Product Description

The biography of the great African-American concert singer Marian Anderson traces the story of her life in south Philadelphia, her breatkthrough and acclaimed career in Europe in the 1930s, and her eventual success at home in the United States.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5934483 in Books
• Published on: 2000-06-15
• Format: Illustrated
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 164 pages

From School Library Journal
Grade 7-10 This biography of the famous black singer describes her life from her early childhood to her retirement. Her story is one of tremendous struggles and successes, but this biography does not do a good job conveying a sense of who Marian Anderson really was. Patterson spends entirely too much time describing in too much detail the musical apsects of Anderson's career. Young readers will not have the necessary background to understand the discussions of music and will be uninterested in the details of her management. Additionally, Patterson gives readers very little sense of the struggles which Anderson faced in trying to break into a world previously reserved almost exclusively for whites. This is the part of her story which readers would find most interesting, and it is given too little attention. This is largely due to Patterson's use of old sources and his heavy reliance on Anderson's autobiography My Lord, What a Morning . As a result, this book seems dated and reads like the biographies for children which were popular years ago. Black-and-white photos add very little to the text. It is regrettable that this book reveals so little of Anderson to young readers. Mary Mueller, Rolla Junior High School, Mo.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author
Charles Patterson is a graduate of Amherst College and Columbia University (Ph.D). He is the award-winning author of a diverse selection of titles, including Anti-Semitism: The Road to the Holocaust and Beyond, Marian Anderson, Thomas Jefferson, and Animal Rights. Patterson is member of the Authors Guild, PEN, and the National Writers Union. He lives in New York City.