Customer Reviews:
 Terrific biography of a supremely gifted artist. July 24, 2000
10 out of 18 found this review helpful
Meryle Secrest's book is one of a kind (so far): a story of Stephen Sondheim, the man, rather than simply Stephen Sondheim, the artist. No other book has attempted to do this, and Secrest does a fine job. This book is an absolute feast for Sondheim fans, because the Great Man himself reveals several illuminating insights into his own life, conflicted personality and peerless work. I read the other reviews here at Amazon, and people seem to be missing the point--this isn't a critical biography, but a personal one. And it is one of the very best books written about this enigmatic, thoroughly fascinating man.
 Not as great as I thought it would be... March 3, 2000
14 out of 15 found this review helpful
I bought this book after it had been hyped up in "The Sondheim Review", a magazine for Sondheim junkies like myself. I read it in hopes of going behind the genius of such musicals as "Follies", "Company" and "West Side Story", but instead got a dark and detailed (too detailed for my taste) account of the more dreary parts of his life. There is some musical theater critique, but her lack of knowledge in this area is unbelievable. Her constant "Here, let me tell you what I think was going on at this point" grows tiresome as well. Still, there's no denying his life has been fascinating, and this book serves as a good rainy day reader.
 A must read for any Sondheim fan January 28, 2000
1 out of 6 found this review helpful
This book is a wealth of information for anyone who loves Sondheim or musical theatre in general. I consider myself a Sonheim fanatic, but I still found information in this book that I had never heard before. To top it off, the book contains anecdotes and black and white photos of other Broadway legends like Harold Prince and Jerome Robbins.The author does stray from the topic at hand from time to time and goes off on some interesting yet irrelevant tangents. Also, in attempting to briefly summarize some of Sondheim's shows, Meryle Secrest is, at times, incorrect about the events or actions in the play. Aside from these minor infringements, which any semi-knowledgeable reader would easily recognize, the book is interesting and compelling. I couldn't put it down.
 A Prosaic Study of a Poetic Composer December 18, 1999
10 out of 11 found this review helpful
Secrest's bio is still unfortunately indispensible for any student of the man behind the musicals, but its plodding style, many irrelevant asides, and total lack of imagination, wit, or geniune personal insight makes it a difficult read. Recommended only for the serious student of Sondheim.
don't bother June 15, 1999
10 out of 11 found this review helpful
It's very sad to see Craig Zadan's "Sondheim & Company" out of print and in its stead this plodding pastiche. Ms. Secrest has no training in, experience with, or especial knowledge of theatre or music, yet she feels obliged to bore us with her theatrical obiter dicta, to critique each of Sondheim's works. Ms. Secrest has no training in, experience with, or especial knowledge of pschology, yet she feels obliged to psychoanalyze her subject. The result is not enlightening.recommended: PENTATONIC SCALES FOR THE JAZZ-ROCK KEYBOARDIST by Jeff Burns.
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