Frank Sinatra: a celebration

by Stan Britt

Including exclusive interviews with Sinatra's most notable collaborators, full-color reproductions of rare photos and memorabilia throughout, and a definitive overview of the man and the music that has enhanced generations of listeners, author Stan Britt chronologically investigates the many stages of an illustrious career that is still going strong.

160 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1996

Reviews

[Mindbait]

I picked this one up at a second-hand book sale some years ago (being a bit of a Sinatra fan), but as is so often the case, buying it meant that I was dooming it to sitting on a shelf for a number of years as I went through endless library books, recommendations and bought other books on top of it.

Finally cracked it open and… I have mixed feelings. The book opens with a disclaimer that the author has no interest in Sinatra’s chequered past and is (as the title suggests) just looking to celebrate the singer. This, mixed with some of the gushier praise in the book can come across as sycophantic and hyperbolic. On the other hand, despite his disclaimer, Britt does point to some of Sinatra’s failings and failures, and if I want a full, and in-depth Sinatra biography, there are one or two out there to choose from. I would say too, Sinatra is as worthy of adulation as any singer, his phrasing, control and rhythm are (as the saying goes) often imitated, never duplicated.

The book inspired me to put on my Sinatra albums and search out more, so to a certain extent, it has done its job.