Sinatra: The Chairman
“Remarkably insightful…. An alternately triumphant and tragic account of… a life that, as Kaplan concludes, ‘touched almost every aspect of American culture in the twentieth century.’ That’s a big statement, but this big book makes us believe it.” — Bill Ott, Booklist [starred review]
“Riveting…. An appropriately big book for an oversized artistic presence.” — Kirkus Reviews [starred]
“The great singer-actor contains multitudes in this vast, engrossing biography…. Kaplan delves with gusto into Sinatra’s seething contradictions.” — Publishers Weekly [starred]
“This is a great book, make no mistake.” — Craig Fitzgerald, Vermicious
“Hugely compelling… wildly readable… stunningly researched.” — Jeff Simon, Buffalo News
“Fifty pages from the end of Sinatra: The Chairman, the second and concluding volume of James Kaplan’s magisterial biography of Frank Sinatra, I guarantee you’ll begin to weep. Not because you’ve finished a 900-plus-page book (though you will feel relief), or because Kaplan so persistently details the ugly truth about Sinatra…. No, you will weep over the death of a massive and unforgettable talent whose style of living helped define post-war America, and you will weep of an America that no longer exists, whether you lived during those years or just yearn for their return.” — Sibbie O’Sullivan, The Washington Post
“This year marks Sinatra’s centennial, a celebration replete with musical, film, television, and museum tributes. And, of course, books–of which the crowning glory is surely… Sinatra: The Chairman… a riveting read… juicy, painstakingly researched, excitingly written.” — Julia M. Klein, The Boston Globe
“Endlessly engaging…. [Kaplan’s] Sinatra is a magnificent monster…. The music is central… as it should be.” — Edward Kosner, The Wall Street Journal
“Written with… brilliant passion and understanding…. James Kaplan’s two volume set is the definitive word on Frank Sinatra, as definitive as any biography of any public figure can be. It’s jammed with something juicy on almost every page. It has been written with integrity and affection. It neither sugar coats or demonizes.” — Liz Smith, New York Social Diary
“Hugely readable, vastly entertaining, a page turner….” — Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker