A Smattering of Ignorance

by Oscar Levant

1942 edition. Has 1 inch tear at top of front cover (would be almost unnoticable if dustcover was put in mylar sleeve). There is a bookplate on inside cover page.

Genres: Music, Memoir, Nonfiction, Biography, Essays

267 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1939

About the author

Oscar Levant (December 27, 1906 – August 14, 1972) was an American pianist, composer, author, comedian, and actor. He was more famous for his mordant character and witticisms, on the radio and in movies and television, than for his music.

Reviews

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m so glad that I kept this book. I felt that I had to get rid of most of my 9,000 or so books left (from 15,000+ total) and am down to not many over 1,200, eventually to go to 1,000 or fewer. My copy does not have a dust jacket but there is a smaller but otherwise identical image on the book’s cover.

I thought that this edition was my mother’s but I see an inscription in it, a happy birthday wish from my mother to my father. She would have given him this even before they got engaged to be married, when they were still dating. I wonder if he ever read it. During the 29 years I knew him he read lots of newspapers and magazines but maybe only 3 or 4 books. I’m sure that my (avid reader) mother read it and I read it when I was still a kid and loved it. My father certainly didn’t claim it as his as it stayed with me and not with him and his wife. I’m glad. It wouldn’t be mine if that had been the case.

[Rob MacCavett · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant classical pianist and sought after conversationalist, his quirky sense of humor was the delight of New York and Hollywood’s elite. The view he poses is that of someone normal (himself) telling of the humorous doings by the rich and famous who surround him…but the reader senses much of the comedy comes from his view of the world. This is a collection of adventures and experiences written during his prime.

[Sandi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I became intrigued with Oscar Levant after seeing a clip of him from a television talk show that was included in the documentary about Fran Lebowitz so I decided to seek out this book which was published in 1939. Most of the book was about classical music conductors and musical composers, which I know nothing about, but the writing style and witticism kept me interested. I did throughly enjoy the two sections on his friendships with Harpo Marx and George Gershwin.

[Mary Tuley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oscar Levant needed to meet Oscar Wilde. They would've been great sparring partners.

[Jon Ziomek · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oscar Levant was an original – quirky and erudite, but also quite funny. His essay in this book on his close friendship with George Gershwin was interesting and touching.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
After seeing Good Night, Oscar last month about Oscar Levant, I decided to read his books. This was his first.
Part memoir, part critique, part showing off his ability to throw a witty barb. I can see that some of this might be confusing if one doesn't have an excellent foundation in classical music. Even this former music major didn't recognize al the names he mentioned.
I especially loved his chapter which involved George Gershwin, one of my favorite composers. The love Levant had for Gershwin was evident in his tribute.

[Marie Fouhey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book containing 5 essays on various topics, including the relationship between conductors and musicians, movie music, Harpo Marx, George Gershwin and modern composers. The sections of Harpo Marx and Gershwin were funny, but the section I most enjoyed was the discussion of movie music which he divides into "Mickey Mouse music" where every character on the screen has a complementary bar of music and "Mood music" where one of several motifs is used to indicate the mood of a scene. The book was written in 1939-1940 so it would be interesting to see if he thought movie music changed over the years and if this division still held true. He talks about over-lush orchestrations and that was true through the 1970s, certainly of the Godfather movies. He also says that movie music, although sometimes written by general composers, isn't played in concert halls, which may still be generally true, although the Boston Pops plays a lot of John Williams' music and I think the Boston Symphony has a movie music night at Tanglewood in the summmer.

[James Swenson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Surely this celebrity memoir was more interesting when it was published. Forty-five years after the author's death, some of the thrill has gone out of it, at least for me (I'm 41).

But Oscar Levant, the celebrity pianist and film composer, played under Klemperer, Stokowski and Toscanini, was a frequent houseguest of Harpo Marx, and actually seems (from an off-hand remark on p. 203) to have lived in George Gershwin's home for two years or more. His recollections of these immortals still kept me turning pages, though I ended up feeling a slight distaste for the author that probably soured my opinion of the book itself.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have no musical training whatsoever, so large portions of this book were completely incomprehensible to me, but the chapters on Harpo Marx and George Gershwin were both wonderful. Levant was a fascinating man, and reading this book led directly to me reading Talent for Genius:, a: the Life and Times of Oscar Levant.

[Richard Subber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe this book made more sense (and more entertainment) for readers when it was published in 1942.
Levant of course is literate and his prose is spunky, but this is mostly anecdotal stuff about a lifestyle that isn't familiar to me and never will be. I can't read while I'm stifling yawns.
If you yearn to be a cosmopolite, you should put this book on your nighttable.
Otherwise...

Read more of my reviews here:
http://richardsubber.com/

[Harold · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know of the existence of this book until I learned of it in "The House That George Built." I had read Oscar's later books and enjoyed thema. I assumed that was all he had written. I would say this is also enjoyable but that it definitely helps if you are a musician. His sarcasm and intelligence are already in place at the writing of this book, sometime around 1940.

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ah, period snark. Anecdotes about classical conductors and Max Steiner and Gershwin. I am a loser. I read this within a 16 hour span, and I slept through some of that.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

A series of essays on music. One really good section on George Gershwin. Written after Levant had been writing music for Hollywood but before he did very much acting.

[Ceste Stanly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found out about this bk from reading Michael Feinstein's bk about the Gershwins. He said that Oscar had been a close personal friend of George's & had collaborated w/ him & performed a lot of his stuff. So of course the chapter on that was my fav, esp the stories of how George encouraged Oscar's composing & how they 1st crossed paths. I also loved the other chapters; so many hilarious quips. It really helped me understand how modern music evolved in America in the 20th century. I had no idea that so many of these composers' lives not only overlapped but how they influenced each other. Gershwin & Levant took composition lessons from Schoenberg & Ravel's piano concerto shows Gershwin influences. I think this book should be required reading for all music majors. Just personalized things so much more for me instead of thinking of each modern composer in their own little vacuum. Can't wait to read more of Oscar's books. He used so many words that just aren't used anymore. So sad how our vocabulary has diminished.

[Mike O'Connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard to describe. Mostly a book about music - he casts a wide net and must have mentioned a few hundred people. It's amazing to me the circle of musicians he was connected to.

There's a great chapter about Harpo (I find it interesting that Barbara Marx's memoir barely mentions Oscar). A great chapter on Gershwin.

I'm not a musician but I still found his thoughts entertaining. His being a "wit" certainly stands out as well as his use of the English language.

If you're a fan of Oscar, I rate it a 4 or 5. If you're barely award of him, I would read Kashner's Talent for Genius first.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. A sharp and clever collection of essays on figures who impacted Levant’s life: Toscanini, Harpo Marx, and George Gershwin among them. Levant gives us insight into the Hollywood music industry and how it straddled the line between popular song and the orchestral world. It lacks the cohesion and personal details of his later writings, but still a great read for anyone interested in classic Hollywood or classical music in the 1930s.

[Joy H.]

Added 1/27/16.
2/9/16 - Today I received a used copy of this book which I purchased online for only $6.97 including shipping. I bought it because our public library didn't have it. I'm looking forward to reading it. I became interested in it after reading A Talent for Genius: The Life and Times of Oscar Levant.

As a Goodreads member, Rob, says in his review about Oscar Levant: "A brilliant classical pianist and sought after conversationalist, his quirky sense of humor was the delight of New York and Hollywood’s elite."
See Rob's short, but excellent review at: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is more for classical music lovers/players/composers than anyone else. Fun stories about Harpo Marx and the Gershwins, though.