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Heat Wave: The Life and Career of Ethel Waters
From the author of the bestselling Dorothy Dandridge comes a dazzling look at one of America's brightest and most troubled theatrical stars.
Almost no other star of the twentieth century reimagined herself with such audacity and durable talent as did Ethel Waters. In this enlightening and engaging biography, Donald Bogle resurrects this astonishing woman from the annals of history, shedding new light on the tumultuous twists and turns of her seven-decade career, which began in Black vaudeville and reached new heights in the steamy nightclubs of 1920s Harlem.
Bogle traces Waters' life from her poverty-stricken childhood to her rise in show business; her career as one of the early blues and pop singers, with such hits as "Am I Blue?," "Stormy Weather," and "Heat Wave"; her success as an actress, appearing in such films and plays as The Member of the Wedding and Mamba's Daughters; and through her lonely, painful final years. He illuminates Waters' turbulent private life, including her complicated feelings toward her mother and various lovers; her heated and sometimes well-known feuds with such entertainers as Josephine Baker, Billie Holiday, and Lena Horne; and her tangled relationships with such legends as Irving Berlin, Duke Ellington, Harold Clurman, Elia Kazan, Count Basie, Darryl F. Zanuck, Vincente Minnelli, Fred Zinnemann, Moss Hart, and John Ford.
In addition, Bogle explores the ongoing racial battles, growing paranoia, and midlife religious conversion of this bold, brash, wildly talented woman while examining the significance of her highly publicized life to audiences unaccustomed to the travails of a larger-than-life African American woman.
Wonderfully atmospheric, richly detailed, and drawn from an array of candid interviews, Heat Wave vividly brings to life a major cultural figure of the twentieth century—a charismatic, complex, and compelling woman, both tragic and triumphant.
Almost no other star of the twentieth century reimagined herself with such audacity and durable talent as did Ethel Waters. In this enlightening and engaging biography, Donald Bogle resurrects this astonishing woman from the annals of history, shedding new light on the tumultuous twists and turns of her seven-decade career, which began in Black vaudeville and reached new heights in the steamy nightclubs of 1920s Harlem.
Bogle traces Waters' life from her poverty-stricken childhood to her rise in show business; her career as one of the early blues and pop singers, with such hits as "Am I Blue?," "Stormy Weather," and "Heat Wave"; her success as an actress, appearing in such films and plays as The Member of the Wedding and Mamba's Daughters; and through her lonely, painful final years. He illuminates Waters' turbulent private life, including her complicated feelings toward her mother and various lovers; her heated and sometimes well-known feuds with such entertainers as Josephine Baker, Billie Holiday, and Lena Horne; and her tangled relationships with such legends as Irving Berlin, Duke Ellington, Harold Clurman, Elia Kazan, Count Basie, Darryl F. Zanuck, Vincente Minnelli, Fred Zinnemann, Moss Hart, and John Ford.
In addition, Bogle explores the ongoing racial battles, growing paranoia, and midlife religious conversion of this bold, brash, wildly talented woman while examining the significance of her highly publicized life to audiences unaccustomed to the travails of a larger-than-life African American woman.
Wonderfully atmospheric, richly detailed, and drawn from an array of candid interviews, Heat Wave vividly brings to life a major cultural figure of the twentieth century—a charismatic, complex, and compelling woman, both tragic and triumphant.
655 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2011
30 people are currently reading
223 people want to read
About the author
Donald Bogle
26 books29 followersDonald Bogle is one of the foremost authorities on Black representation in films and entertainment history. His books include Running Press's Hollywood Black; the groundbreaking Toms, Coons, Mulattoes, Mammies, and Bucks; the award-winning Bright Boulevards, Bold Dreams; the bestselling Dorothy Dandridge: A Biography; and Brown Sugar, which Bogle adapted into a PBS documentary series. He was a special commentator and consultant for Turner Classic Movies’ award-winning series Race and Hollywood. Bogle teaches at the University of Pennsylvania and New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. He lives in Manhattan. — Running Press
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
September 3, 2011
When I was a little girl, my mother used to talk to me about the movie, “The Member
of the Wedding.” When, later in my life, I read the novel I learned that there were several characters involved in the story. For my mother there was only Berniece Sadie Brown, the character played by Ethel Waters. She always recounted Miss Waters’ singing of “His Eye is on the Sparrow.” I knew Miss Waters as older woman who sang wonderfully on various variety shows As Donald Bogle makes clear in “Heat Wave: The Life and Career of Ethel Waters” there was a lot more to Waters than what my mother and I knew.
Waters had a career that spanned decades and she is credited with influencing the style of subsequent popular singers and being the first black woman to innovate and perform in many different venues The huge grandmotherly woman I remember began as a tall, slinky figure who sang sexy suggestive songs like “Shake That Thing.” She starred in the movies and on Broadway. She ended her career with television guest shots and as a participant in Billy Graham’s televised crusades. Though the image she presented to the world was very pious her personal life included several younger ‘husbands’ and a number of female lovers. Her profanity filled rages during the filming of “Cabin in the Sky” probably cost her a more significant career in Hollywood.
Bogle, who has written many books about black entertainers paints an entertaining portrait of black show business in the Walters era. As new figures are introduced into her orbit, we get mini portraits of them It’s in this way that I found out that Billy Graham contributed to Martin Luther King’s bail money when he was in jail. This is a wonderful portrait of a important figure who many of my younger friends have forgotten. My one disappointment with the Kindle version? There are no pictures
of the Wedding.” When, later in my life, I read the novel I learned that there were several characters involved in the story. For my mother there was only Berniece Sadie Brown, the character played by Ethel Waters. She always recounted Miss Waters’ singing of “His Eye is on the Sparrow.” I knew Miss Waters as older woman who sang wonderfully on various variety shows As Donald Bogle makes clear in “Heat Wave: The Life and Career of Ethel Waters” there was a lot more to Waters than what my mother and I knew.
Waters had a career that spanned decades and she is credited with influencing the style of subsequent popular singers and being the first black woman to innovate and perform in many different venues The huge grandmotherly woman I remember began as a tall, slinky figure who sang sexy suggestive songs like “Shake That Thing.” She starred in the movies and on Broadway. She ended her career with television guest shots and as a participant in Billy Graham’s televised crusades. Though the image she presented to the world was very pious her personal life included several younger ‘husbands’ and a number of female lovers. Her profanity filled rages during the filming of “Cabin in the Sky” probably cost her a more significant career in Hollywood.
Bogle, who has written many books about black entertainers paints an entertaining portrait of black show business in the Walters era. As new figures are introduced into her orbit, we get mini portraits of them It’s in this way that I found out that Billy Graham contributed to Martin Luther King’s bail money when he was in jail. This is a wonderful portrait of a important figure who many of my younger friends have forgotten. My one disappointment with the Kindle version? There are no pictures
October 19, 2015
Brilliant. It is amazing this woman survived her childhood let alone become a star as a singer, musician, dancer, actress. Well worth the read if you are interested in this lady's life and if you want to know what it was like to be a extremely gifted person but black in a time of extreme racial prejudice.
January 8, 2015
A loving biography of the woman many consider the most influential person in popular music of the middle third of the 20th century. Alas this book, like so many these days was edited by "Mr. Gates' Monster" (aka spellcheck) leaving in place things like, "frequently rare" (for infrequent) and some passages that are just over long. Despite that Mr. Bogle's even-handed treatment of his subject and her millieu are fascinating and readable. He never puts thoughts into Miss Water's mind or words in her mouth that she did not say.
May 4, 2011
I'd seen Ethel Waters in TV documentaries and classic movies but I didn't know she was such a popular and accomplished singer/actor. The book provides interesting detail about her personal life as well as the ups and downs she experienced as an African American woman in show business during the 1920s through the 1960s. I enjoyed this book and am in awe of Ms. Waters' strength and determination to endure as a successful entertainer.
December 10, 2013
I admit, part of why I picked this up is because I'm trying to finish up the book challenge I signed up for .... but also because I happened across it on my library's shelves, and I was curious. I was familiar with Ethel Waters, but mostly by name only. After reading this book, I now feel like I know not only about Ms. Waters, but also about some of the history of Black performers in the United States.
The author has written other books, and it appeared that he did exhaustive research for this book. He takes the reader from Ethel Waters' childhood all the way up to her death, and gives you so much detail that you feel like you're right there with her most of the time. Ethel was an extremely talented performer, and it was interesting to read about not only how she started out in her early performances, but also how she continued to build upon her success .... and pick herself up when she wasn't as successful and find a way to keep going. I like how Bogle would give additional information on other performers, and explain not only what the entertainment atmosphere was for Black performers, but also how Waters influenced other performers. He writes not only about women like Ma Rainey, whose style impacted Waters, but also how Waters' own style was influential on other artists, as well.
As I mentioned, Mr. Bogle puts a lot of detail into this book. I will admit that a few times, I skimmed ahead a bit, because I was bogged down a bit. However, the book overall is very interesting, and a good read. After reading this, I'm interested in finding more information on some of the other artists mentioned in the book, and I'd like to try to find some recordings to listen to, as well.
The author has written other books, and it appeared that he did exhaustive research for this book. He takes the reader from Ethel Waters' childhood all the way up to her death, and gives you so much detail that you feel like you're right there with her most of the time. Ethel was an extremely talented performer, and it was interesting to read about not only how she started out in her early performances, but also how she continued to build upon her success .... and pick herself up when she wasn't as successful and find a way to keep going. I like how Bogle would give additional information on other performers, and explain not only what the entertainment atmosphere was for Black performers, but also how Waters influenced other performers. He writes not only about women like Ma Rainey, whose style impacted Waters, but also how Waters' own style was influential on other artists, as well.
As I mentioned, Mr. Bogle puts a lot of detail into this book. I will admit that a few times, I skimmed ahead a bit, because I was bogged down a bit. However, the book overall is very interesting, and a good read. After reading this, I'm interested in finding more information on some of the other artists mentioned in the book, and I'd like to try to find some recordings to listen to, as well.
March 23, 2022
4.5. Incredibly comprehensive biography (like to the point of describing every last piece of clothing and jewelry Waters wore to specific functions) is elevated by repeatedly contextualizing her infamously difficult behavior… why oh why was Waters so awful to work with? The author (and several who knew the great Waters) theorize that the key might be in how she was so often the First and Only Black artist to tick off her many accomplishments, and thus felt she COULDN’T be generous, because the Next and Only was always waiting to replace her. This not only creates more empathy for this enigmatic woman’s tough behavior, but sadly helps explain why Waters is less remembered than Lena Horne or Bessie Smith or Billie Holiday is today: why would her successors want to remember and canonize someone who treated them so poorly? A fascinating read (compromised only by some clunky grammatical choices and a redundant tendency to start sentences with the word “But”) and an excellent argument for Waters’ rightful place among singularly iconoclastic American artists. I mean if the only thing this book does is convince you to watch the scene from CABIN IN THE SKY where Waters sings “Taking a Chance on Love,” it’s basically providing a public service.
December 4, 2021
Donald Bogle has delivered an excellent biography of a woman whose name I knew, but whose life I never knew much about. Ethel Waters may have been the first black "diva." I remember Ethel Waters as being "regular" on the Billy Graham Crusade. I had all but forgotten her screen roles until this book reminded me. You think that black actresses have a hard time getting roles now, perhaps they should read this book to find out what a hard time truly looks like during the 1920s to the 1960s. As this author conveys, her life is not that much different than the lives of today's celebrities/entertainers. The controversies, the tantrums, the men, the women, the ego, the hangers-on, and the stage and screen performances are thoroughly researched. Ethel Waters was able to achieve a level of respect in her field at time when African-Americans were not many years out of slavery. Her story is one of being able to pull yourself up by your bootstraps with talent and drive.
April 2, 2021
Ethel Waters is well-deserving of this doorstop-size biography, which is well-researched and excellently written. (I have not read any of Mr. Bogle’s other books, but I plan to add them to my reading list.) The author places a lot of emphasis on the early part of Ms. Waters’ career, and he makes a case for Ms. Waters’ place among the very best of the early blues and jazz singers—and her influence on many of those who came after her. He spends less time on the latter portion of her life, but there are still many details about those years and a number of intriguing insights.
Ethel Waters was a complex woman, and while Mr. Bogle’s superb biography celebrates her talent, it also allows us to see her as a fully-dimensional human being with both strengths and weaknesses. I have been a longtime Ethel Waters fan—I actually had the opportunity to meet her briefly the year before she died—and I enjoyed this book immensely!
Ethel Waters was a complex woman, and while Mr. Bogle’s superb biography celebrates her talent, it also allows us to see her as a fully-dimensional human being with both strengths and weaknesses. I have been a longtime Ethel Waters fan—I actually had the opportunity to meet her briefly the year before she died—and I enjoyed this book immensely!
May 29, 2011
I knew of the songs “Stormy Weather” "Am I Blue" “Shake That Thing” and of course, "Heatwave" but I never knew of the complex/volatile singer. I only vaguely remembered her as an actress. It’s a good biography.
July 5, 2011
I love everything that Mr. Bogle has ever written!His books are long and the history thorough, but I love how he never lets you forget the persons story as he weaves it all together. Excellent!
February 11, 2014
The rough life of a great talent thoroughly documented. It's a blessing we have the movie, The Member of the Wedding, to remind us what a superb talent she was.
September 19, 2014
I loved this book.
October 21, 2021
Read it twice. I love this more than miss waters To me its wonderful and Sparrow. He gives us a good perspective of the real Ethel Waters who is largely forgotten today
July 28, 2022
Great book but a little dry and overly detailed at times. I would have preferred to know more about her relationship with Bricktop, and the others of 1920’s Paris
April 30, 2011
Interesting, but really far too long.
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April 18, 2013A wonderful book about the life of one of the great jazz/blues singers
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews