A review by zachwerb
Straight Life: The Story Of Art Pepper, by Art Pepper, Gary Giddins, Todd Selbert, Laurie Pepper
5.0
4.3
This no frills autobiography does not paint Art as the hero of his own life, but I would not say he was the victim. At times his thoughts and choices are disgusting, his blatant hatred towards other races, his flippant language on heavy scenarios. Even through all this I couldn't stop reading, it seemed so human and almost had an innocence, yet that does not excuse anything. Does this book excuse his actions? It reinvigorated his career and presents it so matter of factly that it normalizes it, but I guess this is could. To paint that human picture it in order to understand others in a similar scenario to him that aren't "genius" sax players. I'd say read it.
This no frills autobiography does not paint Art as the hero of his own life, but I would not say he was the victim. At times his thoughts and choices are disgusting, his blatant hatred towards other races, his flippant language on heavy scenarios. Even through all this I couldn't stop reading, it seemed so human and almost had an innocence, yet that does not excuse anything. Does this book excuse his actions? It reinvigorated his career and presents it so matter of factly that it normalizes it, but I guess this is could. To paint that human picture it in order to understand others in a similar scenario to him that aren't "genius" sax players. I'd say read it.