Reviews for Bessie

The average rating for Bessie based on 2 reviews is 4.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2014-11-03 00:00:00 Juliana Yarosh Great read! I think the author did a awesome job putting this book together, considering the fact that he only had conversations with people that knew her and whatever he could gather from her record company. The author also had footnotes and pictures throughout the book. One thing for sure Bessie Smith was one wild woman. She had a quick temper and wasn't afraid to fight any woman or man. It was nice to finally read about this blues singer also known as the empress of the blues and get a glimpse into her life. Now I feel prepared for the movie on HBO May 16th starring Queen Latifah as Bessie. The book I own is the original copy. Published in 1972. 253 pages.

Review # 2 was written on 2018-07-09 00:00:00 Rglm Gijzen A fantastic amount of research went into this book and that in itself is amazing since most had to be gathered from live interviews with Bessie's colleagues. Dubbed the Emperoress of the Blues, Bessie was by all accounts a feisty, tough beyond belief, talented singer. Rising up from abject [poverty through singing, Bessie started "working" by age 9 ultimately supporting her 4 adult siblings, a husband, a few lovers and an adopted child. This biography also dispels some of the rumors surrounding Bessie's death.