Thelonious Monk: A Biography of the Jazz Icon Robin Kelley

Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original by Robin Kelley is one of the best Jazz Musician Biographies available. With its high-quality binding and pages, this book is easy to read and makes a great gift. Readers will be thoroughly satisfied with their purchase.

Key Features:

The life and times of an American original can be seen as a unique and inspiring story. This individual has left an indelible mark on our nation's history, having achieved extraordinary success in their field. From humble beginnings to remarkable success, their life has been a journey of hard work and determination. Along the way, they have faced adversity and overcome obstacles, ultimately leading to their place in history. Their legacy is one of courage, resilience, and the power of the American dream.
89
B2B Rating
17 reviews

Review rating details

Value for money
88
Overall satisfaction
88
Giftable
88
Easy to read
85
Binding and page quality
81

Details of Thelonious Monk: A Biography of the Jazz Icon Robin Kelley

  • Language ‏ ‎: English
  • Paperback ‏ ‎: 640 pages
  • ASIN ‏ ‎: 1439190461
  • Best Sellers Rank: #5 in Jazz Musician Biographies#40 in Jazz Music #839 in Actor & Entertainer Biographies
  • Publisher ‏ ‎: Free Press; Illustrated edition
  • Customer Reviews: 4.7/5 stars of 620 ratings
  • Dimensions ‏ ‎: 6 x 1.6 x 9 inches
  • Jazz Musician Biographies: Jazz Musician Biographies
  • Actor & Entertainer Biographies: Actor & Entertainer Biographies
  • Jazz Music (Books): Jazz Music
  • ISBN-13 ‏ ‎: 978-1439190463
  • ISBN-10 ‏ ‎: 9781439190463
  • Item Weight ‏ ‎: 1.36 pounds

Comments

tooth: 日本語版が高かったから購入しました。良かったです。

Japan on Nov 26, 2023

Tim Robinson: A comprehensive, balanced and thoroughly engaging biography of this genius of jazz. I really enjoyed this book and will continue to dive into Monk’s music.

Australia on Jul 22, 2023

felisfelix: Clair et précis. Bonne biographie avec contexte historique.

Canada on Jun 07, 2023

Kouin Karpenstein: I bought this book as a Christmas present for my father. He is a big jazz fan and he really liked it! Even though the book didn't look brand new, when it arrived, it is still a great product.

Japan on Jan 05, 2023

Runmentionable: Jazz biographies (and autobiographies) are prone to creating and perpetuating myths about performers. Kelley's authoritative and almost certainly definitive biography of Monk tries and succeeds in doing the exact opposite, and is a much-needed corrective to the unhelpful myths which still circulate about Monk nearly 35 years after his death. In particular, it shreds the notion of Monk as an idiot savant and instead portrays him as a complex man who, though he clearly struggled with mental illness and the difficult behaviour resulting from it, was fully engaged with his family as well as his art. In doing so, it makes that art seem all the greater by dispelling the notion it mysteriously came from an unworldly man-child, and showing that it came from hard work, skill and learning as well as from unique genius.

The book's success hinges on its detailed research, To indicate just how detailed that was, it took 14 years to write, nearly half of the Kindle edition consists of footnotes and an index, and the first draft was 70, 000 words longer than the published version. Kelley's approach is straightforward. A chronological account, with an unusually and laudably tight grip on...

United Kingdom on Jul 10, 2017

Simeon Stylites: As a longtime fan of Thelonious Monk's music, I looked forward to reading Robin D. G. Kelley's much acclaimed biography, only to find it a serious disappointment. A good biography tells a story, including detail, anecdote, recollection, etc. that help the reader better understand the life - inner and outer - of the subject. I do not believe that a biography needs to include details about every single moment of a person's life, especially if it shines absolutely no light on the subject matter. Yet, that's precisely what Kelley does here. This text is absolutely over-loaded, bloated with the utmost minutiae that would interest only an obsessive compulsive stalker of Monk's, not a reader who wants to actually learn something about the man himself, especially his personal philosophy, influences, thoughts, hopes, fears, etc. along with a sense of why we - the readers, the fans, the students - should actually care about him as a human beyond his music.

Kelley, however, offers little in that respect, instead he fools himself into thinking that he is elevating Monk by cluttering the text with details, names, and dates; and that, by doing so, he is actually telling a story,...

United States on Jan 24, 2011

J. Snyder: Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original by Robin D.G. Kelley is a meticulously researched and engaging read that seeks to put the record straight without any chaser. Popular mythology about Monk tends to cast him as untrained, childlike and eccentric. Drawing upon a wealth of family documents, Kelley masterfully weaves a story that counters these myths and captures Monk's genius and his humanity with compassion and profound appreciation.

As an educator, I found myself drawn to the parts of the story that brought the people and local institutions that nourished Monk's musical creativity into vivid clarity. Very early on, Monk demonstrated a keen interest and talent in music, especially the piano. Growing up in Harlem during the early part of the twentieth century, his budding talents were nurtured thanks in part to his participation in an after school boys and girls club. At this youth center, Thelonious was able to begin his musical education and develop his piano playing. His mother, raising three children by herself, also provided a pivotal role in the young musician's life -- finding ways to provide him with piano at home and lessons to further hone...

United States on Feb 21, 2010

Thelonious Monk: A Biography of the Jazz Icon Robin Kelley The Storyteller: Inspiring Tales of Life and Music Guitar: Master the Circle of Fifths and Unlock Your Musical Potential
Thelonious Monk: A Biography of the Jazz Icon Robin Kelley The Storyteller: Inspiring Tales of Life and Music Guitar: Master the Circle of Fifths and Unlock Your Musical Potential
B2B Rating
89
98
95
Sale off $7 OFF $13 OFF
Total Reviews 17 reviews 803 reviews 154 reviews
Language ‏ ‎ English English English
Paperback ‏ ‎ 640 pages 66 pages
ASIN ‏ ‎ 1439190461
Best Sellers Rank #5 in Jazz Musician Biographies#40 in Jazz Music #839 in Actor & Entertainer Biographies #5 in Rock Band Biographies#5 in Rock Music #22 in Actor & Entertainer Biographies #305 in Music Theory #774 in Guitars
Publisher ‏ ‎ Free Press; Illustrated edition Dey Street Books; First Edition www.fundamental-changes.com
Customer Reviews 4.7/5 stars of 620 ratings 4.8/5 stars of 32,578 ratings 4.6/5 stars of 1,825 ratings
Dimensions ‏ ‎ 6 x 1.6 x 9 inches 6 x 0.93 x 9 inches 8.5 x 0.15 x 11 inches
Jazz Musician Biographies Jazz Musician Biographies
Actor & Entertainer Biographies Actor & Entertainer Biographies Actor & Entertainer Biographies
Jazz Music (Books) Jazz Music
ISBN-13 ‏ ‎ 978-1439190463 978-0063076099 978-1911267300
ISBN-10 ‏ ‎ 9781439190463 0063076098 1911267302
Item Weight ‏ ‎ 1.36 pounds 1.6 pounds 6.4 ounces
Before you spend your money, check out our reviews. Every time.
Best2buy Newsletter
Don’t miss out on the hottest seasonal and trendy products. Subscribe to our newsletter today.
Don’t miss out on the hottest seasonal and trendy products. Subscribe to our newsletter today.