Enrico Caruso: My Father and My Family (Abr ed) (Opera Biography Series, No 2)

Rating:
Summary: Best book available on the greatest tenor of the century
Review: Enrico Caruso is the greatest tenor of this century. I say "is" because every tenor is still compared to Caruso (not to one of "The Three"); his records, all predating the microphone, still sell 76 years after his death; and there are more books about the life and art of Caruso than any other singer. The original version of this book appeared seven years or so ago and was regarded as one of the best Caruso biographies ever written. The book has now been streamlined to remove chapters that were more about the family after Caruso's death than about the great tenor. Not only did Caruso's son have access to family photos, letters, etc denied other biographers but he also has the unique first-hand perspective. Caruso Jr and his co-author, Andrew Farkas, produced a balanced, admirable biography with a smootly flowing narrative. This book belongs on the shelf of every opera lover beside copies of Robinson's collection of Caruso photos and a collection of Caruso's caricatures. Even though I have copies of numerous other biographies of Caruso, this one is the best and the others can be put aside

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic
Review: The book is gorgeous. Without doubt the best book ever written about Caruso(and there are thousands). And it is exiting to read too... Go and get it! You'll love it! It's just a pitty (and I mean a real pitty) that this is the abridged version - the full one is even better (just in case you love to read ghost stories of how Caruso appeared to his son or you want to know what happened to all the people, Carusos belongings and his body after he died.)