Good Sondheim books?

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 12/16/06 at 7:38pm

I was wondering if anyone knwe any good books about Sondheim and/or his shows. I wanted to put a Sondheim book on my Christmas list and was wondering what you guys would reccomend.

(Note: I know there is the book Sondheim and Co., but because that is out of print, I don't want to put that on my list.)

Thanks!!

[pab]

Posted: 12/16/06 at 7:45pm

There are just too many to mention.
Have a look here

[Katurian2]

Posted: 12/16/06 at 7:45pm

"Everything Was Possible" detailing the creation of the musical "Follies". It's an amazing book- worth the buy. It isn't about Sondheim specifically, but one of his shows. It is a great guide of how a musical is devised and put into action.

Updated On: 12/16/06 at 07:45 PM

[jacobp]

Posted: 12/16/06 at 8:40pm

I am reading Stephen Sondheim A Life by Meryle Seacrest for a term paper its phenomenal the title says it all

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 12:16am

A book I would highly recommend is Art Isn't Easy: The Theater of Stephen Sondheim by Joanne Gordon. But that depends on what you're looking for exactly. If you want more of a biography, then the life book mentioned above would be better, but this book takes a deep analysis at most of his shows and provides quotes from Sondheim, Prince and other collaborators. It really made me see the brilliance in his shows.

Though I haven't read it, I've also heard wonderful things about the book How Sondheim Got His Sound (don't know the author). Explores all the influences on Sondheim and such.

[B3TA07]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 12:28am

How Sondheim Got His Sound is so excellent. I love it. I think the font of the title is Star Wars, haha. It will pop out at you. It's amazing and so interesting to see all the intricacies of his music.

[StephenSondheimWHOO]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 11:40am

Stephen SOndheim: A life is great

[keen on kean]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 7:44pm

I have just started Sondheim's Broadway Musicals by Stephen Banfield. Fascinating but hardly an easy read unless you have more formal music training than I do.

[nobodyhome]

Posted: 12/18/06 at 3:59am

The books I like best are Zadan's Sondhim & Co, Banfield's Sondheim's Broadway Musicals, and Mark Horowitz's Sondheim on Music: Minor Details and Major Decisions. I don't really care for any of the others very much, though most do have at least some good points. The worst may be Martin Gottfried's book.
Updated On: 12/18/06 at 03:59 AM

[AtLeastIveBeenThere]

Posted: 12/18/06 at 4:25am

My personal favorites are (1) "Art Isn't Easy" by J. Gordon (it has great inside information on the creative work that went into the creation of his shows, as well as author's own interesting interps of Sondheim's work), (2) "Stephen Sondheim: A Case Book" which is a collection of essays compiled (again) by J. Gordon and written by theatre historians and the like, and (3) "Sondheim," by Martin Gottfried (a beautiful book).

Happy Reading :)