The Printed Word
A tremendous amount of ink has been spilled writing about this giant among entertainers but most of it is forgettable, unsubstantiated innuendo or myth. A few recent books, however, have done what should have been done long ago: address the monumental talent of the man and his Everest-like stature in the business that is the recording industry.
Here are a few selection that peel back the layers and reveal the genius and the art of Frank Sinatra.
Sinatra! The Song is You, Will Friedwald.
The first book to focus solely on the recording artistry of Frank Sinatra
and ignore the numerous myths and rumors surrounding the most celebrated
entertainer of the 20th century, Friedwald's book can be a overly generous
on occasion, but it's still essential reading to learn about the life's
work of The Chairman of the Board. Drawing upon numerous interviews with
collaborators, musicians, and arrangers, as well as rare interviews with
Sinatra, the book illuminates much of what made him unique in the recording
industry during his six decade career.
Sessions with Sinatra, Charles L. Granata.
This insightful book is not so much about the man as it is celebration
of his artistry and a thoroughly researched study of the techniques
used by Sinatra to record his classic albums. Chuck Granata interviewed
many of the still living musicians, arrangers, and recording studio professionals
to give readers a behind the scenes glimpse of history as it was made.
As the author states in his introduction, Frank Sinatra was a master
of the art of recording. His work in the studio set him apart from
other gifted vocalists...From song selection to choice of arranger and
orchestral accompaniment, and ultimately, the color of the sound achieved,
Sinatra, more than any other pop vocalist, was intimately involved with
the creation of his recordings.
This book is a time machine that takes
us into those sessions so many years ago.
Why Sinatra Matters, Pete Hamill.
Hamill makes no attempt to analyze the artistry of the singer and actor
from the viewpoint of a musicologist or film historian but provides an
intimate portrait of the man whom the author knew on a personal level.
He also approaches the mythic proportions of Frank Sinatra from the standpoint
of the socio-economic upheaval of the early 20th century and how it shaped
the attitudes and ambitions of this particular Italian-American from a
working class New Jersey city. As stated in the dust jacket, "Drawing
upon intimate conversations over the course of many years, Hamill evokes
the essence of Sinatra—examining his art and his legend from the
inside. Shaped by Prohibition, the Depression, and war, Sinatra became
the troubadour of urban loneliness."
As one critic said in a review of this very small book, it does one thing that other, more exhaustive biographies fail to do: makes the reader wish for more. But maybe more importantly, it makes the reader want to sit down and listen to the music.
Sinatra, Richard Havers.
I really like the feel and presentation of this nice, inexpensive coffee
table book. It does a great job of evoking the various eras as it weaves
the narrative of Sinatra's life and career. The book is packed with photos
of Sinatra memorabilia, period images of venues in which Sinatra performed
and the people and places inhabiting his realm. Maybe more than other
books, this oversized volume does a better job at transporting readers
back to the time periods written about in each of the chapters. The sidebars
are often packed with dates and facts about significant works
in the Sinatra oeuvre. I'd be tempted to move this book to the top of the
list if I were asked to choose a book for someone wanted to learn more
about the life and times and historical significane of Frank Sinatra.
It's elaborately illustrated yet has a lot of good, solid information.
The Rough Guide to Frank Sinatra, Chris Ingham.
Probably the only pocket-sized to Sinatra you'll ever need (or can find, for
that matter.) Not the most exhaustive volume—it is designed
to be both an introduction to the Sinatraverse as well as a one-stop
reference with detailed analysis of the singer's recordings and movie
work—but it's clear the author is both an admirer but also able to give
thoughtful commentary. Although the book can be appreciated on many levels,
it does serve as a nice desk reference because of it's small size and
format.
Sinatra: The Artist and the Man, John Lahr.
Read the book for the 100+ pages of rare pictures that record the life
and times of Sinatra. The text began as an article by Lahr for The New
Yorker magazine (he's the drama critic), but was expanded into a book
and often suffers from sounding like a tabloid story instead of an insightful
examination of the artist. Better yet, read the magazine article and look
at the pictures in the book.
Sinatra Treasures, Charles Pignone.
Written by one of the ultimate insiders and filled with facsimile artifacts
from the Sinatra family archives, this is a very extravagant scrapbook.
Sure, the book is short on critical analysis and does gloss over some
aspects of The Chairman's life, but most readers will be more interested
in the photos and reproduced artifacts that are contained in vellum pouches
throughout the book. Much of the material in this book just can't be found
anywhere else and that fact alone makes it a worthy addition to any bookshelf.
The Way You Wear Your Hat, Bill Zehme.
A book that started as a story in Esquire magazine titled And Then
There Was One,
Zehme took the unique approach that Frank Sinatra was
the best person to explain the life and times of Sinatra and what it
was like to inhabit that role from day to day. Using a fax machine and
written correspondences, Sinatra kept a running dialogue with the author
giving him unprecedented access to The Man's personal life. Sinatra simply
stated, It
took me a long, long time to learn what I now know, and I don't want
that to die with me.
Not a critical biography, but an entertaining
look at the life of a man who didn't do anything small.
Frank Sinatra Has a Cold, Gay Talese.
I added this article—first published in the April 1966 edition of
Esquire magazine and reprinted in 2003—because of its historical
significance and the beauty of the writing; both sympathetic and unflinching
in its portrayal of The Chairman of the Board on the eve of his fiftieth
birthday in late 1965. This piece was voted as the best article ever
to appear in Esquire and it also heralded the emergence of the New Journalism
form of nonfiction writing. I have no training whatsoever in journalism
or writing, but in my mind I see a 30-year bridge between this piece
and Why
Sinatra Matters.
An Appreciation of Frank Sinatra, Mikal Gilmore.
Knowing I am a Sinatra fan, an office assistant at the college gave me
a copy of Rolling Stone#789 that contained this tribute after Mr. Sinatra's
death. Having read a substantial amount of printed material regarding
the legend and legacy of The Voice of Our Time, this superbly crafted
retrospective is hands-down the best off all the articles that came
out following his death. While he had little use for rock music, the
writers and editors at Rolling Stone do not reciprocate in that disdain.
Many fine tributes and honors have been bestowed in The Chairman by
writers of the magazine.