Lady Sings the Blues

by Billie Holiday, William Dufty | Biographies & Memoirs |
ISBN: 0767923863 Global Overview for this book
Registered by JennyC1230 of Woodstock, Georgia USA on 11/11/2009
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11 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by JennyC1230 from Woodstock, Georgia USA on Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Book Description:

Lady Sings the Blues is the fiercely honest, no-holds-barred autobiography of Billie Holiday, the legendary jazz, swing, and standards singing sensation. Taking the reader on a fast-moving journey from Holiday’s rough-and-tumble Baltimore childhood (where she ran errands at a whorehouse in exchange for the chance to listen to Louis Armstrong and Bessie Smith albums), to her emergence on Harlem’s club scene, to sold-out performances with the Count Basie Orchestra and with Artie Shaw and his band, this revelatory memoir is notable for its trenchant observations on the racism that darkened Billie’s life and the heroin addiction that ended it too soon. We are with her during the mesmerizing debut of “Strange Fruit”; with her as she rubs shoulders with the biggest movie stars and musicians of the day (Bob Hope, Lana Turner, Clark Gable, Benny Goodman, Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, and more); and with her through the scrapes with Jim Crow, spats with Sarah Vaughan, ignominious jailings, and tragic decline. All of this is told in Holiday’s tart, streetwise style and hip patois that makes it read as if it were written yesterday. This book was originally published in 1956, just three years before Billie Holiday died at the age of 44.

Review of re-release of this book by the San Francisco Chronicle

This is a hardback edition, formerly a library book, bought at a library sale in Woodstock, Georgia.

Journal Entry 2 by JennyC1230 from Woodstock, Georgia USA on Wednesday, November 11, 2009
I read this book this weekend. It was great! What a sad story, now I know why her singing was so mournful and filled with emotion. Billie Holiday had a really hard life. It makes you wonder if she would have been as talented if she had wealth or an easy life.

There is some interest in a Bookray, so this book will be travelling soon!

Journal Entry 3 by JennyC1230 from Woodstock, Georgia USA on Tuesday, November 17, 2009
This is an International Bookray/Ray-it-Forward for Lady Sings the Blues by: Billie Holiday. This is an open Bookray until it reaches its final destination! Then the last person on the list will either continue the Bookray or Ray-it-Forward to another Bookcrosser.

1. When you receive book, please make a journal entry.
2. PM the next person on the list for their address. (Always check to make sure the list hasn’t changed.) Make sure the person is able to take the book.
3. After you read the book, tell us what you thought of the book.
4. When you mail the book, make another journal entry to let us know.
5. Try to keep the book for only a month. If you are having trouble please PM me or e-mail me.: j(dot)Chaban(at)comcast(dot)net
6. If you see anyone on this list who is a known staller of bookrings please let me know that too!
7. At the end the last person on the list will either continue the Bookray or Ray-it-Forward to another Bookcrosser
8. Most importantly have fun and enjoy the book!! Thank you!

JennyC1230

List of participants for the Bookray:

princess-peapod (CA)
Unwrittenlibra/Intl. (Massachusetts)
mafarrimond/Europe pref. (UK)
Bookworm-lady/Europe pref. (Portugal)
ChrissyHam (Netherlands)


Last person on the list will either continue the Bookray or Ray-it-Forward to another Bookcrosser!

Yet-so-Tiny (UK) - Asked to be skipped
ruzena/Intl. (Finland) - Asked to be skipped

Journal Entry 4 by JennyC1230 at ~ RABCK ~, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- USA on Friday, January 22, 2010

Released 14 yrs ago (1/21/2010 UTC) at ~ RABCK ~, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- USA

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

If you have found this book, welcome to Bookcrossing and thank you for taking the time to let us know about its journey. Feel free to enjoy the book and pass it along to a friend, neighbor, family member or co-worker, or simply leave it somewhere for another lucky reader to enjoy as you did! This book isn’t your type of read? No problem, don't feel obliged to read it, just be kind enough to help it on its journey. If you join, please use my name as your referring member: JennyC1230.

Sending to princess-peapod to start the Bookray! Happy Travels little book!

Journal Entry 5 by princess-peapod from San Luis Obispo, California USA on Saturday, January 30, 2010
I just LOVE getting a package of books on a Friday....that means some fun reading time is in the cards for me this weekend! Thanks for letting me read this one as I have heard good stuff about it

Journal Entry 6 by princess-peapod from San Luis Obispo, California USA on Tuesday, March 2, 2010
almost done with this book so PM'ing the next in line and will give my thoughts when completely done : )
update, I am silly and lost the address that was sent to me, it is being PM'd to me again & this will go out asap!

I really enjoyed this book. I had heard that she had a rough life, but I never realized exactly what that entailed. Billie Holiday was an immense talent who lived through some rough times, but that emotion shows in her songs. The amazing thing to me was all the people she had worked with thru her career and places she had worked & travelled.

Journal Entry 7 by princess-peapod at Avila Beach, California USA on Monday, March 22, 2010

Released 14 yrs ago (3/22/2010 UTC) at Avila Beach, California USA

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

If you found this book while in the area of San Luis Obispo, CA. feel free to come by and check out Joe Mommas which houses our bookshelf! We also hold our local meetups on the first Tuesday of each month at 5pm there, please come join the fun! The books on the shelf are free to for you to read, enjoy and pass along to another!

sending off to it's next reader, sorry it was with me for so very long....enjoy!

"A book is a mysterious object, I said, and once it floats out into the world, anything can happen. All kinds of mischief can be caused, and there's not a damned thing you can do about it. For better or worse, it's completely out of your control."
Paul Auster


Journal Entry 8 by UnwrittenLibra from Middleton, Wisconsin USA on Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Arrived safely in Baltimore today - thanks, princess-peapod! Many bookrings in front of it but I'll try as fast as I can. It looks great.

Journal Entry 9 by UnwrittenLibra from Middleton, Wisconsin USA on Sunday, April 11, 2010
Started this one a few days ago on the Washington DC Metro and finished it up this weekend at the beach in Ocean City.

This little book really packs a punch. It's shocking but compelling at the same time. Billie Holiday (or her ghostwriter) really tells it like it is and doesn't sugarcoat anything. It's such a shame that such a talented woman from my hometown had to go through so much torture. There was a statue erected of her in town somewhere and apparently people were really up in arms about it - sure, she's well known, and came from Baltimore, but with all the negative things she was involved with, yeah, that really irked the more upper-class people.

Anyway, since Yet-so-tiny indicated on his/her profile that he/she wasn't accepting bookrings, its next stop is mafarrimond in England. It's packaged up and ready to go tomorrow.

Journal Entry 10 by UnwrittenLibra from Middleton, Wisconsin USA on Monday, April 19, 2010
Sent off to mafarrimond in England today via Baltimore-Roland Park Station, Maryland. Tally ho!

Journal Entry 11 by mafarrimond from Hawarden, Wales United Kingdom on Saturday, May 1, 2010
The book has arrived safely. I will read as soon as is possible and send onwards.

Journal Entry 12 by wingBookworm-ladywing at Madrid, Madrid Spain on Thursday, May 27, 2010
It has arrived safely; thanks for sharing it!
And thanks for passing it on, Mafarrimond!
Looking forward to reading it.
Eva

Journal Entry 13 by wingBookworm-ladywing at Madrid, Madrid Spain on Friday, October 7, 2011
I have almost finished reading it now; and I already have ChrissyHam's address, so it will be on its way to her soon...
Eva

Journal Entry 14 by wingBookworm-ladywing at Madrid, Madrid Spain on Sunday, October 9, 2011
I liked it, but... I guess it should have been a much more interesting account of Ms Holiday's life hadn't she been involved in its writing.
This biography sails through poignant issues such as child abuse and prostitution; during her latest years (and unfortunately, she died quite young, at 44), she seems mostly interested in making a statement in terms of considering drug addicts as sick people and not criminals (a good point, mind you!)
I would have liked to learn more about her love life and personal experiences; and of course, I would have loved to listen to the record that accompanied the original edition of this book.
However, it is quite interesting to see how racism affected show business in quite recent years.
And it made me feel like watching the Diana Ross film again!
One quote I liked:
"If you expect nothing but trouble, maybe a few happy days will turn up. If you expect happy days, look out!"
What a lady, and what a great voice!
Thanks for sharing, Jenny; this book will be on the last stage of its travel quite soon!
Eva

Journal Entry 15 by wingBookworm-ladywing at Madrid, Madrid Spain on Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Released 12 yrs ago (10/11/2011 UTC) at Madrid, Madrid Spain

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Sent today to ChrissyHam, in U.K.
Sorry I kept you waiting, and enjoy!
Eva

Journal Entry 16 by ChrissyHam at Bedminster, Bristol United Kingdom on Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Dropped through the door yesterday, thanks!!! Looking forward to reading this one.

Journal Entry 17 by ChrissyHam at -- Somewhere in Bristol 🤷‍♂️, Bristol United Kingdom on Tuesday, November 1, 2011
My word, what a life. From a fairly terrible beginning through an exciting, varied and chaotic adulthood lady day has been through a lot. Her talent digs her out of trouble many times, but she repeatedly manages to blow all her money and end up with nothing again. At times the style is a bit all over the place, but a really interesting read.

I'll pass this one onwards soon. Thanks for sharing

Journal Entry 18 by ChrissyHam at -- Somewhere in Bristol 🤷‍♂️, Bristol United Kingdom on Friday, November 4, 2011
So this book is heading back off again to continue its journey

First it is off to Greece to Vassilka
Then VictoriaWagtail - Sweden
Then Icila - France
Then ETMadrid
Then Kizmiaz -

Everyone's in europe so that keeps it simple :-)

On it's way to Greece now...

Journal Entry 19 by ChrissyHam at Bookring/Bookray, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- Canada on Friday, November 4, 2011

Released 12 yrs ago (11/4/2011 UTC) at Bookring/Bookray, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- Canada

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

book posted this morning...

Journal Entry 20 by vassilka at Larissa / Λάρισα, Larisa Greece on Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Received it a while ago. The post card is great! Thanx Chrissyham! I've got many to be reads but I'll do my best to read this one soon and send it to the next bookcrosser

Journal Entry 21 by vassilka at Larissa / Λάρισα, Larisa Greece on Monday, November 21, 2011
I finished the book today. Billie Holiday is one of my favourite singers. I knew she had a hard life and that she was addicted to drugs and alcohol but still it was very sad to read about what she had to go through from a very small age. I hate it when children have to grow up in this wrong way facing all the misfortunes on earth without love and help from anybody else. It isn't fair for any human being, especially for children.
I didn't know the story behind "Strange Fruit". I liked the way the book was written. It was like having her in front of me, narrating her life story. The last lines of the book leave an optimism about her future and that was heart breaking too because we all know how she died and we also know that she suffered till the end...
From now on her songs will never be the same for me.

Journal Entry 22 by vassilka at Larissa / Λάρισα, Larisa Greece on Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Released 12 yrs ago (11/22/2011 UTC) at Larissa / Λάρισα, Larisa Greece

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Off to VictoriaWagtail in Sweden since this noon. Happy reading!!!

Journal Entry 23 by VictoriaWagtail at Bagarmossen, Stockholm Sweden on Saturday, November 26, 2011
Thank you all for sharing this book and thanks ChrissyHam for starting the ray :) I really look forward to reading it, I hope it won't take too long before I can do that, I've got a couple of other rings at home too...

Journal Entry 24 by VictoriaWagtail at Bagarmossen, Stockholm Sweden on Wednesday, December 14, 2011
A very interesting book about a very interesting person! I really apreciated her acount of the segregated America, especially since the book was written and published in the 1950's, when the US was STILL segregated and racial predjudices were still widely spread. This is a brave book, written in an easily accesible way that I like.

Journal Entry 25 by VictoriaWagtail at Bagarmossen, Stockholm Sweden on Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Released 12 yrs ago (12/14/2011 UTC) at Bagarmossen, Stockholm Sweden

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The book is now on its way to France, I hope it makes it before Christmas and that Icila enjoys this holliday-read (*wink wink* ;) )

I support The Swedish Cancer Society with a Pink Ribbon
Photobucket

Journal Entry 26 by wingIcilawing at Nantes, Pays de la Loire France on Saturday, December 17, 2011
I received it yesterday along with the storm! Thanks Victoria for the book, the lovely card and the ribbon.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR !

Journal Entry 27 by wingIcilawing at Nantes, Pays de la Loire France on Monday, January 16, 2012
Very moving story. My curiosity made me search more on wikipedia and I know now that her life was even sadder than what she wrote.

Journal Entry 28 by wingIcilawing at La Chapelle-sur-Erdre, Pays de la Loire France on Saturday, January 21, 2012

Released 12 yrs ago (1/21/2012 UTC) at La Chapelle-sur-Erdre, Pays de la Loire France

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En route towards ETMadrid in the UK.

Thank you - I'm looking forward to this - though I admit I'm currently running a little behind - will catch up soon and let you know how I get on with this.

I loved this. What a life. It serves as a crude reminder of the harsh reality of quite recent black history. So much misfortune in one very tough, talented lady's life. I haven't been bothered by the fact that she was not writing it, as it is so clearly drawn directly from recorded conversations. If you enjoyed this, make sure you get your hands on Sidney Bechet's "Treat It Gentle". He "wrote" it himself, speaking into a recorder. The oral tradition was still strong. The SFC book review is revealing, as is this article about the song "Strange Fruit".

The bit that I hope will stay with me is this:
"Everyone's got to be different. You can't copy anybody and end up with anything. If you copy, it means you're working without any real feeling. And without feeling, whatever you do amounts to nothing. [ ... ] I can't stand to sing the same song the same way two nights in succession, let alone two years or ten years. If you can, then it ain't music, it's close-order drill or exercise or yodeling or something, not music."

Thanks very much for this opportunity.

Journal Entry 31 by ETMadrid at Bermondsey, Greater London United Kingdom on Thursday, April 5, 2012

Released 11 yrs ago (4/5/2012 UTC) at Bermondsey, Greater London United Kingdom

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This went in the post today, to kizmiaz.

I'm told that Etta James' autobiography is also worth tracking down...

Journal Entry 32 by kizmiaz at Belém , Lisboa (cidade) Portugal on Thursday, April 12, 2012
It's with me now.
I'll get to it as soon as I can and then let it travel.
Thanks for sharing

Journal Entry 33 by kizmiaz at Belém , Lisboa (cidade) Portugal on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Let me start off by saying that I was never much of Lady Day fan although I do love "God Bless the Child" and "Strange Fruit", so I had no real big expectations when I started reading this book and was actually thinking it would be a polished version of a biography, so imagine my surprise when I come across this raw and gripping depiction of a very hard life.
Ok, so the experts say this is a one sided version of the story and that Billie kept some of her secrets secret but still I really enjoyed it.
Not often do we come across an autobiography that uncovers most of the dirt and the not so good moments of a musician (or any other celebrity) and lays it out there for the world (out of the top of my head I remember a few of these autobiographies, but just a few like Keith Richards, Slash and Motley Crue), and this one is certainly an example.
I enjoyed reading these accounts and was stunned by the amount of racial/social crap that Lady Day (and a whole generation of young hip cats) had to put up with just to sing to audiences that wanted to hear them. It's a success story but when you finish the book it doesn't really feel like one.
A good book about a very good singer with some poignant views on the ways of society.

Journal Entry 34 by kizmiaz at Belém , Lisboa (cidade) Portugal on Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Released 11 yrs ago (9/9/2012 UTC) at Belém , Lisboa (cidade) Portugal

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passed to a work colleague who's not in BC, yet

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