PERFORMING ARTS

Bitter Crop: The Heartache and Triumph of Billie Holiday’s Last Year

by Paul Alexander
Knopf. Feb. 2024. 368p. ISBN 9780593315903. $32. BIOG
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Alexander (Rough Magic: A Biography of Sylvia Plath) adopts a unique narrative structure in this biography based on the last year of Billie Holiday’s life. That is when she developed a severe case of cirrhosis of the liver after years of a substance use disorder. As Alexander counts down the months until the singer’s death in July of 1959 at the age of 44, he acquaints readers with the salient events and characters that made up the story of her life by moving back and forth in time, which may confuse some readers. Throughout, the book describes Holiday’s singular legacy in the world and her live performances; some were triumphant, whereas others were labeled “disastrous.”
VERDICT Ultimately, this book achieves a successful and accurate tribute to Lady Day and her immense talent while also painting a stark and honest portrait of her life and hardships. Recommended for fans of jazz and the legendary Holiday.
Reviewed by Amy Shaw , Jan 26, 2024
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