Something Wonderful, Todd S. Purdum
Something Wonderful, Todd S. Purdum
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Something Wonderful
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Broadway Revolution

Author: Todd S. Purdum

Narrator: Todd S. Purdum

Unabridged: 10 hr 53 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 04/03/2018

Synopsis

A revelatory portrait of the creative partnership that transformed musical theater and provided the soundtrack to the American CenturyThey stand at the apex of the great age of songwriting, the creators of the classic Broadway musicals Oklahoma!, Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I, and The Sound of Music, whose songs have never lost their popularity or emotional power. Even before they joined forces, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II had written dozens of Broadway shows, but together they pioneered a new art form: the serious musical play. Their songs and dance numbers served to advance the drama and reveal character, a sharp break from the past and the template on which all future musicals would be built.Though different in personality and often emotionally distant from each other, Rodgers and Hammerstein presented an unbroken front to the world and forged much more than a songwriting team; their partnership was also one of the most profitable and powerful entertainment businesses of their era. They were cultural powerhouses whose work came to define postwar America on stage, screen, television, and radio. But they also had their failures and flops, and more than once they feared they had lost their touch.Todd S. Purdum’s portrait of these two men, their creative process, and their groundbreaking innovations will captivate lovers of musical theater, lovers of the classic American songbook, and lovers in general. He shows that what Rodgers and Hammerstein wrought was truly something wonderful.

About Todd S. Purdum

Todd S. Purdum is a contributing editor at Vanity Fair and a senior writer at Politico, having previously worked at the New York Times for more than twenty years.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Suzie on February 23, 2017

Sam is a thinker and sometimes a dreamer and he loves to try things out. One day he is caught in a rain shower and is inspired to see things in a whole different way. I love this story. I love the imagination and the creativity. I love that Sam's parents let him figure out his world largely without......more

Goodreads review by Jess on April 10, 2016

3.5 stars Every now and then you stumble across a book that is like nothing else on the market, and in many ways that's what Something Wonderful is. Something Wonderful is a celebration of being different and thinking outside the box, about being imaginative and being yourself. It's a story of frustra......more

Goodreads review by D.peabody on February 23, 2017

Sam is a thinker and sometimes a dreamer and he loves to try things out. One day he is caught in a rain shower and is inspired to see things in a whole different way. I love this story. I love the imagination and the creativity. I love that Sam's parents let him figure out his world largely without......more

Goodreads review by Nadine on August 17, 2016

#creativity #STEAM Sam is a creative forgetful daydreamer and then he tinkers and makes something wonderful.......more

Goodreads review by Anna on November 15, 2016

I can't believe I haven't seen this book before. I LOVED it - the illustrations, the story, the messages. A great Makerspace book.......more

Quotes

“A revelatory portrait…detailed and sharp.” Time

“The milieu and circumstances that contributed to the creation of some of the musical theater’s greatest and most enduring treasures.” New York Times Book Review

“A neatly proportioned study…of the Rodgers and Hammerstein partnership…[whose music] ventured sprawlingly across the planet, all day and deep into the night.” Wall Street Journal (lead review)

“Strips away the accretions of time and reputation to retrieve the craft and dynamism with which his subjects created a new kind of musical.” Economist (London)

“[A] lively, evocative joint biography…Rodgers and Hammerstein’s personal relationship was not especially close, but each man’s individual history had more than enough color.” New York Times

“[An] affectionate tribute to the team that rewrote the rules for American musical theater…thoroughly researched and briskly written.” Washington Post

“Purdum gives the pair far more complexity and feeling than they are generally credited for.” The Atlantic

“Delightful…The most elaborate and entertaining exploration of that magic they’re ever likely to read.” Christian Science Monitor

“Purdum has a smile in his voice as he recounts their extraordinary working relationship, detailing how Hammerstein would write the wonderful lyrics first and then send them to Rodgers, who would add the sparkling tunes…[for] some of the world’s most beloved melodies.” AudioFile

“With warm enthusiasm, Purdum reads his engaging…fast-paced account..[and] hooks the listener with lively anecdotes…This look at how Rodgers and Hammerstein’s shows endure despite changing times deserves sustained applause at the curtain call.” Booklist (audio review)

Awards

  • Amazon Best Book of the Month
  • BookPage Book of the Day
  • New York Times Editor’s Choice
  • Amazon.com bestseller
  • New York Times Pick
  • New York Times Book Review pick
  • Christian Science Monitor Best Book
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