Lies, A Diary, 1986-1999

Language: English

Published by Counterpoint, Washington, D.C., 2000

1582430578 / 9781582430577

  • First Edition
  • Hardcover
  • Used
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Seller: About Books, Henderson, NV, U.S.A.About Books

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Hardcover

Condition: Used - Fine

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Item description from seller

Washington, D.C.: Counterpoint, 2000. Bright, clean, square, tight, unmarked copy. Dust Jacket is not price clipped (30.00). No chips. No tears. No creases. No owner's name or bookplate. No remainder marks. No underlining. No highlighting. No margin notes. Sharp corners. Pages are fresh and crisp, probably never read. Bound in the original brown boards, with black spine. Gilt lettering is bright and shiny. Illustrated with 16 pages of photos. Index. "For 40 years, the diaries of Ned Rorem have been ideal bedtime reading for musicians. This first installment of the new century, covering 1986 to 1999, parades a few of Rorem's familiar themes: insomnia, self-contradictions, letters to the editor (some never sent, some never published), and, of course, notes on his own music (including an especially lovely commentary on the English Horn Concerto). There are some unexpected anecdotes as well, including one about dinner with Nancy Reagan, an appreciation of Frank O'Hara, and the chronicle of a long-running dispute with neighbor Itzhak Perlman's air conditioner (the air conditioner wins). Rorem appraises new music, slamming Boulez, Schnittke, and Bruce Springsteen (who share good company with Beethoven and Mother Teresa), but there is a sudden about-face on Rorem's former bête noire, Elliott Carter. This time, however, the tone is darker than before because death is all around. Rorem's parents, in separate wings of a nursing home, die within months of each other. And above all, the diary covers the long decline and death of partner Jim Holmes, who suffers from Crohn's disease, cancer, and HIV (he withholds his discovery that he's been carrying the virus from Rorem for several months). The final third of the diary, when Holmes's pills alone are described as costing $15,000 a year, is achingly sad, but somehow, Rorem avers, 'the purpose of a diary is to evade real life.' He thinks that 'nobody sings my songs anymore,' so it is to be hoped that he was heartened by Susan Graham's sensational Rorem anthology released in 2000, as well as his 2001 Grammy nomination for 'best contemporary classical composition' for the song cycle EVIDENCE OF THINGS NOT SEEN. Rorem's prose, as ever, is delightful and instantly recognizable as his alone: 'there never was a Great Man in America, except maybe Martha Graham." -- William R. Braun. . First Edition (so stated). Hard Cover. Fine condition./Fine dust jacket. 8vo. xiii, 416pp. . Great Packaging, Fast Shipping.…

Seller Inventory # 003646

Title
Lies, A Diary, 1986-1999
Author
Rorem, Ned; Introduction by Edmund White
Publisher
Counterpoint, Washington, D.C.
Publication year
2000
Condition
Fine condition.
Dust jacket
Fine dust jacket.
Binding
Hardcover
Language
English
ISBN 10
1582430578
ISBN 13
9781582430577
Edition
First Edition (so stated).
Seller catalogs
Autobiography, Music / Music History

About Books

Henderson, NV, U.S.A.

5-star seller

AbeBooks seller since February 5, 2021

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About Books [Genny and Michael Winne, proprietors, formerly of Parsippany, New Jersey) has been selling rare and out of print books since 1985. Besides book fairs and mail order catalogue, long-time collectors and dealers will remember our lengthy For Sale ads in the Antiquarian Bookman and similar magazines. Our inventory of more than 40,000 volumes is especially strong in the specialities listed, but contains fine books in a variety of other fields as well. Because most of our books are stored in protective boxes, rather than on shelves, they cannot be viewed as a whole. If you want to examine specific titles, please provide 24 hours notice and we will make them available for your inspection. Phone calls to (702) 750-2722 are welcome, but please only between the hours of 8am and 10pm, west coast time. Our phone is a landline that cannot receive texts.…

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