T CHANGE A THING.Book Review: A great read!
Summary: 5 Stars
A fantastic book that, even at 500 pages, seems too short. It flies by. As an insight into the horrors of drug addiction and prison life it knows no peer - it puts a book like Wm Burroughs 'Junkie' into the shade for instance. If you filmed some of the stories in this book no-one would believe it. It's pretty scary at times.
I've been listening to quite a bit of Art's music after reading this book and his phrasing, timing and tone are perfect.
10 out of 10 - a great read.
Book Review: a spiritual autopsy told in the first person
Summary: 5 Stars
This is the story that Art Pepper might have told God after his death. He just opens a vein and lets it all spill out on the floor. Why should he clean it up? God already knows. It's the confession of a man who has nothing to lose. Is it pretty? Well, its human. So, are human beings pretty? Yes and no, and everything in between. Thats an expansive realm, and Art fills it with the only thing he has left, his soul.