A revelatory portrait of the creative partnership that transformed musical theater and provided the soundtrack to the American Century.
Todd S. Purdum is the author of An Idea Whose Time Has Come and b. He is a contributing editor at Vanity Fair and a senior writer at Politico, having previously worked at The New York Times for more than twenty years, where he served as White House correspondent, diplomatic correspondent, and Los Angeles bureau chief. A graduate of Princeton University, he lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Dee Dee Myers, and their two children, Kate and Stephen.
Named a Best Book of the Year by The Christian Science Monitor and
Playbill
Sarasota Herald-Tribune Holiday Book Guide
"Affectionate and richly researched. . . . Something Wonderful
offers a fresh look at the milieu and circumstances that
contributed to the creation of some of the musical theater's
greatest and most enduring treasures. . . . In giving us access to
the world that gave birth to them, Purdum's authoritative and
ultimately moving book brings these masterpieces to life with
bracing clarity."--The New York Times Book Review (Editor's Choice)
A veteran political reporter, Purdum goes moonlighting to
delightful effect in Something Wonderful. His journalistic skills
are evident in this affectionate tribute to the team that rewrote
the rules for American musical theater. Something Wonderful is
thoroughly researched and briskly written, seamlessly blending a
chronological narrative of the productions with cogent analyses of
their effect on American culture.--The Washington Post Todd
Purdum's skillful dual biography...strips away the accretions of
time and reputation to retrieve the craft and dynamism with which
his subjects created a new kind of musical.--The Economist [A]
brisk, thoroughly reported, very readable new account of the
Rodgers-Hammerstein partnership. . . . Purdum gives the pair far
more complexity and feeling than they are generally credited
for.--Corby Kummer, The Atlantic
A revelatory portrait. . . detailed and sharp.--Time "Todd Purdum's
timely examination of the life and works of Rodgers and Hammerstein
is a beautifully balanced accounting of two complicated men, the
theater artists who surrounded them, and the quite astounding works
they created. Purdum writes with grace and care about the creation
of their best and their least achievements, and he subtly points to
their differences and difficulties as human beings without ever
stooping to gossip or nastiness. Like the R&H catalog itself,
he takes on his subject with taste, relish, fairness, and a clear
sense of the importance of the subject matter. A wonderful
read."--Jack Viertel, author of The Secret Life of the American
Musical "Fresh. . . . A neatly proportioned study . . . perhaps
most helpful [in] reminding us of the bold breadth of the
business--in the broadest sense--of the Rodgers and Hammerstein
partnership" [whose] "melodies . . . ventured sprawlingly across
the planet, all day and deep into the night. --The Wall Street
Journal, lead review
Something Wonderful is above all a marvelous book about the arts
and the artistic process. Todd S. Purdum provides a more than
satisfying biography of Rodgers and Hammerstein, their successes
and failures, their marriages, their money. But he's just as
comfortable, and very acute, writing about their craft. . . . On
top of everything else, Something Wonderful has soul. . . . I'm
happy to have read this book, and I was also extremely happy while
I was reading it. It's a very happy book, and you can't say that
about everything we read. --Nick Hornby, The Believer Purdum is a
lifelong fan of musical theater, and that passion shows in 400
pages that fly by in double-time. . . . [He] has a gift for scene
painting, making us feel like we're in the room when some of the
most memorable moments in musical theater history take place. . . .
Such a pleasure to read.--DC Metro Theater Arts [A] delightful new
book. . . . Broadway magic if anything is, and Todd Purdum has
given readers the most elaborate and entertaining exploration of
that magic they're ever likely to read.--The Christian Science
Monitor Purdum's excellent book continues an argument that is well
worth having. . . . Bloom and grow forever, indeed.--America
Magazine A fresh and revelatory look at the personalities of these
legendary figures, their relationship with each other, their
creative process, and their groundbreaking innovations....Full of
illuminating anecdotes about the biggest stars of the day....A
celebration of the lives and legacy of one of the most iconic
partnerships in artistic history, sure to please anyone who loves
musical theater. --Broadway World This brisk and lively biography
of the greatest team in musical-theater history remains happily
focused on what matters most: the shows. . . . A solid,
affectionate description of artists who look more important today
than at any time since, oh, 1945.--BroadwayDirect.com
"Purdum keeps his well-researched book zipping along in concise,
crystalline prose. . . . [Something Wonderful] serves as an
excellent reminder of the startling ways in which these classic
musicals were boundary-pushing."--American Theatre Unapologetic in
its appreciation of the team's talents but inclusive enough to
consider their darker moments as well.--Dallas News Readers will
learn the stories behind the music and how this most successful of
writing duos crafted some of the finest musicals to grace the
American stage...Something wonderful, indeed. --Booklist (starred
review) Joyous, brisk, and gossipy...An exuberant celebration of
musical genius. --Kirkus Reviews Purdum's anecdote-filled account
is a sterling primer on the influential duo, both for newcomers to
their work and to those looking to rekindle an old flame.
--Publishers Weekly
"A scrupulously researched and infinitely fascinating history of
the collaboration of Rodgers & Hammerstein--two giants who
propelled the musical theater to uncharted heights. Todd Purdum
acknowledges the contribution of directors, orchestrators,
composers of incidental music, designers, and performers who helped
produce the seamless integration that influenced those of us who
were their disciples. His book is a fair-minded appreciation of
these gods but acknowledges that they had feet of clay. It is an
impressive addition to the literature celebrating the American
musical theater." --Harold Prince
"Rodgers and Hammerstein drew pictures, made lists. They understood
and rewrote the longings of the heart. My favorite of their songs
happens to be the book's title: 'Something Wonderful.' I have sung
it live, on stage, on recordings, and with the man I felt the same
way about. I love the intimacy of the stories Todd Purdum tells--he
shows himself to be especially sensitive to Oscar Hammerstein's
special connection with Richard Rodgers." --Carly Simon "Before
there was Netflix and Hulu, some of the most gifted writers on the
cultural landscape wrote beautiful and clever songs. And of the
composers who bundled those songs together to accompany a story and
thus gave us the Broadway musical, none have had more of an impact
on the genre, or the business, than Rodgers and Hammerstein. Todd
Purdum's book is a piece of American history you should devour, as
nothing tells us about our times and ourselves quite like our
songs." --Alec Baldwin
Engaging. . . . A lively, sometimes gossipy narrative.--Forward "A
reminder in these tribalized times that musical theater, once so
central to our culture, is still vividly alive - and that the art's
twin titans, Rodgers and Hammerstein, still matter deeply. Clear,
precise, and passionate, this is a necessary book, and even better,
one that is a joy to read." --James Kaplan, author of Frank: The
Voice and Sinatra: The Chairman "Come backstage...It's all here in
Purdum's book. From describing the real-life moment that inspired
'Some Enchanted Evening' to detailing the drafts for 'Edelweiss, '
Purdum has produced Something Wonderful indeed."--BookPage
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