The Frank Sinatra Reader - Tapa dura

This collection of essays - drawn from books, magazines and newspapers - surveys Frank Sinatra's impact on American popular music since his rise to fame in 1939. Divided into four chronological sections, the book assesses Sinatra the teen phenomenon, the mature recording artist, the powerful and influential star, and the enduring legend. The articles document the evolution of Sinatra's musical career and persona through the writings of Henry Pleasants, Arnold Shaw, Stephen Holden, Gene Lees, Gay Talese, Whitney Balliett and William Kennedy.

About the Editors: Leonard Mustazza is Director of Academic Affairs and Professor of English and American Studies. He is the author of Such Prompt Eloquence: Language as Agency and Character in Milton's Epics, Forever Pursuing Genesis: The Myth of Eden in the Novels of Kurt Vonnegut, and Critical Response to Kurt Vonnegut. Steven Petkov teaches Political Science and American Studies. Both are at Penn State University, Ogontz.