Earthy, witty with tons of pizzazz, Sophie Tucker was more than an icon, more than in institution; her life encompassed changes in entertainment from Vaudeville to television. Susan and Lloyd Ecker have put together I AM SOPHIE TUCKER, a book based firmly (at least 85% firmly) on research into Sophie's collection of memory albums, weaving in fifteen percent based on Sophie's strong and vibrant personality and what she might have said and done.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from such a semi- fictionalized biography. I am much more accustomed to bios based on fact (although of course anything written is filtered through the mind of the writer, and differs from something another would write.) I was, surprisingly, delighted. At some point, I no longer cared if the information was accurate. What I believe was most accurate was the portrayal of Sophie Tucker's larger- than-life personality, that drew notables into her orbit like a high gravity sun.

The tale of Sophie's climb to fame was full of the difficulties and the hutzpah with which she overcame them. The behind-the-scenes glimpses into 1920s Tin Pan Alley and the famous folks who came into her orbit were fascinating, but my favorite part of the book was the tale of her family's escape from the Cossacks.

With a multitude of color and black and white period illustrations and photos, a reader can feel transported to Sophie Tucker's world. I look forward to the release of "The Outrageous Sophie Tucker" in February 2015, which is based on I AM SOPHIE TUCKER, expanded with interviews with those who knew her and knew of her during her reign. If you don't have the chance to see the movie, however, I still highly recommend the book. It was an utter delight. More information is available at sophietucker.com