Home Biography & Autobiography Stephen Sondheim: Art Isn't Easy

Stephen Sondheim: Art Isn't Easy

by Okrent, Daniel

Regular price $27.46 USD
Regular price $45.77 USD Sale price $27.46 USD

You save $18.31 USD (40%)

In stock — Ships within 1–2 business days

Format

Print Book Currently viewing Hardcover $27.46 USD $45.77 USD
Condition
Secure CheckoutYour data is protected
Fast U.S. ShippingShips within 1–2 business days
Authentic Titles100% Genuine Books
Book Overview A revelatory look at the complex inner world of one of the twentieth century's most beloved theatrical composers"[An] illuminating consid...

A revelatory look at the complex inner world of one of the twentieth century's most beloved theatrical composers

"[An] illuminating consideration of Sondheim's long career. Without grandstanding in a game of biographical gotcha, Okrent takes up key themes of Sondheim's life and links them persuasively to songs in his shows."--David Hajdu, The Atlantic

"A stellar portrait."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Stephen Sondheim (1930-2021) was a towering figure in American musical theater. Celebrated for such iconic Broadway shows as Company, Sweeney Todd, and Into the Woods, his accolades include eight Tony Awards, multiple Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, and a Pulitzer Prize. In this intimate biography, Daniel Okrent follows Sondheim through the tumult of his upbringing and his parents' divorce, his life-changing relationship with Oscar Hammerstein II and subsequent immersion in musical theater, and his rise to fame as both a lyricist and composer.

Okrent shines new light on Sondheim's complicated emotional life, wavering self-confidence, and alcoholism, drawing on the artist's intimate correspondence with such notable figures as Hal Prince, Leonard Bernstein, and Arthur Laurents; exclusive interviews with his close friends and collaborators, including James Lapine and John Weidman; and Sondheim's own oral history, which remained closed until his death. He also reveals a previously unknown (and crucial) aspect of the infamous letter from Sondheim's mother that made him believe she regretted his birth. As Okrent explores the ways Sondheim's music and lyrics express the inner man, he shows us a life that was defined by two parallel arcs: the movement from alienation to connection, and from ambivalence to resolution.

Book Details Format: Hardcover | Pages: 320 | Language: English | Publisher: YALE UNIV PR | ISBN: 0300270216
FormatHardcover
Pages320
LanguageEnglish
ISBN0300270216
EAN9780300270211
PublisherYALE UNIV PR
Publication Date1970-01-01
AccessoriesNo Accessory
ConditionNew
Product TypeHARD COVER BOOKS
Weight1.15 Pounds
Length8.3 Inches
Width6.2 Inches
Height1.3 Inches
Shipping & Returns Fast, reliable shipping and easy returns on eligible items.

Most orders ship within 1–2 business days with fast, reliable U.S. delivery.

Eligible items can be returned within 30 days in line with our store return policy.

Why shop with AlbakiReads

Fresh Inventory from Major Publishers

Sourced through trusted book distributors, with fresh titles added regularly.

Secure Checkout

Your payment information is encrypted and protected every step of the way.

Fast U.S. Shipping

Most orders ship within 1–2 business days.

Books for Every Kind of Reader

From page-turners to timeless classics—find your next favorite read.