This book was very generously given to me by a freecycler.

The back cover reads:

In the vivid, seductive, gorgeously written memoir, Mandy Sayer reocunts the dascinating years she spent performing on the streets of New York and New Orleans with her father. Gerry Sayer was a jazz drummer, a beguiling Irish charmer with a million stories and an insatiable love for jam sessions and all-night parties. Mandy grew up captivated by his outrageous tales even after he left the family for good and her mother descended into the distance of drink. When her siblings failed by rejecting the bohemian performing life, Mandy saw her chance to become a character in his stories, part of the only life he really loved. So she learned to tap dance, and they set off together to satisfy their grand ambitions on the toughest stage in the world - New York.

Drvien by their dream of making it big, Mandy and Gerry arrived in the city with no place to stay and only costumes to their names. They became part of the thrilling, precarious world of street performers - jugglers, magicians, fire eaters, dancers - who ecked out their livings at the mercy of the elements, the cops, complaining neighbours, and lurking thieves. in cinematic details Sayer tells of the first exhilarating season in New York City, earning $200 a night on Columbus Avenus; offsetting the physical pain of endless performances with the incomparable rush that accompanied it; the long, difficult winter in New Orleans, surviving on avocados and raw vegetables in unheated apartments; and their final unforgettable return to New York.

Entwined with this singular story of a busker's life is the deeper, more intimate story of Mandy's transformation from a girl seraching for her father's love into a woman who could invent her own language and find her own voice. For ultimately Dreamtine Alice is a triumphant record of a young woman's discovery that she could create her own story at last.

RELEASE NOTES:

Posted to Rockdg9.

Thanks jubby. I like anything set in New York City.

Autobiography of an Australian tap-dancer who performed on the streets of New York and New Orleans with her drummer father in the 1980s.

This was an interesting tale of growing up amidst the unique characters of street performers and the underworld. At times, I found Mandy/Alice to be unbelievably naive and obsessed with boys, which made me want to give up reading, but I'm glad I stuck with it because some of the characters we meet are fabulous.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Travelling to my secret santa partner.

Released as a part of the D for December Challenge.
Released as a part of the What's in a Name Challenge (ALICE)
Released as a part of the Biography Challenge.

This was an interesting read. I found it frustrating at times (they should have given up pretty soon in and gone home), but the characters were interesting. I'm glad that I made it to the end.

Thanks for the pressie!

Sending as Secret Santa gift - Merry Christmas!

G'day,

Just checking in to let you know I am safe and sound. I am having a nice visit with fairy-whispers before continuing on my travels. I hope you’re having as much fun as I am!

With Great Affection,

Your Book :-)

G'day Welcome to BookCrossing! What you have in your hands is an honest-to-goodness gift, no strings attached. You may keep it forever and ever, pass it on to a friend, or release it in the wild like I did. I know it may seem a little odd to find this lying around--it's my way of touching the lives of others in a positive way and sharing my love of books. This book started its journey in Gracemere, Qld, Australia and I would like to thank you for letting us know it is still safe and sound. All over the world people are following their book’s travels through BookCrossing & by graciously visiting this site and making an entry you are helping keep this book’s unique travelling history up-to-date. If you choose to read this book, it would be really great if you could come back and let us know what you thought – as confirmed bookaholics, we love to compare notes! Don’t worry - you can remain anonymous if you wish. While you don’t have to register or join, I hope you will consider doing so. It’s free, it’s confidential (you are only known by your screen-name), and it’s highly addictive! If you do decide to join, please list myself (seldombites) or any previous reader of this book as your referring member. For more information about BookCrossing, check out the FAQs on the homepage. For more information about me (seldombites) or any other reader of this book, just click on that person’s screen-name above.

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