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72nd out of 75 books
—
69 voters
My Life
My Life, the classic autobiography first published just after Duncan's death, is a frank and engrossing life account of this remarkable visionary and feminist who took on the world, reinvented dance, and led the way for future great American modernists Ruth St. Denis, Agnes de Mille, and Martha Graham.Documenting Duncan's own life as a dancer and as a woman—from her enchan...more
Paperback, 256 pages
Published
March 17th 1996
by Liveright
(first published 1927)
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Born in the late 19th century and living until her tragic accidental death in 1927, Isadora Duncan is credited with beginning the art of modern dance in the western world. This book is her autobiography. Duncan started dancing when she was a little girl and, despite lacking any formal training, devoted her life to dance. Her free and improvisatory style took a long time to gain popularity even among the artistic and intellectual community, but Duncan did eventually achieve quite a lot of success...more
In cases like these, memoirs of people who exceed life, what can be said about their writing when it's all about their lives? Does Duncan write well? She never claims to, in fact the opposite. Is her narrative well-crafted? Hardly, and she admits as much. So what I'd be rating here is her life rather than how she tells it, and that is really unratable because it exceeds all bounds of norms, bounds, the typical vicissitudes. I couldn't help but read her as a character, a Mme. Bovary meets some Ge...more
Truly fantastic work! Duncan was so much more than a dancer. She was a dedicated scholar, one of the most free-thinking feminists I’ve encountered (some of her ideas would still be considered radical to some degree today), and a great writer. I was really surprised by the depth of her thinking and her understanding and passion for art in its many manifestations. She understood that one of the highest callings one can have in this life is art and that it is a spiritual pursuit—and she created som...more
My first edition 1928 copy of this book sprouted post-its in every direction as I researched my graphic biography of Isadora. Isadora's version of events is perhaps a little puffed up, perhaps not all written by her own hand, but it's still the closest you can get to this daredevil of a woman. When I found this memoir on my grandmother's shelf, Isadora became my first feminist heroine.
Isadora led a fascinating life. She was artistic to the point of being barely able to function in the real world. Noble, proud and pretentious, unwilling to apologize for herself. An artist in the truest sense of the word. She tells her life story here with dramatic prose.
I liked the book, but didn't love it. She was definitely a woman who was, if not before her time, just in time. Her forward thinking paved the way for many, both artistically and socially. She died the way she lived, throwing c...more
I liked the book, but didn't love it. She was definitely a woman who was, if not before her time, just in time. Her forward thinking paved the way for many, both artistically and socially. She died the way she lived, throwing c...more
Fascinating account by a true free spirit. Duncan wasn't bound by the conventions of her time, yet her autobiography gives a very vivid account of life before (and a little after) WWI.
Wow, what a fascinating woman and she writes beautifully. I am not really even a fan of her dancing but her story is fantastic. I recommend it as an interesting biography.
I adore Isadora, and obviously she did too. Modest she was not, but I can hardly blame her. She certainly had a personality and a very unique view on various issues. The style of writing is sometimes simply annoying and unconvincing. Dancing in the womb, fed oysters and born under Venus guidance? I can scarcely believe she believed it, but perhaps she did, as her life was rather radical. That is not to say I believe it, though, and she often comes across as not quite in touch with reality. In th...more
I loved this book because it told Her-Story!!!
She takes us on a ride into her world of being free. Ms Duncan died tragically but lived vicariously thrilling !!!
She has been called the 'Mother of Modern Dance'. She was inflenced by the classics, especially Greek Myth, where she danced in grecian tunics. She had sexual escapades in the early 1900's that people shunned but today is the norm. She refused to be involved in anything that constricted her individuality!!!
I totally felt her character and...more
She takes us on a ride into her world of being free. Ms Duncan died tragically but lived vicariously thrilling !!!
She has been called the 'Mother of Modern Dance'. She was inflenced by the classics, especially Greek Myth, where she danced in grecian tunics. She had sexual escapades in the early 1900's that people shunned but today is the norm. She refused to be involved in anything that constricted her individuality!!!
I totally felt her character and...more
Great book! Very honest, very personal, timeless. We read it in our Pirouettes and Pages book club.
My favorite book ever. Yes, I'm a dancer. She's the first author to capitalize Art. Nice.
It was absolutely amazing!I'm still thinking of her and her fascinating life.
I read this when I was about 15. It had a profound influence on my life.
Isadora is one of my heroes. She was so far ahead of her time.
one of my favorite books of all time. Isadora Duncan's story of her own life is written with an exuberance and reveals all the adventures of her life. She was a forward thinking woman, a very early feminist, refusing to be set into categories or be married for the sake of society, and often gave her opinions freely, shocking everyone. All this, plus you get to understand her love and passion for dance, the purity of feeling, and the universality of it. She was a great artist of her time. I was e...more
أقرأ النسخة العربية في سلسلة الجوائز
Wow all I can say is wow!
Interesting life tragic death
I found Isadora Duncan's autobiography to be by turns inspiring and tragic, uplifting and depressing.
I thought it was interesting coming from her point of view, however it was extremely self-aggrandizing and showed that she had little insight into her own psyche. I would like to read other books about her to get a fuller picture of both the good and bad aspects of her character. The funny thing is, she does present her self as someone so flighty that she would get her scarf caught under the wheel of a car and die.
she obviously wasn't a writer...but she did promote a vegetarian lifestyle around 1900, which is rather impressive to me.
Not a modest bone in the body of the mother of modern dance. Interesting life--if half of it is true--but so mellow-dramatic and self indulgent it was hard to actually want to keep reading. But, when all is said and done she is definitely a rock star, and I am glad I finished it.
How good? So good. A completely inspiring woman who led a completely inspiring life.
A wonderful insight into the mind and soul of one of the best dancers in history, who isn't given near enough credit!Much more than your average bio or memoir.
May 27, 2008
Ricardo
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Ricardo by:
Jorge
el último libro que faltaba mencionar de los que leí en las playas de Punta del Diablo. 8 años para que Mr. Russo quedara satisfecho.
I laughed a couple of times and could relate to some of her thoughts, but overall for some reason I found it a little self-absorbed.
A life worth documenting-her passion is infectious! I like her creative spirit and her thoughts about beauty and purity.
Fascinating - one of the best artist biographies I've read.
May 22, 2013
Megan Robinson
marked it as to-read
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Isadora Duncan was an American dancer. She was born Angela Isadora Duncan in San Francisco, California and is considered by many to be the mother of Modern Dance. Although never very popular in the United States, she entertained throughout Europe.
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“Any woman or man who would write the truth of their lives would write a great work. But no one has dared to write the truth of their lives.”
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14 people liked it
“For I was never able to understand, then or later on, why, if one wanted to do a thing, one should not do it. For I have never waited to do as I wished. This has frequently brought me to disaster and calamity, but at least I have the satisfaction of getting my own way.”
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11 people liked it
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Jun 22, 2012 09:08am