Thelonious Monk

Book cover of Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original

Book description

The image of Thelonious Sphere Monk (1917-1982), with his trademark goatee, dark glasses, and hat, is today a poster-image of coolness just as Che Guevara's face once was an image of rebellion. Jazz fans revere Monk for his ground-breaking compositions and piano playing from the 1950s and 1960s, but to…

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Why read it?

1 author picked Thelonious Monk as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Paul Austerlitz

Author

This scrupulous 624-page tome elucidates the life and work of the High Priest of Bebop, Saint Thelonious Monk, in amazing detail and exactitude, while remaining supremely engaging and easy to read. The fact that the author developed the book with members of Monk’s family comes through in the authenticity of the narrative.

From Paul's list on scholarly reads on jazz.