The Heartache and Triumph of Billie Holiday's Last Year
Acclaimed biographer Paul Alexander will be celebrating the release of his latest book, The Heartache and Triumph of Billie Holiday's Last Year, at the Garden District Book Shop on March 13 at 6 p.m.
This book delves into the exciting yet complicated life of an American jazz icon. Not only does Alexander give readers an engrossed, unpolished yet authentic perspective of Billie Holiday's life, but he also emphasizes how awe-inspiring her artistry was despite her shortcomings.
Grammy award winning producer, musician, writer, and record executive Scott Billington will also be at the event to discuss the book, Holiday's life, and her impact on jazz music. A quick Q&A will follow after the conversation, and Alexander will stay a bit after the Q&A to personalize copies of his book.
Paul Alexander
Paul Alexander has eight published books, including a biography of Sylvia Plath entitled Rough Magic. He also wrote the biography of J.D. Salinger, which went on to become apart of American Masters, a documentary series on PBS, Netflix, and HBO. He has published for The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe, Newsday, New York, The Guardian, The Nation, The Washington Post, and Rolling Stone. Currently, he teaches at Hunter College in New York.
Scott Billington
Within his 40 year career span, Scott Billington has produced well over 100 albums and scooped up 12 Grammy nominations and three Grammy wins. Billington's writing has been featured in Oxford American, Gambit, the Boston Globe, and many other publications. University Press of Mississippi published his memoir in 2022. As a professor, he has taught at Harvard University and the New England Conservatory of Music. Currently, he lives in New Orleans with his wife and teaches a music production class at Loyola University.
