Sassy: The Life of Sarah Vaughan

Rating:
Summary: Kim Lehmann
Review: I just finished reading this book. I've been a Sarah Vaughan fan for many years and I've even met her briefly once at Blues Alley in Washington, D.C. As this is the only biography of her, I suppose that I can't really trash it because I'm so grateful somebody wrote one. Nonetheless, it doesn't have nearly enough detail for me, and it gives very little insight into how she developed such incredible vocal talents and why she didn't become more famous as she deserved to be. It's an interesting read, however, for any Sarah Vaughan fan, who, like me, is hungry for information about her. Because she gave so few interviews, I guess it's difficult to really get into her head and this book doesn't do a particularly good job at helping the reader to really understand or know Sarah Vaughan. The chapter covering her illness is sparse at best, and as an African American singer, I would like to know more of how it was for a young Black woman to make her way to the top of her field in such a competitive and male dominated environment. The book touches on these issues sporadically, but certainly doesn't attempt to analyze it or answer any questions the reader may have about it. After reading this book, I have a bit more knowledge about Sarah Vaughan, but I must say that she remains an enigma. Perhaps that's not the fault of the writer, but maybe some people just can't be known. Sarah Vaughan was known to detest interviews and was apparently very private and shy. Perhaps she will always be an enigma. Her singing talent certainly was. I can only hope that more and better biographies are on the way.

Rating:
Summary: Kim Lehmann
Review: I just finished reading this book. I've been a Sarah Vaughan fan for many years and I've even met her briefly once at Blues Alley in Washington, D.C. As this is the only biography of her, I suppose that I can't really trash it because I'm so grateful somebody wrote one. Nonetheless, it doesn't have nearly enough detail for me, and it gives very little insight into how she developed such incredible vocal talents and why she didn't become more famous as she deserved to be. It's an interesting read, however, for any Sarah Vaughan fan, who, like me, is hungry for information about her. Because she gave so few interviews, I guess it's difficult to really get into her head and this book doesn't do a particularly good job at helping the reader to really understand or know Sarah Vaughan. The chapter covering her illness is sparse at best, and as an African American singer, I would like to know more of how it was for a young Black woman to make her way to the top of her field in such a competitive and male dominated environment. The book touches on these issues sporadically, but certainly doesn't attempt to analyze it or answer any questions the reader may have about it. After reading this book, I have a bit more knowledge about Sarah Vaughan, but I must say that she remains an enigma. Perhaps that's not the fault of the writer, but maybe some people just can't be known. Sarah Vaughan was known to detest interviews and was apparently very private and shy. Perhaps she will always be an enigma. Her singing talent certainly was. I can only hope that more and better biographies are on the way.

Rating:
Summary: Adequate
Review: While Gourse's biography of the Divine One traverses Vaughan's life decade by decade, it does so in a very cursory way, so if you know anything at all of Vaughan's life, you've probably already been exposed to most of the contents of this biography. While this book is decent in its cursory examination of Vaughan's life and her wonderful contributions to American and world music, one doesn't go away from this book feeling he or she has encountered Vaughan on an intimate level...the Devil's in the details, but it seems as though many of the details that would have allowed for an ampler and fuller study of Vaughan on a quotidian level were not provided. There are some interesting photographs of Vaughan, her family, her friends, her coterie of fans and colleagues, included in this biography, but those pictures should have been in bold, beautiful color, full pages, allowing the reader to see the vagaries of Vaughan in all her glamour, sophistication, and wit. One will learn more from listening to Vaughan's vast recording history. Still, this book will be of interest to Sass's devoted fans.