The Sound of Freedom: Marian Anderson, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Concert That Awakened America
by Raymond Arsenault
List Price:
Our Price: $4.79
You Save: $20.21 (81%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $3.49 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Raymond ArsenaultEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2009-03-31
ISBN: 1596915781
Number of pages: 320
Publisher: Bloomsbury Press
Product features:
- ISBN13: 9781596915787
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Book Reviews of The Sound of Freedom: Marian Anderson, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Concert That Awakened America
Book Review: The Sound Of Freedom - Marian Anderson's Music And Civil Rights Legacy Brought To Life
Summary: 5 Stars
The Sound of Freedom: Marian Anderson, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Concert That Awakened America tells the story of a great musical icon and her battle to perform in the nation's capital in the tense segregationist climate of the United States of America in 1939. A rare contralto, Anderson struggled for work and recognition in the US and found fame in Europe before returning to her native country.
The biographical nature of this story gives great insight into the life, thoughts and philosophy of an artist whose legacy has gotten far too little coverage. But this book also provides a well researched history of the social realities that gave rise to the country and era into which Marian Anderson was born. The coverage of the lives of African Americans in the US prior to and during the depression era is expertly researched yet accessibly written. Contrasts are also drawn between the conditions in northern cities, like Anderson's Philadelphia, and southern cities more deeply subject to Jim Crow law.
Whenever you write a story about an event like the concert at the Lincoln Memorial, the need to put the story into context creates great risks. On the one hand, if you don't give enough back-story you prevent readers who know less about the era from truly grasping the significance of the event. On the other hand, if you present too detailed of a history you run the risk of overshadowing the key players. Raymond Arsenault has managed to strike an incredible balance between history and biography. The various sections flow seamlessly from one to another. Even when he ventures far from the story line, the excursion is almost always interesting and enjoyable.
One of the aspects of this story that is difficult to communicate is the actual power of Marian Anderson's voice. For those who have never heard her, it is very difficult to imagine how seminal a performer she was. This is even more of a challenge considering that time has eroded the memory of her life and work. And to top it off, the music on which she focused is not often in the spotlight. While her interpretations of spirituals were emphasized by critics, her own focus on European musical traditions is evident. Even amongst classical music aficionados, I know few people so focused on German lieder as she was.
The author's approach to this challenge is to recount the critical reviews she received from various performances. As her story goes on, we see her acclaim rising till it reaches near hysteria. That is what made her struggle to find someplace she could perform in the nation's capital such a lightning rod. If an artist whose greatness is acclaimed across such a wide array of audiences cannot be received in the capital of her own country, then who is worthy? The author may seem to over-emphasize the reviews. Yet these sections are key because they allow the reader to grasp what a huge star Marian Anderson was in the world of music at that time.
At the end of the book, after she has finally been able to perform, we learn of the aftermath of her story. The continued struggles to leverage her performance to break down barriers are covered nicely. While the book has a very different tone and style at the end than it had at the beginning, it is thoroughly enjoyable all the way through.
THE RESEARCH
The author clearly has a strong background in research, and it shows in the detailed contents and extensive research notes. There are copious notes on the references employed by the author in researching this book. But the book is so well written that it will be enjoyable to all, even those who haven't met the stringent academic requirements of a History Ph.D. Combining such high quality research along with such a well written book is an achievement.
In the afterward, the author notes that this book took two years to write. That such a work could have been completed in two years is amazing in and of itself. While not an overly fast read, this book is engrossing enough to make you not want to put it down till it's done. It took me a few weeks to read a few hours at a time. Digesting all the references would take a much longer time. But this book will be getting re-read.
CONCLUSION
For those interested in classical music, American history, African-American history or the life of Marion Anderson herself, this book is a must read. It might be the best book on each of those subjects published in quite a long time. Not to overstate the obvious, but this book is highly recommended.
Enjoy.
More The Sound of Freedom: Marian Anderson, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Concert That Awakened America reviews:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
History Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Audiobooks on Cassette
- Audiobooks on CD
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- e-Books
- Engineering
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Medicine
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Books I Read in 2009
The Life and Times of Cotton Matherby Kenneth Silverman
Welcome Rain Publishers; Published: 2001-12-25; Paperback; Book
Best price: $14.85
Price in other shops:
Impeached: The Trial of President Andrew Johnson and the Fight for Lincoln's Legacyby David O. Stewart
Simon & Schuster; Published: 2009-05-12; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $12.86
Price in other shops:
Stengel: His Life and Timesby Robert W. Creamer
University of Nebraska Press; Published: 1996-03-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $22.44
Price in other shops:
John Tyler (The American Presidents Series: The 10th President, 1841-1845)by Gary May
Times Books; Published: 2008-12-09; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $11.70
Price in other shops:
The Last Founding Father: James Monroe and a Nation's Call to Greatnessby Harlow Giles Unger
Da Capo Press; Published: 2009-09-29; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $11.35
Price in other shops:
Ulysses S. Grant: The Unlikely Hero (Eminent Lives)by Michael Korda
Harper Perennial; Published: 2009-05-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.92
Price in other shops:
The Perfect Summer: England 1911, Just Before the Stormby Juliet Nicolson
Grove Press; Published: 2008-05-13; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.75
Price in other shops:
The Birth of Modern Politics: Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams, and the Election of 1828 (Pivotal Moments in American History)by Lynn Parsons
Oxford University Press, USA; Published: 2009-05-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $14.77
Price in other shops:
American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jeffersonby Joseph J. Ellis
Vintage; Published: 1998-04-07; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.80
Price in other shops:
John Lennon: The Lifeby Philip Norman
Ecco; Published: 2008-11-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $14.14
Price in other shops:
Similar books summaries and other product reviews
Lift Every Voice: The NAACP and the Making of the Civil Rights Movementby Patricia Sullivan
New Press; Published: 2009-08-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $14.97
Price in other shops:
The Voice That Challenged a Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rightsby Russell Freedman
Clarion Books; Published: 2004-05-25; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $6.30
Price in other shops:
Prima Voce - Marian Anderson / ShawAnderson; Release date: 1997-01-07; Music CD
Best price: $7.16
Price in other shops:
READINGS IN AMERICAN GOVERNMENTby NICHOLS MARY P, NICHOLS DAVID K
Kendall Hunt Publishing; Published: 2006-09-30; Paperback; Book
Best price: $108.61
Marian Anderson: A SINGER'S JOURNEY (Music in American Life)by Allan Keiler
University of Illinois Press; Published: 2002-01-23; Paperback; Book
Best price: $16.16
Price in other shops:
Marian AndersonRCA; Release date: 1990-10-25; Music CD
Best price: $1.55
Price in other shops:
My Lord, What a Morning: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY (Music in American Life)by Marian Anderson
University of Illinois Press; Published: 2002-02-19; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.72
Price in other shops:
From Reliable Sources: An Introduction to Historical Methodsby Martha C. Howell, Walter Prevenier
Cornell University Press; Published: 2001-04; Paperback; Book
Best price: $14.69
Price in other shops:
Marian Anderson: A Portrait in MusicRelease date: 2004-05-25; DVD
Best price: $19.70
Price in other shops:
Marian Anderson - SpiritualsRCA; Release date: 1999-01-12; Music CD
Best price: $6.02
Price in other shops: