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Title: Hilary and Jackie by Piers du Pre, Hilary du Pre ISBN: 0-345-43271-1 Publisher: Ballantine Books Pub. Date: 07 December, 1998 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $12.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.83 (30 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: very worthwhile
Comment: Before I get to the actual review, a couple of extra-literary complaints:
1) This was originally called "A Genius in the Family". It makes no sense (other than business sense) to retitle it "Hilary and Jackie". It is no more about or by Hilary du Pre than it is by or about Piers du Pre. It is especially absurd to put photographs of ACTORS on the front and back cover.
2) The amazon.com amateur "reviewers" who have abused this opportunity so as to hurl invective at Jackie or her family remind me of the strangers depicted in the book who send letters to Jackie and say such hurtful things as her conversion to Judaism is responsible for her multiple sclerosis. The authors are telling you what happened; they are not asking you to pass judgement. (For that matter, nonsensical psychobabble buzzwords such as "dysfunctional" and "enabler" should be expunged from the language.)
Ad rem: In the main, this a gripping and surprisingly well-written story, considering that neither of the authors are professional writers. Don't get that idea, however, that it is in any way comparable to something like Hemingway's "A Movable Feast"; it isn't nearly THAT well written. Hilary does a better job than Piers, lapsing into banality significantly less often. Piers is better at describing Jackie than his life apart from her. We never catch his supposed enthusiasm for flying. His stilted account of his religious awakening seems wholly gratuitous and artificial.
Considering that there is scarcely a whiff of didacticism in these pages, it is surprising that you end up learning so much of trenchant value about music, en passant, as it were.
Rating: 4
Summary: A moving and honest biography of a complex woman
Comment: "Hilary and Jackie" is a moving and honest, if somewhat ploddingly written, biography of a great cellist whose genius took over a family. Being a prodigy is not easy for anyone, nor is it easy for a family to have a member--even more than one member--who is ill. What I think is especially tragic is that Hilary too was gifted, and that got lost in both Jackie's pursuit of the cello and in Hilary being placed with the wrong flute teacher. One can only wonder what would have happened if Hilary had pursued her gifts in the way Jackie had.
What speaks so well for the book is that, despite all of Jackie's selfish behavior, she still comes across as a sympathetic person, as seen through the eyes of her brother and sister, especially her sister. While they pull no punches, they clearly love their talented sibling. And as we read about her, so do we. Sometimes, they come across like pushovers, especially Hilary, who needed to grow a backbone and tell her sister and husband no to their sexual shenanigans. But love and devotion can lead to strange things. Give the authors credit for being honest, and for researching MS and what it can do to people, without necessarily making excuses for Jackie.
Rating: 4
Summary: An intimate, insightful read!
Comment: This is the story of the musical genius Jackie Du Pre as told by her sister Hilary and brother Piers.
Young Jackie was enthralled by the sounds of a cello at the tender age of 4. At 5 under her mothers tutelage she began lessons. Shortly thereafter, her gift was realized. She played not technically perfect but with an overwhelming passion and depth that stunned the music world.
Her sister an accomplished musician in her own right was pushed to the side as the accolades went to Jackie.
Piers became a pilot and later a businessman to escape a muscial competition he knew he could not match.
Throughout the book the love for family comes through. The mother's joy in music and her care in sharing and teaching her skills to her family flows throughout the book.
Jackies development as a musician is swift and her sister Hilary realizes that despite her own talents Jackie has a gift that can't be matched.
As an individual who cannot play an instrument, it is fascinating to read of someone who is so gifted. To enter the exciting world of music and feel the passion even as a bystander is entrancing. Reading of how the different cello's required different care depending on their wood and strings and how each made its own unique sounds was an education in itself.
And the book swept me up not only musically but emotionally. Frankly I was shocked by the revelations from Hilary. At one point in the book, Jackie was emotionally weak and supposedly too distraught to be alone so she slept with Hilary and Hilary's husband Kiffer in the same bed.
In the next few chapters Hilary is upset to discover that her husband sleeps with Jackie on numerous occasions to keep her (Jackie) from plumeting into dispair. But Hilary is stoic realizing it was necessary for Jackies "mental health". Emotionally, I felt like slapping some sense into Hilary. Since when do you invite your sister to share the same bed as you and your husband and not expect some repercussions.
This self sacrificing behavior so that, "what Jackie wants, Jackie gets" is evident throughout the book.
Eventually Jackie is diagnosed with MS and begins verbally abusing those around her. Sadly she is unable to continue to perform.
The book is a hard to put down read and will touch many emotionally.
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Title: Jacqueline Du Pre: Her Life Her Music, Her Legend by Elizabeth Wilson ISBN: 1559705191 Publisher: Arcade Books Pub. Date: 05 April, 2000 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
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Title:Hilary and Jackie ASIN: B00007ELEW Publisher: Umvd Pub. Date: 27 May, 2003 List Price(USD): $9.99 Comparison N/A, buy it from Amazon for $9.99 |
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Title: Jacqueline du Pré: A Biography by Carol Easton ISBN: 0306809761 Publisher: DaCapo Press Pub. Date: 01 October, 2000 List Price(USD): $16.00 |
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Title:Hilary And Jackie: Music From The Motion Picture ASIN: B00000FYID Publisher: Sony Pub. Date: 15 December, 1998 List Price(USD): $17.98 Comparison N/A, buy it from Amazon for $14.99 |
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Title:Jacqueline du Pré - Favourite Cello Concertos ~ Boccherini, Dvorák, Elgar, Haydn, Monn, Saint-Saëns, Schumann ASIN: B000002S1F Publisher: Emi Classics Pub. Date: 07 May, 1990 List Price(USD): $32.98 Comparison N/A, buy it from Amazon for $29.49 |
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