Sing for Your Life: A Story of Race, Music, and Family | 
pickI‘m not an opera aficionado, but I do love stories about art, hope, and resilience, and this story has all of that - a messed up childhood, a volatile home life, and a few people who believed in a boy who didn‘t even really know he liked to sing.
Ironically (at least to me) is that this is an ARC and I see that this book was published in September 2016 - the same month and year Chasing Portraits was published.
pickUnbelievable story with a happy ending!
I‘ve had this kicking around on my iBooks tbr for over a year, but I was inspired by last night‘s 60 Minutes profile to finally dig it out and start reading!
Also, welcome to my new followers. Litsy is a wonderful, judgement free space full of people who love books.
pickYou have to read this book! Such an amazing story! This book follows the life of Ryan Speedo Green, who is a major opera singer these days, but he comes from an extremely disadvantaged background. This is such a beautiful story of persistence, resilience, and the power of great teachers. As a professional musician, I also appreciate how accurately the musical aspects of this book are handled. 5 🌟s!!
A letter the protagonist wrote to one of his childhood teachers. Oh, my heart! 💔💔💔
so-soThe basic story of this man‘s life is great, uplifting, inspiring, makes me want to hear him sing. But the book itself is just weird. Why is this author writing it? Is he a friend, colleague, fan...who knows? And race is a big theme, yet the author never addresses or even acknowledges his own white man‘s perspective in narrating the story, despite the frequently discomfiting white-gaze lens through which he‘s observing.
An example of my dad‘s marginalia: drawing a parallel between operatic vocal range and bandwidth. Did I mention he‘s a scientist? 🧐
A loaner from my dad. He HEAVILY annotates books with marginalia so reading a book after he‘s read it is like having him talking to the movie screen, except it‘s reading. 😆🧐🙃
I would have never thought I would want to read a biography of an opera singer, but after listening to this 12 minute news documentary, count me in!
http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2017/09/29/opera-ryan-speedo-green
#riotgrams #truestories
I got this at BEA last year and have been meaning to read it since it looks fascinating.
It is the story of Ryan Green who came from an abusive and poor upbringing and to become a rising opera star. From the synopsis the book also, "sheds unique light on the enduring and complex realities of race in America."
I can't go to the library and not leave with at least this many books. I went to pick up my single hold!
#sorrynotsorry
