Nina Simone: Break Down and Let It All Out

by Sylvia Hampton, David Nathan

A definitive portrait of the great jazz singer, songwriter, and musician chronicles the extraordinary life and career of Nina Simone, from her early training as a classical pianist to the heights of her lengthy international career, in a personal tribute to "The High Priestess of Soul."

Genres: Biography, Music, Biography Memoir

360 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2004

Reviews

[Kirsti-Jewel · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is written from the perspective of a Nina Simone fan... yet, there are a lot of negative accounts of Nina Simone. As others have said, the book is more about their relationship to Nina Simone, rather than about the career, or legacy of Simone. One is left to think that Simone was a crazy, Diva with little to no agency of her life... yet, this is written from the point of a view of a fan? The author(s) do not complicate Simone's experience as a Black woman protest musician when considering moments where she may have flipped out, nor do they show much allegiance to the legacy of Simone. While reading it, I kept wondering, what would Nina Simone think if she knew what her supposed dearest fans were writing about her?
Reading her autobiography is far more enriching than reading this biased account of Nina Simone.

[Laura]

More about the authors than about the subject.

[Alicia Mikolajczyk · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read already one biography of Nina Simone but this book I must admit has an extra insight into private life of Nina Simone - not from the perspective of the tabloids - although those are also there - but with additionally comment from her close friends giving a full picture what was really going on behind closed doors.
There where a few moments in this book when I was kind of tired with monologue of the author and her brother about their life's and feelings as a center of attention....but overall it is really good book and worth to read for every Nina Simone's fan.

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is definitely not the first book to read if you want an in-depth look at Nina Simone. Think of it as a companion book perhaps. And honestly it feels more like a memoir about the people who wrote it. THEIR time with Nina Simone and how she touched their lives. Really wish I had read another book.

[Richard Stauffacher · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disappointing. More about the biographer's experience and less about Nina. Some interesting anecdotes, but hardly the exhaustive bio I was looking for.

[Caseyfast · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too much about the author. Too little about Nina.