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Title: Steps in Time by Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Jennifer Dunning ISBN: 0-8154-1058-1 Publisher: Cooper Square Press Pub. Date: June, 2000 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $22.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.64 (11 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: More than just dancing!
Comment: 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!
Rating: 4
Summary: Interesting, fun stuff, but not provocative
Comment: After finding this book in a New York bookstore, I eagerly began reading about my all-time favorite actor. Some of the personal stories about his life and work are interesting and it is fun to hear what he has to say about his success, but that is all. Astaire tells a quick story and then jumps to the next. He does not analyze much about his life, nor does he really get to the root of his personality. But it is hard to criticize such a brilliant man, so I will leave it as that. You will only enjoy this book if you love Fred Astaire as much as I do. Happy reading!
Rating: 4
Summary: A book worth reading...
Comment: This book is actually one big anecdote, peppered with little things like Mr. A's first punch, trying to figure out a title for the book, and meeting his wife, Phyllis.
However, Fred Astaire does not offer much insight on how he got from point A to Z, or what made him do this and that. In other words, people who want the whys (and plan to psychoanalyze Mr. A's actions) will not find what they are looking for.
It's still a great read though, and real entertaining.
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Title: Astaire and Rogers by Edward Gallafent ISBN: 0231126263 Publisher: Columbia University Press Pub. Date: 15 March, 2002 List Price(USD): $60.00 |
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Title: Fred Astaire by Sarah Giles ISBN: 0385247419 Publisher: Doubleday Pub. Date: 04 October, 1988 List Price(USD): $30.00 |
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Title: Ginger: My Story by Ginger Rogers ISBN: 006018308X Publisher: HarperCollins Pub. Date: October, 1991 List Price(USD): $22.00 |
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Title: Gene Kelly: A Life of Dance and Dreams by Alvin Yudkoff ISBN: 0823088197 Publisher: Watson-Guptill Pubns Pub. Date: September, 2001 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
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Title:You'll Never Get Rich ASIN: B00000F9GK Publisher: Columbia Tristar Hom Pub. Date: 21 October, 2003 List Price(USD): $19.95 Comparison N/A, buy it from Amazon for $17.36 |
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