search for books and compare prices
Price
Store
Arrives
Preparing
Shipping
Jump quickly to results on these stores:
The price is the lowest for any condition, which may be new or used; other conditions may also be available.
Bibliographic Detail
Publisher
Random House Large Print
Publication date
October 25, 2011
Pages
805
Binding
Paperback
Edition
Large print
Book category
Adult Non-Fiction
ISBN-13
9780739378380
ISBN-10
0739378384
Dimensions
1.50 by 6.25 by 9.25 in.
Weight
1.78 lbs.
Original list price
$31.00
Amazon.com says people who bought this book also bought:
The Blood of Emmett Till | I Am Not Your Negro | Tears We Cannot Stop: A Sermon to White America | Here I Stand | The Measure of a Man | The Facts
The Blood of Emmett Till | I Am Not Your Negro | Tears We Cannot Stop: A Sermon to White America | Here I Stand | The Measure of a Man | The Facts
Summaries and Reviews
Amazon.com description: Product Description: Harry Belafonte is not just one of the greatest entertainers of our time; he has led one of the great American lives of the last century. Now, this extraordinary icon tells us the story of that life, giving us its full breadth, letting us share in the struggles, the tragedies, and, most of all, the inspiring triumphs.
Â
Belafonte grew up, poverty-ridden, in Harlem and Jamaica. His mother was a complex womanâcaring but withdrawn, eternally angry and rarely satisfied. His father was distant and physically abusive. It was not an easy life, but it instilled in young Harry the hard-nosed toughness of the city and the resilient spirit of the Caribbean lifestyle. It also gave him the drive to make good and channel his anger into actions that were positive and life-affirming. His journey led to the U.S. Navy during World War II, where he encountered an onslaught of racism but also fell in love with the woman he eventually married. After the war he moved back to Harlem, where he drifted between odd jobs until he saw his first stage playâand found the life he wanted to lead. Theater opened up a whole new world, one that was artistic and political and made him realize that not only did he have a need to express himself, he had a lot to express.
Â
He began as an actorâand has always thought of himself as suchâbut was quickly spotted in a musical, began a tentative nightclub career, and soon was on a meteoric rise to become one of the worldâs most popular singers. Belafonte was never content to simply be an entertainer, however. Even at enormous personal cost, he could not shy away from activism. At first it was a question of personal dignity: breaking down racial barriers that had never been broken before, achieving an enduring popularity with both white and black audiences. Then his activism broadened to a lifelong, passionate involvement at the heart of the civil rights movement and countless other political and social causes. The sections on the rise of the civil rights movement are perhaps the most moving in the book: his close friendship with Martin Luther King, Jr.; his role as a conduit between Dr. King and the Kennedys; his up-close involvement with the demonstrations and awareness of the hatred and potential violence around him; his devastation at Dr. Kingâs death and his continuing fight for what he believes is right.
Â
But My Song is far more than the history of a movement. It is a very personal look at the people in that movement and the world in which Belafonte has long moved. He has befriended many beloved and important figures in both entertainment and politicsâPaul Robeson, Eleanor Roosevelt, Sidney Poitier, John F. Kennedy, Marlon Brando, Robert Kennedy, Nelson Mandela, Fidel Castro, Tony Bennett, Bill Clintonâand writes about them with the same exceptional candor with which he reveals himself on every page. This is a book that pulls no punches, and turns both a loving and critical eye on our countryâs cultural past.
Â
As both an artist and an activist, Belafonte has touched countless lives. With My Song, he has found yet another way to entertain and inspire us. It is an electrifying memoir from a remarkable man.
From the Hardcover edition.
Â
Belafonte grew up, poverty-ridden, in Harlem and Jamaica. His mother was a complex womanâcaring but withdrawn, eternally angry and rarely satisfied. His father was distant and physically abusive. It was not an easy life, but it instilled in young Harry the hard-nosed toughness of the city and the resilient spirit of the Caribbean lifestyle. It also gave him the drive to make good and channel his anger into actions that were positive and life-affirming. His journey led to the U.S. Navy during World War II, where he encountered an onslaught of racism but also fell in love with the woman he eventually married. After the war he moved back to Harlem, where he drifted between odd jobs until he saw his first stage playâand found the life he wanted to lead. Theater opened up a whole new world, one that was artistic and political and made him realize that not only did he have a need to express himself, he had a lot to express.
Â
He began as an actorâand has always thought of himself as suchâbut was quickly spotted in a musical, began a tentative nightclub career, and soon was on a meteoric rise to become one of the worldâs most popular singers. Belafonte was never content to simply be an entertainer, however. Even at enormous personal cost, he could not shy away from activism. At first it was a question of personal dignity: breaking down racial barriers that had never been broken before, achieving an enduring popularity with both white and black audiences. Then his activism broadened to a lifelong, passionate involvement at the heart of the civil rights movement and countless other political and social causes. The sections on the rise of the civil rights movement are perhaps the most moving in the book: his close friendship with Martin Luther King, Jr.; his role as a conduit between Dr. King and the Kennedys; his up-close involvement with the demonstrations and awareness of the hatred and potential violence around him; his devastation at Dr. Kingâs death and his continuing fight for what he believes is right.
Â
But My Song is far more than the history of a movement. It is a very personal look at the people in that movement and the world in which Belafonte has long moved. He has befriended many beloved and important figures in both entertainment and politicsâPaul Robeson, Eleanor Roosevelt, Sidney Poitier, John F. Kennedy, Marlon Brando, Robert Kennedy, Nelson Mandela, Fidel Castro, Tony Bennett, Bill Clintonâand writes about them with the same exceptional candor with which he reveals himself on every page. This is a book that pulls no punches, and turns both a loving and critical eye on our countryâs cultural past.
Â
As both an artist and an activist, Belafonte has touched countless lives. With My Song, he has found yet another way to entertain and inspire us. It is an electrifying memoir from a remarkable man.
From the Hardcover edition.
Editions
Hardcover
With Harry Belafonte |
from Alfred a Knopf Inc (October 11, 2011)
9780307272263 | details & prices | 469 pages | 6.50 × 10.00 × 1.50 in. | 2.00 lbs | List price $30.50
Paperback
The price comparison is for this edition
With Harry Belafonte |
Large print edition from Random House Large Print (October 25, 2011)
9780739378380 | details & prices | 805 pages | 6.25 × 9.25 × 1.50 in. | 1.78 lbs | List price $31.00
About: Harry Belafonte is not just one of the greatest entertainers of our time; he has led one of the great American lives of the last century.
About: Harry Belafonte is not just one of the greatest entertainers of our time; he has led one of the great American lives of the last century.
CD/Spoken Word
With Mirron Willis (other contributor), Harry Belafonte |
Unabridged edition from Random House (October 11, 2011)
9780739384602 | details & prices | 5.25 × 6.00 × 1.75 in. | 0.95 lbs | List price $45.00
About: Harry Belafonte is not just one of the greatest entertainers of our time; he has led one of the great American lives of the last century.
About: Harry Belafonte is not just one of the greatest entertainers of our time; he has led one of the great American lives of the last century.
Pricing is shown for items sent to or within the U.S., excluding shipping and tax. Please consult the store to determine exact fees. No warranties are made express or implied about the accuracy, timeliness, merit, or value of the information provided. Information subject to change without notice. isbn.nu is not a bookseller, just an information source.