In A Fine Romance, David Lehman looks at the formation of the American songbook--the timeless numbers that became jazz standards, iconic lov...
read full description
reviews
Jan 08, 2012
Mitchell
rated it: 
On page 115 of this book, David Lehman writes, ' I will write up my love of American popular song and its Jewish creators and I will write it straight, leaving myself out of it.' If only he did!
By this point in the book we are accosted by fictional interviews with the great song and lyric writers, inconsequential autobiographical anectdotes as well as cringe-inducing flights of fancy such as his imagining Harold Arlen and Jerome Kern as his uncles Harry and Jerry at his childhood sy More...
By this point in the book we are accosted by fictional interviews with the great song and lyric writers, inconsequential autobiographical anectdotes as well as cringe-inducing flights of fancy such as his imagining Harold Arlen and Jerome Kern as his uncles Harry and Jerry at his childhood sy More...
Nov 26, 2009
Dan
rated it: 
I loved this book! The author's love for the Great American Songbook, which was created largely by Jewish immigrants and their children, shines through in virtually every sentence. This is not a an abstract scholarly work; it is personal story, full of passion and the kind of insights that come only to one who truly loves the subject matter with all of her/his heart.
And what a tale, of assimilation and ambiguity and wit and urbanity and art and extraordinary talent.
And what a tale, of assimilation and ambiguity and wit and urbanity and art and extraordinary talent.
Dec 23, 2010
Mary
rated it: 
This tries to be too many different things--from personal memoir to the
history of Jewish influence on American popular music from Old Testament
times to Bob Dylan. Sometimes interesting, sometimes just a catalog of
what you could look up more easily by googling. Nice try though.
history of Jewish influence on American popular music from Old Testament
times to Bob Dylan. Sometimes interesting, sometimes just a catalog of
what you could look up more easily by googling. Nice try though.
May 16, 2010
Carrie
rated it:
Fun read about the classics, what the author calls Broadway's golden age. Sort of wish he'd kept going and talked about Sondheim, but I understand how that doesn't really fit into his arc. Yaaaay Jews.
Jul 31, 2011
Jul 30, 2011
Jun 25, 2011
Apr 27, 2011
Apr 14, 2011
Mar 27, 2011
Oct 07, 2010
Aug 13, 2010
Jul 28, 2010
Jun 09, 2010
May 10, 2010
Apr 17, 2010
Apr 17, 2010
Apr 17, 2010
Mar 05, 2010
Jan 31, 2010
Jan 29, 2010
Jan 01, 2010
Dec 28, 2009
Dec 25, 2009
Nov 19, 2009
