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STAND UP STRAIGHT AND SING! : A MEMOIR
by Norman, Jessye
- Used
- Fine
- Hardcover
- Signed
- first
- Condition
- Fine/Fine Dust Jacket.
- ISBN 10
- 0544003403
- ISBN 13
- 9780544003408
- Seller
-
CHICAGO, Illinois, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
New York City, NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing, 2014. First Edition. First Printing.. Hardcover. Fine/Fine Dust Jacket.. New York City, NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing, 2014. Hardcover. Fine/Fine. First Edition/First Printing. 316 pages. The author's now-classic memoir. One of the most valuable cultural, not just musical, documents of our time. The First Hardcover Edition. Precedes and should not be confused with all other subsequent editions. Published in a small and limited first print run as a hardcover original only that sold out shortly after publication. The First Edition is now rare. Presents Jessye Norman's "Stand Up Straight And Sing! : A Memoir". Reminiscences for posterity: Artistry as Transcendence Incarnated. "The story of one woman's astonishing life, not just for lovers of music, but for everyone" (Publisher's blurb). All reviews demurely described Jessye Norman as "one of the most admired artists of our time". Well, let's see: The French chose her to sing their stirring national anthem, "La Marseillaise", on the occasion of France's Bicentennial (her gown was the French flag). She was the real-life model of "Diva", the greatest film on opera ever made. Virtually all of her performances are definitive. She sang Wagner at Bayreuth. So, while it is true that her story is for everyone, it is especially for her fans, who love and worship her. America has produced some of the best singers in our time, besting Europe BEFORE the end of the 20th century. Jessye Norman is indisputably the greatest of them all. "The most surpassingly beautiful sound to escape human lips" (Mick Corcoran). An absolute "must-have" title for Jessye Norman collectors. This copy is very boldly and beautifully signed, dated (in the month and year of publication), and inscribed in black fountain pen on the half-title page by the author: "Best wishes, Jessye Norman May 2014". It is signed directly on the page itself, not on a tipped-in page. The recipient, who is named, was a close friend of the artist and cannot be named here at her request. This title is a classic. This is the only such such signed, publication-month dated, and inscribed copy of the First Hardcover Edition/First Printing available online and is in especially fine condition: Clean, crisp, and bright. It is one of the most beautiful signed copies we have ever seen. Please note: Jessye Norman did NOT tour widely so signed copies will always be scarce. Copies available online have serious flaws or are in multiple subsequent printings. This is surely an accessible and lovely alternative. A rare signed copy thus. Lavishly illustrated with vintage plates. The greatest American diva of the 20th century. A fine collectible copy. (SEE ALSO KIRI TE KANAWA TITLE IN OUR CATALOG). ISBN 0544003403.
Synopsis
Jessye Norman is not only one of the world’s most admired and beloved opera stars—she is an American icon whose life story is as moving and inspiring as the fictional plot triumphs she sang onstage. Born and raised in Augusta, Georgia, a descendant of many generations of hardworking slave and free ancestors, she grew up amid the challenges of Jim Crow racism with the civil rights movement just beginning to awaken. Nurtured by a close family and tight-knit community centered on the local church, Jessye sang songs and spirituals constantly, never dreaming that it might lead to a career. Only when she watched a documentary about the legendary Marian Anderson did she first realize that singing could be a profession. Decades later, after a meteoric rise at the Berlin Opera, a long-delayed debut at the Metropolitan Opera, and forays into spirituals, blues, jazz, and other roots music, she has become one of America’s cultural treasures. Stand Up Straight and Sing! is an inspiring woman’s account of an astonishing life.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Modern Rare
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 23752
- Title
- STAND UP STRAIGHT AND SING! : A MEMOIR
- Author
- Norman, Jessye
- Format/Binding
- Hardcover
- Book Condition
- Used - Fine
- Jacket Condition
- Fine Dust Jacket.
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- First Edition. First Printing.
- ISBN 10
- 0544003403
- ISBN 13
- 9780544003408
- Publisher
- Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing
- Place of Publication
- New York City, NY
- Date Published
- 2014
- Pages
- 316
Terms of Sale
Modern Rare
We ship at cost, based on weight, destination, and shipping method. We ship via Standard or Expedited USPS or FedEx in the US and Globally. Payable in $US dollars by Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, personal check, cashiers check, money order, or wire transfer. Returns accepted, with prior notification, within 10 days after shipment, provided the item is in the same condition it was shipped. We make every effort to describe the item as accurately as possible. Shipping costs are non-refundable. All Magazine, DVD/Blu-ray, and audiotape sales are final and non-refundable. Email us at modernrarenow@gmail.com or call us at 312-376-5000.
About the Seller
Modern Rare
Biblio member since 2003
CHICAGO, Illinois
About Modern Rare
ModernRare.com is exclusively an online bookstore. We believe this is the best way to satisfy our customers' expectations. Unlike an open bookstore, where books are routinely handled and may deteriorate, we guarantee the condition of our books as described. We specialize in modern firsts, photography, the arts, and erotica. You will also find a fine selection of signed copies, limited editions, and memorabilia because our ultimate goal is to deepen the pleasure of collecting books. We carry titles that we ourselves like and believe in -- books that we think will excite, enchant, and endure.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Fine
- A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
- Inscribed
- When a book is described as being inscribed, it indicates that a short note written by the author or a previous owner has been...
- Jacket
- Sometimes used as another term for dust jacket, a protective and often decorative wrapper, usually made of paper which wraps...
- Crisp
- A term often used to indicate a book's new-like condition. Indicates that the hinges are not loosened. A book described as crisp...
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