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Society's Child: My Autobiography | 
 enlarge | Author: Janis Ian
Publisher: Tarcher
Category: Book
List Price: $26.95
Buy New: $10.37
You Save: $16.58 (62%)
New (45) Used (17) Collectible (3) from $9.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  31 reviews
Sales Rank: 38603
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 384
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.3
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6.3 x 1.1
ISBN: 158542675X
Dewey Decimal Number: 782.42164092
EAN: 9781585426751
ASIN: 158542675X
Publication Date: July 24, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Condition: SATISFACTION GUARANTEED! NEW Book! May have remainder mark. Most orders ship within 1 BUSINESS DAY with ORDER CONFIRMATION.
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Product Description
Grammy Awardwinning singer and songwriter Janis Ians memoir of her more than forty years in the music business.
Janis Ian was catapulted into the spotlight in 1966 at the age of fifteen when her soul-wrenching song Societys Child became a national hit. An intimate portrait of an interracial relationship, Societys Child climbed the charts despite the fact that many radio stations across the country refused to play it because of its controversial subject matter. But this was only the beginning of a long and illustrious career. In this fascinating memoir of her life in the music business, Ian chronicles how she did drugs with Jimi Hendrix, went shopping for Grammy clothes with Janis Joplin, and sang with Mel Tormé all the while never ceasing to create unforgettable music.
In Societys Child, Ian shares with readers what it felt like to move in and out of the public eye. In 1975 her legendary song At Seventeen earned two Grammy awards and five nominations. But during the 1980s she made a conscious decision to walk away from the often grueling music business to study ballet and acting. She also struggled through a difficult marriage that ended with her then husbands threat to kill her. The hiatus from music lasted for nearly a decade until, in 1993, Ian returned with the release of Breaking Silence. Rather than risk losing artistic control, she took out a second mortgage on her home to fund the record. It paid off as Breaking Silence gained Ian her ninth Grammy nomination. Now in her fifth decade, Ian continues to draw large audiences around the globe.
Janis Ian has inspired generations of fans and in this moving book she shares the fascinating story of her life in music.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 26 more reviews...
This Life is a Page Turner! October 4, 2008
Wow! What a great autobiography. Janis Ian describes her home life, her development as an artist and her rise to fame at a very, very young age which thrust her into very complicated world filled with expectation.
We are witness as Janis endures her family falling apart, a series of abusive relationships, industry and management dysfunction and fraud which, even after toiling for years and producing numerous albums, eventually left her bankrupt. Each period of her life is artfully written with brevity, reflection and humor and she gives a very interesting inside account of American music culture during the 1960's-70's. Janis is frank in addressing what has clearly been tragic, but the thread throughout is her tremendous faith and fighting spirit to preserve herself and her integrity as an artist. What an inspirational book to read in turbulent times. Janis, thanks for sharing.
Janis Ian October 3, 2008
I've followed Janis' work from my teens to the present. All these years and I had no knowledge what cards life had dealt her. She quite openly shares her marriage to a disturbed husband. The abuse she endured brought tears to my eyes, as I recalled my own abuse at the hands of an abusive husband. I believe this book would be helpful to others who have lived with spousal abuse.
People living with the threat of violence tend to believe they are alone. Reading this book will enhance their ability to say even the artists have endured abuse.
Janis discusses the shear horror she faced with the IRS. I could not have endured all that she went through.
I was ever so grateful that Pat entered her life. It is clearly a loving relationship which finally enabled her to have a stable home environment with a loving partner. Janis so deserves this life.
Thank you Janis September 18, 2008
I saw Janis in Winters CA last weekend. She is still an amazing performer. Just to hear her sing her own songs was awesome. I bought this book and had her autograph it for me. It is a superb book. I knew it would be. I could have just listened to her talk at her concert. Her stories in between the songs were funny, sad, and perfect. This book is a must for any Janis Ian fan or anyone interested in folk/pop/jazz music of the 60's - 80's. I am so glad Janis is still performing after five decades. All I can say is THANK YOU JANIS!
Bruce
thank you Janis Ian September 10, 2008
I've been a fan of Janis Ian since I was very small and as I've gotten older I've found so many new ways to appreciate her and be awed by her. This book overwhelmed me with new feelings of admiration. The life she's lead has been fascinating and the strength she did it with was inspirational. Every detail is told with a straight forward but entertaining tone, from the dizziest heights of her career to her surprising rank in an arcade game. I read it in three days, and I'm tempted to just start again. Recommended to anyone who's interested in folk/rock/pop music history, passionate living, and/or simply being stunned by the strength of the human spirit. This has been long awaited and didn't disappoint. I've read a lot of bios and auto-bios and it's refreshing to see someone so artistically able to tell their own story. I've loved her music for most of my life, looked up at her on stage still so bright and beautiful 25 years removed from the album covers in my Dad's collection, and been impressed by the leaps she's made in the independent music industry, philanthropy, and technology in the past ten years alone. But now I feel like everything I'd seen before was just the tip of an iceberg far larger and more brilliant than I ever could imagine. Thank you Janis Ian for sharing your life with us.
One of the best autobiographies I've ever read September 4, 2008
I bought this book after I saw Janis in concert in Chicago. I had always loved her ever since I was I was a 17 year old boy who could identify with "At Seventeen" which was released that year. Her book was beautifully written and both humorous and sad. However, at all times, you feel the hope that is the signature of her songs. So many people think of her music as depressing, but there's always hope in each of her songs.
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