What do you think?
Rate this book
Life And Times Of Little Richard: The Authorized Biography
304 pages, Paperback
Published May 7, 2024
1 person want to read
About the author
Charles White
314 booksLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
This is Charles^White.
This is Charles^White.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
August 28, 2024
I wasn't a huge fan of this book. As much as I appreciated Charles "Dr. Rock" White using the voices of Little Richard and others to tell the story, I ultimately got tired of it all, especially of Little Richard. The "charm" of his oversized ego wore out quickly, and I feel like in the bits of his own inserted text, Dr. Rock comes across like a sycophant as a writer and storyteller but especially as an editor. If you doubt me, look no further than the closing "Testimonials" pages. I can't imagine who needed that list of endorsements other than Little Richard himself. It felt redundant, manipulative, and ultimately pathetic.
Of course, it seems clear that the only way Little Richard would give access to his story was if it would do nothing other than make the claim that he's the greatest and started everyone else's career, most everyone had done him wrong, and everyone owes everything to him. SO many of the stories here come down to making that same point. And ultimately, the story just doesn't come across as that interesting, which is unfortunate and kind of mind-blowing given Little Richard's significance in the history of rock'n'roll. And maybe that encounter with the simultaneous stature and fragility of Little Richards' personality/persona is the biggest part of this reading experience, and it is something that could only be shown, and not merely told. These contradictions remain unresolved, as they should have, though this is another reason why the testimonials come across as so desperate and unnecessary.
Reading this led me to watch a few clips of Little Richards' appearances on The Dick Cavett Show. At times he is charming and funny, but he crosses a line with his totally annoying "shut up" routine. Various footage of Little Richard performing are, of course, totally exhilarating. What a fireball! And finally, based on the culled-together sermon that comes near the end of the book, I think I'll 100% avoid watching or listening to any clips of Little Richard in evangelical mode. His anti-homosexual testimony really left me cold and at odds with this book.
Of course, it seems clear that the only way Little Richard would give access to his story was if it would do nothing other than make the claim that he's the greatest and started everyone else's career, most everyone had done him wrong, and everyone owes everything to him. SO many of the stories here come down to making that same point. And ultimately, the story just doesn't come across as that interesting, which is unfortunate and kind of mind-blowing given Little Richard's significance in the history of rock'n'roll. And maybe that encounter with the simultaneous stature and fragility of Little Richards' personality/persona is the biggest part of this reading experience, and it is something that could only be shown, and not merely told. These contradictions remain unresolved, as they should have, though this is another reason why the testimonials come across as so desperate and unnecessary.
Reading this led me to watch a few clips of Little Richards' appearances on The Dick Cavett Show. At times he is charming and funny, but he crosses a line with his totally annoying "shut up" routine. Various footage of Little Richard performing are, of course, totally exhilarating. What a fireball! And finally, based on the culled-together sermon that comes near the end of the book, I think I'll 100% avoid watching or listening to any clips of Little Richard in evangelical mode. His anti-homosexual testimony really left me cold and at odds with this book.
Displaying 1 of 1 review