James Dean in Death: A Popular Encyclopedia of a Celebrity Phenomenon

Product Description

James Deans short life and three-film career inspired countless actors and rebellious teenagers, but his untimely death in a 1955 car crash has been an inspiration of a different kind. The ensuing decades have seen a continuing fascination with Deans life, and have also fostered legions of devotees fascinated by his death. With the expected (death site pilgrims, alternative theorists, reports of Deans ghost hitchhiking along that fated highway), there are the odd, the unbelievable and the downright wacky: lingering love affairs with Deans ghost, visions of his disembodied head, and, of course, reports that hes alive and well, raising chickens and drinking rum with buddies in South America. The ongoing, growing fascination, folklore and legend surrounding the life and death of James Dean is testament that the cult of celebrity death is alive and well. This encyclopedia of James Deanrelated subjects includes entries on such topics as associates, locales, books, and ephemera associated with his life. It focuses intensely on the events and people linked to his fatal crash, and on the body of myth, mystery and folklore surrounding Deans tragic death.

Customer Reviews:

Bravo! Bravo!.......2006-07-17

Warren Beath has really outdone himself with this book.
The research that he and his co-writer conducted was through and impeccable.Its no wonder that he became and remains one of the most well known Dean authorities.
They at least touched on most of the subjects that people wonder about or would like to know about Jimmy.
I consider myself to be fairly well read about Jimmy but I learned many things I did not know by reading this book.
I always enjoy reading a Beath book because he has a real love for his subject Jimmy and I believe that shows.
I'm also thankful that many of the ghost sightings and occultic happenings and lore regarding James have finally been compiled in a book that is likely to reach a large audience. I know that many Dean fans and others will likely shake their heads and scoff when they read those parts, but for a true believer like myself in such things who has been researching details of sightings of Jimmy and people's contact with him for months, it was very welcome and important.
I also applaud the Authors of this book for writing about so many of the lingering mysteries about Jimmy and the crash that Dean fans have been pondering for the better part of 50 years.

Most of all though,I love this book because I walked away from it feeling keenly once again the incredible sense of grief and loss about Jimmy's tragic death that I think all fans feel even 50 years on about this rare man whose life was far too short.
Any JD book that can make me feel that is a great book .

I do have one objection however. In Pier Angeli's entry, it says that her career was minor, especially compared to her sister's. I disagree.Pier might not have won an Oscar like her Sister -Marisa Pavan, but she was a talented, gifted actress who left behind fine, sensitive performances in a variety of films.Even today Pier remains sadly underrated and does not get the recognition for her film work that she deserves.

Terrific! Library Journal Review ..........2006-01-21

Library Journal:

"Beath (The Death of James Dean) and co-writer Wheeldon here explore the death of legendary screen actor James Dean (1931-55) and its aftermath, sharing stories that are both real and imagined. Thirty-five years in the making, the encyclopedia seems reasonably comprehensive, even including listings of memorabilia and fan clubs. The author examines from multiple perspectives the mysterious crash that killed Dean and lays out the debate as to exactly what happened that night. The entries cover a spectrum of topics, including "Cults," "Favorite Possessions," "Highway Patrol Investigation," and "The Phantom Hitchhiker." Though entries like "Death Drive," "Death Mask," and "Death Ride" contribute to the book's morbid tone, the deposition by Donald Turnupspeed, the man who nearly collided with Dean that night, is essential reading for any Dean aficionado. Bottom Line This is a terrific source for anyone wanting to know the most esoteric details of Dean's death. An unusual but important addition to Dean collections, it complements such recent Dean bios as Dennis Stock's James Dean: Fifty Years Ago and Wes D. Gehring's James Dean: Rebel with a Cause.-Barbara Kundanis, Batavia P.L., IL"

Third time is the charm.......2005-12-31

Warren Beath has done it again! He's shown that his love for James Dean can cause an author--again-- to produce a wonderful "go to" product for readers & fellow devotes of Dean. Mr. Beath, who has already authored other books on Dean, delves more deeply than ever, in this, his 3rd effort. Considered by many to be the expert on the day of James's death, he's brought more to the plate than in his first book on Dean, which was my source as a new fan. You'll find new pieces of interest here and rare photos of Jimmy Dean. Not a flashy book, this is more of a action packed writing, full of data on the "Rebel". You're paying for information here & you'll get it. Save your pennies. Mr. Beath teaches very well. Unlike some of the books out this Anniversary year that are visually good, this book contains a wealth of information, though more simple in format, it makes up for it all in content. It's clearly his best effort. Compact & lean, it's a well of information that Dean lovers, old & new alike, can draw much satisfaction from. The author has given us his best work in this time of greater attention and respect to the life & work of the Giant, Dean. Just in time, Mr. Beath! Bravo, Warren!

Wonderful crazy info.......2005-12-14

I'm a big James Dean fan and I try to get as much information on him as possible. This book was a lot of fun because I've read all the bios and stuff about him but there was info in this book I've never seen before. So it was a fun read, and it's one of those books you can pick up and open to any page and there's something interesting. Anybody who is interested in James Dean, Hollywood or wierd facts will LOVE this book!!!

Call me morbid, but..........2005-12-07

I got a big kick out of this book. I'm a Dean fan from way back but not part of the common herd, so ... I was interested in the macabre and outlandish pop-cultural survey of Mondo Deano. I was interested in the primary documents on the crash-- photos, pathology report etcetera, not to mention the Donald Turnupseed deposition. It charts the evolution of the Dean cult from the fan mags of the fifties to the proliferation of kitschy products that resulted from his licensing. Writing was snappy and the tone tongue-in-cheek. It is a bit like studying coffee grounds, Dean has been examined so much and so often ... but this book catalogs what has not been cleaned up after the cultists had their party, and what the authors recount says as much about Dean's fans as about Dean ... maybe more. Sure to be off-putting to refined sensitivities, and will delight you if you find yourself slowing down at traffic accidents. All-in-all fun for the student of the outlandish. Too bad it is so expensive-- but if you shop you can pick it up for half the price. I wanted more pictures and in color-- but this probably was not a project that excited mainstream publishers.

Book Description

Claude Debussy's Paris was factionalized, politicized, and litigious. It was against this background of ferment and change--which characterized French society and music from the Franco-Prussian War to World War I--that Debussy re-thought music. This book captures the complexity of the composer's restless personal and artistic identity within the new picture emerging of the musical, social, and political world of fin-de-siècle Paris.

Debussy's setting did not simply mold his style. Rather, it challenged him to define a style and then to revamp it again and again as he situated himself simultaneously via the present and the past. These essays trace Debussy's perpetual reinvention, both social and creative, from his earliest to his last works. They explore tensions and contradictions in his best-known compositions and examine lesser-known pieces that reveal new aspects of Debussy's creative appropriation from poetry, painting, and non-Western music.

The contributors reveal the extent to which Debussy's personal and professional lives were intertwined and sometimes in conflict. Belonging to no one group or class, but crossing many, Debussy abjured the orthodox. A maverick who reviled all convention and searched for a music that authentically reflected experience, Debussy balked at entering any situation--salons, musical societies, or factions--that would categorize and thus distort him. Because of this, music lovers still argue over the degree to which Debussy's music is Impressionist, symbolist, or even French. Aptly, the volume's editor reads Debussy's last works as a dialogue with himself that reflects his inherently pluralistic, paradoxical, negotiated, and ever-changing identity.

William Austin's description of Debussy as ''one of the most original and adventurous musicians who ever lived'' is often repeated. This book illustrates how right Austin was and shows why Debussy's unclassifiable art continues to fascinate and perplex his historians even as it enthralls new listeners. The contributors are Leon Botstein, Christophe Charle, John Clevenger, Jane F. Fulcher, David Grayson, Brian Hart, Gail Hilson-Woldu, and Marie Rolf.

Claude Debussy: Pelléas et Mélisande (Cambridge Opera Handbooks)

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Claude Debussy: Pelléas et Mélisande (Cambridge Opera Handbooks)
Roger Nichols , and Richard Langham Smith
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0521314461

Book Description

This is the first comprehensive guide to Pelleas et Melisande, Debussy's only completed opera, written by three of the leading authorities on French music of the period.

As a background to the opera Richard Langham Smith discusses the play, by the Belgian playwright Maeterlinck, and considers its literary roots. David Grayson then traces the genesis and composition of the opera, examining also the sketches and rejected versions in order to illuminate Debussy's compositional strategies. A detailed synopsis by Roger Nichols, which considers carefully Debussy's musical response to the text, forms a central chapter. Following this, the book moves on to consider more detailed aspects of the style and language of the opera. The relationship between symbols and musical motives forms the basis of a chapter by Richard Langham Smith and his subsequent chapter considers the crucial themes of darkness and light and the key-schemes used to portray them.

Book Description

For well over a century musicologists have been fascinated by composers' manuscripts and by the insights they might reveal about the nature of musical composition. This book suggests ways in which Debussy's sketches and drafts may be used to explain how he composed one of his last great symphonic scores: Iberia (from Images for orchestra, 1903-10). Part 1 shows how we might understand the process of musical composition as a form of expert problem solving; it describes the compositional history of the work, the various intentional goals and historical constraints that guided Debussy's thinking, and some of the technical problems Debussy faced while composing this remarkable score. Part 2 reconstructs the genesis of each of the three movements in turn.

Songs of Claude Debussy: The Vocal Library (Schirmer's Library of Musical Classics)

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Songs of Claude Debussy: The Vocal Library (Schirmer's Library of Musical Classics)
James R. Briscoe
Manufacturer: Hal Leonard Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0793529875

Book Description

A major new critical edition of important standard repertory with 61 songs in 2 volumes. All songs are presented only in the original key, with no transpositions. All the song cycles and groupings appear in one of the two volumes. Years in preparation, this edition is based on the most reliable sources available in the world, with most of the research centered at the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris. Each song is presented with a line-by-line translation and full critical notes citing the research as it applies to specifics in the songs. Also includes a glossary of French terms. Contents: Nuit d'etoiles * Fleur des bles * Zephyr * Aimons-nous et dormons * Jane * Pierrot * Rondeau * FEte galante * Beau soir * FEtes galantes pour Madame Vasnier (Pantomime; En sourdine; Mandoline; Clair de lune; Fantoches) * Apparition * Recti et Air de Lia * Ariettes oubliees (C'est l'extase langoureuse; Il pleure dans mon coeur; L'ombre des arbres; Chevaus de bois; Green; Spleen) * Cinq poemes de Charles Baudelaire (Le balcon; Harmonie du soir; Le jet d'eau; Recueillement; La mort des amants) * Trois melodies (La beele au bois dormant; Voici que le printemps; Paysage sentimental).

Cello Sonata, Violin Sonata and Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp

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Cello Sonata, Violin Sonata and Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp
Claude Debussy
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0486278131

Book Description

Composer's last three chamber works, written between 1915 and 1917. Cello Sonata is rich in unconventional, sometimes surrealistic effects. Violin Sonata integrates jazz influences with impressionism. Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp sparkles with spontaneity and innovation. All are sonatas of individual charm and definite 20th-century character; all reproduced from authoritative French editions.

Three Classics in the Aesthetic of Music

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Classical Essays
Essential reading for mature musicians
confusedly yawning

Three Classics in the Aesthetic of Music
Claude Debussy , Ferruccio Busoni , and Charles Ives
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Schumann on Music: A Selection from the Writings

ASIN: 0486203204

Customer Reviews:

Classical Essays.......2007-07-27

I think the thing I liked most about this book was the fact that these were composers writing. It felt like I was getting inside their head, perhaps understanding them a little better, and meanwhile understanding music as well.

For this reason, Debussy's essays were without a doubt my favorite. In fact, it is only thanks to his portion of this book that this receives a five-star rating and not a four (but mostly to raise the overall rating, because this is not a three-star book, but a FOUR). Debussy's writing is clear and interesting, providing the reader with so much information about the most random things and some things that are simply fascinating. The various essays on different composers were incredibly enjoyable as well as amusing. It made me smile to see one of my favorite composers writing about my other favorite composers, all in one book! Debussy wrote about things that were relevant at the time, and that in itself is interesting. A charming collection that I loved reading and rereading.

Busoni's "Sketch of a New Esthetic of Music", I'm afraid, is less enjoyable. A bit dryer and bit more complex, Busoni's essay seems more geared towards people who are already well-versed in music, composing, and the tricky little things that the casual listener doesn't really care about. The casual reader will find this to be dull, and even the hard-core reader who is also a music fan may find this to be just a tad bit slow and boring in comparison to Debussy's charming essay.

Ives' essay, meanwhile, is kind of... different. It feels a bit more all over the place, which while making it less boring, still doesn't make it quite as interesting as the first batch. It's interesting, but not incredible. I found that it's not exactly something you go back to reread very often.

Overall, if Debussy's "Monsieur Croche the Dilettante Hater" was offered as a single volume, I'd heartily recommend you buy that. However, as it is NOT offered anywhere as a new volume, cheap, or even anything remotely comfortable and appropriate, I'd say buy this. Classical music fans who can read long essays without nodding off should definitely read this interesting book, despite the occasional boring moments.

Recommended, if only for Debussy.

Essential reading for mature musicians.......2007-05-16

Debussy is delightful. Writing as "Monsieur Croche" for various newspapers, he produced 25 articles of irreverent, sparkling wit. Busoni attempts to answer the question "What are the aims of music?" But the real gem is the "Essays before a Sonata" by Charles Ives which serves as a literary complement to the movements of his still difficult and esoteric Piano Sonata 'Concord, 1845". These essays are not for the casual reader or the young music student.

confusedly yawning.......2005-11-15

I don't usually like to give bad reviews of anything, but this book leaves me no choice. I had to read it to write a paper on it and just getting through the first chapter alone is a chore in itself. Debussy is so repetetive, the writing has ABSOLUTELY no form and it just hammers a point to death. I couldn't concentrate on this for more than a few seconds at a time.

Debussy: Unlocking the Masters Series, No. 13 (Unlocking the Masters)

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His approach is perfect for any newcomer
wonderful series/book

Debussy: Unlocking the Masters Series, No. 13 (Unlocking the Masters)
Victor Lederer
Manufacturer: Amadeus Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1574671537

Book Description

Victor Lederer explores the sophistication, refinement and inspirations of Debussy's music, pointing out subtleties that otherwise could take years of careful listening to fully appreciate. Includes a full-length CD of the maestro's masterworks.

Customer Reviews:

His approach is perfect for any newcomer.......2007-08-09

Debussy's music ranks among the most challenging: his influence on other composers makes it essential to understand his approach, but typically music students find such analysis a daunting proposition. Not so Debussy: The Quiet Revolutionary, which pairs a cd of music with an analysis of the subtleties of his works and analyzing Debussy's approach and contributions. The author is a New York critic on music and culture: his approach is perfect for any newcomer to Debussy and is especially recommended for middle to high school students receiving a strong introduction on Debussy's art and achievement.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

wonderful series/book.......2007-04-11

I have some of the other books from this Unlocking the Masters series, and they are WONDERFUL!!! Not only are they factual and informative, but they are easy to read and really show you what to look/listen for in the music! It comes with a CD which has musical examples of pieces that are talked about in the book! This book is a wonderful tool for any student!

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Songs, 1880-1904
Claude Debussy
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0486241319

Book Description

Rich selection of 36 songs, settings of texts by Baudelaire, Verlaine, Mallarme, Bourget, Pierre Louys and other poets. Songs include: Beau Soir, Mandoline, Les Angelus, Dans le jardin, Cinq poemes de Baudelaire (5), Trois chansons de Bilitis (3) and many more. All songs reproduced directly from originals. Line-for-line English translations of French texts.

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Nineteenth-Century French Song
Barbara Meister
Manufacturer: Indiana University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0253211751

Amazon.com

It's probably safe to say that this book--originally published in 1980 and now out in its first paperback edition--is the definitive volume on the 19th-century oeuvre of French art song as practiced by Chausson, Debussy, Duparc, and Fauré. Meister offers an intelligent overall discussion of the anti-Wagnerian aesthetic of these four masters of the art song, and examines each of their song settings in loving and well-informed detail. Translations are provided from French to English (and, as in the case of a French version of a Shakespeare song, back again from French for a surprisingly different view), along with observations on the flow of the song and interpretations. Although bound to be of interest to a small audience, Nineteenth-Century French Song will prove invaluable to anyone with a regard for this delicate art form, and particularly the singers and pianists who perform it.

Book Description

Song by song, this comprehensive study addresses the works of Fauré, Chausson, Duparc, and Debussy, four composers who brought to the magnificent poetry of their contemporaries the delicacy, sensitivity, and voluptuousness that characterize French music from 1865 to 1914.

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