Re: GG: Glanced at the Kazdin book

[John Hill <jphill@home.com>]

Anne M. Marble wrote:
>
> A whole book like that?! I'm going to wait until the humid weather has
> passed before checking it out of the library. Sure, I can understand
> his bitterness, but it wears thin after a while. (A whole book like
> that?!)
> 
> I know that this book has been discussed before, but I'd like to know
> (again) what others thought about it. Should I go ahead and read it?
> Should I do as I've been doing and read a few pages at a time each
> time I go to the library?

I'd recommend it, but those who idolize Gould will probably not like this
book too much.  Kazdin throws punches at just about every opportunity
and paints GG in a largely unflattering light.

I find this book to be a valuable one though, because it presents a different
view of our hero.  Kazdin & GG had a special, professional relationship
that lasted around 25 yrs. or so.

That's *eons* in the recording biz.  Kazdin's view is unique because he
spent a great deal of time in close quarters with GG doing what GG arguably
loved best......RECORDING.  Hence, Kazdin's take on Gould's personality,
behavior and manifestations are emphatically *not* hearsay.  Kazdin had
a closer relationship to GG (albeit a professional one) than any of the other
authors I can think of.  It's very much the opposite approach of Payzant,
whose book was rather distant and philosophical, since he had
virtually *no* direct interaction with Gould.  Wake me when we get to the
good parts!

It's pretty obvious that Kazdin was (and likely still is)
bitter about the way GG unceremoniously dumped him as producer of his
records in 1980.  Those feelings came through strongly, but if one is
willing to wade through that, there are still some unique insights offered.
I particularly like the detail about the recording sessions, the technical
aspects of how those great, unique records came together.  Kazdin
is the one who recorded and edited a very substantial chunk of GG's
prolific output.  I must say also, that I find some of Kazdin's work to be
the best sounding and most convincing of Gould's substantial output.

I'd recommend giving it a read.  So much of what we hear and read
paints Gould as some sort of perfect genius ready for sainthood.
Kazdin's perspective, though colored substantially by resentment,
may provide some balance to the big picture.

cheers,
jh