Janis Joplin: Rise Up Singing by Ann Angel
New York : Amulet Books, 2010.
vii, 120 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 27 cm.
This is another outstanding biography for young people, which again confirms my suspicion that the best biographies are those written for young adults. I'm thinking e.e. cummings, Georgia O'Keeffe, Yoko Ono, etc. One of the strengths is that these biographies are lean and specific - and if (as in the case of this biography of Janis Joplin) they include great photos and graphics then it's hard to put them down.
I really liked the breezy and yet serious tone of this biography. Breezy, in that it tries to convey the liberating influence of the times (1960s) and the excitement of a talented woman coming into her own, but serious in following Joplin's struggles with bullying and boredom as a teen, insecurity as a rising star, and addiction as she became extremely famous (addiction that would kill her by overdose as a young woman).
I also enjoyed learning about Joplin's roots in Port Arthur, Texas, and her rise to fame based solely on her natural talent and hard work developing that talent. It's really hard to believe that she did not come from any musical or singing background. I also appreciated reading about the widespread and fertile cultural landscape of the 60s as cafes, music venues, and coffeeshops proliferated.
It's a sad story, too, of course as we follow Joplin's phenomenal rise to fame, the encouragement of excesss from fans and the industry, and her battle with alcoholism and heroin addiction - a wicked combination that would prove to be fatal to her when she was still very young.
It's a super biography that I would recommend. Oh, and the title of this post, is the title of one of her well-known songs.
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