television

I picked this book up because I love the woman's voice. I wanted to know more about her; wanted to know where all the pain and dignity came from. I must confess that there was some trepidation on my part...I was sure that her version of the story would be sugar-coated. My fears were unfounded. Billie leaves nothing out. She openly discusses her addictions to heroin & alcohol as well as a brief stint as a prostitute. Hers is certainly a harrowing tale, but it is tempered with dignity, honesty & intelligence. She was as interesting as she was talented. My only complaint is that her death is not covered. But, alas, this is an autobiography and death can't really be covered in an autobiography. Get her life from her and seek the terrible story of her death from another source. There is enough tragedy and triumph here to satisfy the strongest craving. Ms. Holiday & Mr. Duffy taught me alot about jazz and the lifestyle surrounding it, but, more than that, they made me want to know more...to hear more...to feel more. This is an amazing chronicle of one of music's most gifted and soulful human beings. If you have the slightest spark of interest, you would be cheating yourself by skipping this wonderful & haunting book.

"Mom and Pop were just a couple of kids when they got married. He was eighteen, she was sixteen, and I was three."
These are the first lines on the first page. It has also been researched, and explained in every other documented biography of Billie Holiday that this is in fact not true. at all. I agree that this is a good book... it is interesting to read, but you must be aware that nearly all you are reading is either complete fiction or gross exaggeration. If you want to read a good story, read this. if you want to learn what Billie Holiday's life was about, read any other biography of her... because these were written to set the record straight.

if you must insist that these are Billie's words, then you are arguing that Billie is a liar. why she would go to lengths to do this is absurd, which leaves but William F. Dufty... a guy who was paid by a publisher to write something people would buy.

Other reviewers have made the case that this autobiography is less than accurate. That may be true however I believe the book captures the spirit of Billie Holiday as well as the tenor of the times in which she lived and consequently it is an important and very interesting book.

The tragedy surrounding Holiday's life and struggle with addiction is well known and yet here it is dealt with in such a gripping and personal way that the story is moving and emotionally wrenching. Billie Holiday emerges from this book as a warm living human being with a remarkable amount of wisdom regarding her own struggles and failings. One would expect an autobiography to seek to afix blame elsewhere or excuse shortcomings. None of that is found here. This was an inteligent, wise and obviously talented though flawed woman whose story deserves to be told.
Reading this has rekindled my interest in her music and that alone was a great benefit I received from this book.