Lizzie Borden: A Dance of Death

by Agnes de Mille

Retells the crime, and the making of de Mille's ballet version "the fall river legend"

Genres: Nonfiction

302 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1968

About the author

Known innovative Agnes George de Mille, an American, choreographed musicals, such as Oklahoma! (1943) and Carousel (1945).

Alicia Alonso performed in his Fall River Legend .

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnes_d...

Reviews

[Gillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am such a fan of Agnes de Mille and her work, but as enlightening as this book is, it’s not the book I thought I was getting into. Based on the blurb, I was expecting a book that dove into the creative process of adapting this now-mythic murder into a piece of art. But this book is really two different books, and neither of them are that.

The first half is a history of the case. The second half traces its performance history, but it’s really more about the behind-the-scenes of the ballet world - its dueling personalities, its financial struggles, etc. - more broadly, and it feels like “Fall River Legend” (the Borden ballet) could have easily been substituted in for any other ballet without changing too much of the book.

Both of these topics were interesting: de Mille has a really fascinating, feminist perspective on Lizzie‘s motivations based on her intensive research, and a sharp honesty about the difficulties of getting ballet to succeed. But it’s just not the book I thought I was getting. The bits about the creative process behind “Fall River Legend” specifically were few, whereas I expected and wanted a lot more of that!

[Lauren McCain · Rating 5 out of 5]

miss anges de mille… you are in my walls… and i love you

De mille brings a unique perspective of a woman versed in feminism to Lizzie’s situation and status - something that I had been searching high and low for to compare to my own understandings. At times it felt like she was taking my thoughts about Lizzie from my head and putting them on the page.

there is just a wonderful voice and cadence to her writing. 5 stars!

[Kerry Price · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book about the woman who turned the story of Lizzie Borden into a ballet. Strange to say the least! However, it adds significant value to the study of the impact Lizzie Borden had and continues to have on how we conceive of women, class and violence. A good read overall.

[Kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

More than I ever imagined about Lizzie Borden. The edition I read had forensic photos of the crimescene. These photos resembled the ones included in a book about Jack the Ripper. Like all of her books, it's not just about the dance.

[Edwina Book Anaconda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sad to say, I remember nothing about this book that I read in 2008.