Joseph Epstein's "Fred Astaire" investigates the great dancer's magical talent, taking up the story of his life, his personality, his work habits, his modest pretensions, and above all his accomplishments. Written with the wit and grace the subject deserves, "Fred Astaire" provides a remarkable portrait of this extraordinary artist and how he came to embody for Americans a fantasy of easy elegance and, more complicatedly, of democratic aristocracy. Tracing Astaire's life from his birth in Omaha to his death in his late eighties in Hollywood, the book discusses his early days with his talented and outspoken sister Adele, his gifts as a singer (Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, and Jerome Kern all delighted in composing for Astaire), and his many movie dance partners, among them Rita Hayworth, Eleanor Powell, Cyd Charisse, and Betty Hutton. A key chapter of the book is devoted to Astaire's somewhat unwilling partnership with Ginger Rogers, the woman with whom he danced most dazzlingly of all. What emerges from these pages is a fascinating view of an American era, seen through the accomplishments of Fred Astaire, an unassuming but perfectionist performer who transformed entertainment into art and gave America a new and yet enduring standard for style.

About the Author

Joseph Epstein is the author of, among other books, Snobbery, Friendship and Fabulous Small Jews. He has been editor of American Scholar and has written for the New Yorker, the Atlantic, Commentary, Town and Country, and other magazines.

Reviews

Essayist and fiction writer Epstein (Snobbery: The American Version; Fabulous Small Jews: Stories) turns his discerning gaze to the legendary dancer and star Fred Astaire. Although he presents general biographical details, Epstein's chief concern is with Astaire the artist, and he thoroughly scrutinizes all aspects of his talent. Epstein devotes attention to every facet of the Astaire image, discussing at length his physical characteristics and unique sense of style. He also spends a good portion of the book addressing Astaire's dancing partners and the varying success of each. Most biographies tend to focus on the sensational details of the life lived; Epstein, however, places the magic of Astaire's art front and center, which results in an astute and ardent examination. The author's passion for his subject makes this an engaging read, even for those with only cursory knowledge of Astaire. Essential for all dance collections and recommended for all performing arts collections in universities and large public libraries.--Katherine Litwin, Chicago Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.

"Epstein writes like an insider chatting over mai tais at the Brown Derby."--Patricia Volk, "O, the Oprah Magazine"--Patricia Volk"O, the Oprah Magazine" (11/01/2008)