Society's Child
My Autobiography
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4.7 • 18 Ratings
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
The inspiration for the documentary film Janis Ian: Breaking Silence
Janis Ian was catapulted into the spotlight in 1966 at the age of fifteen, when her soul-wrenching song Society's Child became a hit. An intimate portrait of an interracial relationship, Society's 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 more than forty years 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 1975, Ian's legendary At Seventeen earned two Grammy awards and five nominations. Her next two albums brought her worldwide platinum hits. But after seven albums in as many years, she made a conscious decision to walk away from the often grueling music business. During this period, she struggled through a difficult marriage that ended with her then husband's attempt to destroy her, and a sudden illness that very nearly cost her her life. The hiatus from music lasted for close to a decade until, in 1993, Ian returned with the release of the Grammy-nominated Breaking Silence. Now, as she moves gracefully into her fifth decade as a recording artist and writer, Ian continues to draw large audiences around the globe.
In Society's Child, Janis Ian provides a relentlessly honest account of the successes and failures?and the hopes and dreams?of an extraordinary life.
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"I was born into the crack that split America," Ian writes, and her early immersion in the folk music scene of the 1960s helped shape her prodigious songwriting talents while she was still in her teens. The autobiography shares a title with her first hit, a song about a doomed interracial romance that was considered too controversial for many record labels and radio stations. The pressures of the music industry and her troubled family life drove Ian to a nervous breakdown at the age of 19. It was in the following long period of recovery that she wrote her most famous song, "At Seventeen." ("I'd never sing it in public," she says of her initial feelings about the song. "It was just too humiliating.") Soon after reaching that recording peak, her life was derailed by a series of troubles ranging from an abusive marriage (to a man she first met because she was in love with his girlfriend) to massive tax liabilities to bouts with septicemia and chronic fatigue syndrome. The roller-coaster ride may be typical stuff for celebrity autobiography, but fans will appreciate the candor with which Ian discusses these hardships and her gradual path to happiness as an independent singer-songwriter in Nashville.
Customer Reviews
Society's Child
11/01/14
Why did it take so long for me to discover this autobiography!? Finished reading in 4 days. Just totally absorbed by Janis Ian's stories, tales and events. A good book, (and a good film) is one that you do not want to end. This is such a book. If you are a fan, this is a must read. If you are not, you will be in for a treat. The title of each chapter is the name of one of her songs. In this e-book format we have the added privilege of being able to copy the title, flip over to YouTube, search for Janis Ian and paste the song title onto her name and bingo, there she is singing the song. The only criticism I have is that the book is just yelling for pictures . Pictures, pictures, pictures. Pictures of family, friends lovers, enemies. Pictures, pictures, pictures. Loved this book.