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
Features more than 90 beautiful color and 120 black and
white period illustrations.
Part fairy tale, part crime novel, part rags to riches
Hollywood myth, I Am Sophie Tucker tells the outrageous
story of one of showbizβs biggest personalities.
From 1906 through the beginning of television, Sophie Tucker
and her bawdy, brash, and risquΓ© songs paved the way for
performers such as West, Monroe, Midler, Cher, Madonna, and
Gaga.
βSophie was like the Forrest Gump of the first half of the
1900s,β says co-author Susan Ecker. βShe was close friends
with seven presidents, King George VI, young Queen
Elizabeth, Chaplin, J. Edgar, Capone, Garland, Jerry Lewis,
Sinatra and every other notable of her era.β
Tucker tried to get her story published for nine years,
without success. Undaunted, Sophie hired half a dozen
ghostwriters, but she still had no takers for her no holds
barred autobiography. Eventually, Doubleday published a
sanitized version in 1945.
βAfter immersing ourselves in Sophieβs papers and surviving
friends,β says co-author Lloyd Ecker, βthis initial volume
is what should have been the actual autobiography of Tucker.β
Though she obsessively documented her life, Sophie loved to
exaggerate for dramatic effect. Over the years, she told
multiple versions of each important event. At the end, not
even Sophie knew the difference between truth and tall tale.
βThis volume is 85% fact,β Lloyd explains. βThe other 15% -
who knows?β
I Am Sophie Tucker puts back all of the delicious bits nixed
by Doubledayβs lawyers and throws in other Tucker show
business dirt, intrigue, arrests, romance, murder,
gangsters, and scandals. Now you can read it for yourself.
No excerpt available.
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