Otis Redding, Jonathan Gould
Otis Redding, Jonathan Gould
List: $28.49 | Sale: $19.95
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Otis Redding
An Unfinished Life

Author: Jonathan Gould

Narrator: Stefan Rudnicki

Unabridged: 17 hr 48 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 05/16/2017


Synopsis

“The beloved ’60s soul titan . . . comes alive in [Jonathan] Gould’s insightful, well-researched biography.”—People

“Magisterial . . . With meticulous scholarship [and] lively prose . . . Gould has created a vital book that helps contextualize one of the most important figures in pop music.”—Boston Globe

AN NPR AND ROLLING STONE BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

Otis Redding remains an immortal presence in the canon of American music on the strength of such classic hits as “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay,” Try a Little Tenderness,” and “Respect,”—songs that have long served as the gold standard of 1960s soul. Yet an aura of mystery has always surrounded his life, which was tragically cut short at the height of his career by a plane crash in 1967.

In Otis Redding: An Unfinished Life, Jonathan Gould finally does justice to Redding’s incomparable musical artistry, presenting the first comprehensive account of the singer’s background and professional career, drawing on exhaustive research, the cooperation of the Redding family, and previously unavailable sources. Gould’s indelible portrait of Redding and the mass acceptance of soul music in the 1960s, at a time when racial tensions were reaching a height throughout the United States, is both a revealing look at a brilliant artist and a provocative exploration of the tangled history of race and music in America that resonates strongly with the present day.

About Jonathan Gould

Jonathan Gould is a writer and a former professional musician. A contributing writer for The New Yorker, he is the author of Can’t Buy Me Love: The Beatles, Britain, and America and Otis Redding: An Unfinished Life. He currently divides his time between Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and Livingston, NY.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Ryan on June 08, 2017

Goddamned glorious. As much a portrait of the American south in the 20th century as a portrait of one indelible soul within it.......more

I have been in love with the talented Legend Otis Redding’s music since I was a little girl, and I know that if he had lived longer, he could have surpassed the phenomenal status that he had attained. Jonathan Gould chose the best title for this book because Otis definitely had more to bring to the......more

Goodreads review by Theresa on June 02, 2017

I happened upon this book while picking up a hold from the library and always had an interest in Otis Redding, so I grabbed it. I was very disappointed in this book and only got through about a third of it. I just couldn't read anymore. The story was all over the place and too much information that......more

Goodreads review by Mixter on August 10, 2017

I get the sense that there's not enough known about the details of Otis Redding's life to merit a book this substantial, but Gould overcomes this obstacle by contextualizing Redding's story into the changes taking place in American politics and culture, with mini-bios of relevant artists like Sam Co......more

Goodreads review by Kayla on July 29, 2024

i loved how much research went into this book not just about otis but about the music industry in the 60’s and the other artists of that time. incredible!......more