Kenneth Silverman's previous books include A Cultural History of the American Revolution; The Life and Times of Cotton Mather; Edgar A. Poe: Mournful and Never-ending Remembrance; Houdini!!!; and Lightning Man: The Accursed Life of Samuel F. B. Morse. A fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, he has received the Bancroft Prize in American History, the Pulitzer Prize for Biography, the Edgar Award of the Mystery Writers of America, and the Christopher Literary Award of the Society of American Magicians. A professor emeritus of English at New York University, he lives in New York City.
"Begin Again is a much more nuanced picture of Cage's personal life
than has currently been available . . . What emerges most
powerfully is Cage's enormous capacity for work, together with his
exceptional self-discipline as an artist and his willingness to
approach every new challenge with a 'beginner's mind.' For this
alone it is a book worthy of being read by anyone, young or old,
who is faced with the daunting task of a new creative beginning."
--John Adams, The New York Times Book Review
"The life of Cage is meticulously told." --The New Yorker
"Outstanding." --Milwaukee Journal Sentinel "Arty connoisseurs
might find the definitive John Cage biography, Begin Again, by
Kenneth Silverman, thrilling."
-James Hannaham, Village Voice, Holiday Gift Books for Any Kind of
Troublesome Friend "Excellent, thoroughly researched . . . The
first in-depth, detailed account of Cage's rich and colorful life .
. . Silverman's prose is lively and occasionally mirrors Cage's own
wit." --Library Journal (starred review) "Since his death almost
two decades ago, Cage's influence has increased to the point where
he is now seen as one of the major creative spirits of his age.
This marvelous biography brings into focus the many elusive facets
of his music, and situates them against the background of his
personal life and the seething cultural currents of the era."
--John Ashbery "Silverman's artful narrative lays bare Cage's
compositional processes, aesthetic posturing and the cross-cultural
philosophical underpinnings to his work with a clarity that
musicologists and art historians have yet to achieve. Not just an
exemplary biography, but a significant contribution to the cultural
history of American music."--Kirkus, starred review "John Cage,
whose pieces dazzled and confounded audiences for six decades,
hardly seems the easiest of subjects for the biographer, but this
is a well-researched, coherent, quite readable account of the
composer and his work." --Alan Moores, Booklist
"John Cage, a master of musical modernism, meets Kenneth Silverman,
a master of the biographical art. Cage, the most innovative
composer of recent times, comes freshly alive in Kenneth
Silverman's magisterial biography. Silverman distills an
astonishing amount of information in an engaging, fluid narrative
that brings alive every facet of John Cage's life--his loves, his
friendships, his career, and his path-blazing experiments with
sound. Cage expanded music, and Silverman considerably expands our
knowledge of Cage by interweaving fascinating new details of his
everyday life with insightful accounts of his musical maturation. A
gripping, ceaselessly revelatory biography." --David S. Reynolds,
author of Waking Giant: America in the Age of Jackson and Walt
Whitman's America: A Cultural Biography.
"Begin Again is a glittering manifestation of the biographer's
craft. With impeccable aim and pitch-perfect tone, Kenneth
Silverman has curated the crowded, cacophonous, frenetic and
fractured details of modernist master John Cage's life into a witty
and sensuous literary exhibition. Readers will feel privileged to
attend the gala opening of this cosmopolitan show--performance art
between two covers!" --Neil Baldwin, author of Man Ray: American
Artist
""Begin Again "is a much more nuanced picture of Cage's personal
life than has currently been available . . . What emerges most
powerfully is Cage's enormous capacity for work, together with his
exceptional self-discipline as an artist and his willingness to
approach every new challenge with a 'beginner's mind.' For this
alone it is a book worthy of being read by anyone, young or old,
who is faced with the daunting task of a new creative beginning."
--John Adams, "The New York Times Book Review
"
"The life of Cage is meticulously told." --"The New Yorker
"
"Outstanding." --"Milwaukee Journal Sentinel"
"Arty connoisseurs might find the definitive John Cage biography,
"Begin Again, " by Kenneth Silverman, thrilling."
-James Hannaham, "Village Voice, " Holiday Gift Books for Any Kind
of Troublesome Friend
"Excellent, thoroughly researched . . . The first in-depth,
detailed account of Cage's rich and colorful life . . . Silverman's
prose is lively and occasionally mirrors Cage's own wit."
--"Library Journal (starred review)"
"Since his death almost two decades ago, Cage's influence has
increased to the point where he is now seen as one of the major
creative spirits of his age. This marvelous biography brings into
focus the many elusive facets of his music, and situates them
against the background of his personal life and the seething
cultural currents of the era." --John Ashbery
"Silverman's artful narrative lays bare Cage's compositional
processes, aesthetic posturing and the cross-cultural philosophical
underpinnings to his work with a clarity that musicologists and art
historians have yet to achieve. Not just an exemplary biography,
but a significant contribution to the cultural history of American
music."--"Kirkus, " starred review
"John Cage, whose pieces dazzled and confounded audiences for six
decades, hardly seems the easiest of subjects for the biographer,
but this is a well-researched, coherent, quite readable account of
the composer and his work." --Alan Moores, "Booklist "
"John Cage, a master of musical modernism, meets Kenneth Silverman,
a master of the biographical art. Cage, the most innovative
composer of recent times, comes freshly alive in Kenneth
Silverman's magisterial biography. Silverman distills an
astonishing amount of information in an engaging, fluid narrative
that brings alive every facet of John Cage's life--his loves, his
friendships, his career, and his path-blazing experiments with
sound. Cage expanded music, and Silverman considerably expands our
knowledge of Cage by interweaving fascinating new details of his
everyday life with insightful accounts of his musical maturation. A
gripping, ceaselessly revelatory biography." --David S. Reynolds,
author of "Waking Giant: America in the Age of Jackson "and "Walt
Whitman's America: A Cultural Biography."
""Begin Again" is a glittering manifestation of the biographer's
craft. With impeccable aim and pitch-perfect tone, Kenneth
Silverman has curated the crowded, cacophonous, frenetic and
fractured details of modernist master John Cage's life into a witty
and sensuous literary exhibition. Readers will feel privileged to
attend the gala opening of this cosmopolitan show--performance art
between two covers!" --Neil Baldwin, author of "Man Ray: American
Artist"
"
"
"Excellent, thoroughly researched . . . The first in-depth,
detailed account of Cage's rich and colorful life . . . Silverman's
prose is lively and occasionally mirrors Cage's own wit."
--"Library Journal (starred review)"
“Since his death almost two decades ago, Cage's influence has
increased to the point where he is now seen as one of the major
creative spirits of his age. This marvelous biography brings into
focus the many elusive facets of his music, and situates them
against the background of his personal life and the seething
cultural currents of the era.” —John Ashbery
“Silverman’s artful narrative lays bare Cage’s compositional
processes, aesthetic posturing and the cross-cultural philosophical
underpinnings to his work with a clarity that musicologists and art
historians have yet to achieve. Not just an exemplary
biography, but a significant contribution to the cultural history
of American music.”—"Kirk
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