Bitter Crop benefits from a tight focus and a cinematic structure ... Alexander... captures some of the tragic beauty of Holiday’s life and art. But he also does justice to her innate toughness and survival instincts, and the work ethic that burned until her body finally gave out.
Readers interested in Holiday the vocalist would be better served by [other] books. (The title of Mr. Alexander’s book is in poor taste) ... But Mr. Alexander pieces together some wonderful accounts of the singer by her close friends, to depict Holiday as resourceful and resilient.
Ambitious ... In tracing Holiday’s longtime drug and alcohol use, which damaged her health and led to her spending nearly a year in prison for narcotics possession, Alexander also delves into the unwarranted sensationalism with which the press often covered these matters at the time.
Engrossing and moving ... Undoubtedly a champion of Holiday, Alexander takes pains to note aspects of her life and career that put off her detractors ... His book is quite special—authoritative, highly readable, and filled with vivid scenes.
In fluent command of an enormous amount of detail both enraging and awe-inspiring, Alexander vividly recounts Holiday’s valiant and ravishing last recordings and performances as her health deteriorated but her conviction stayed strong. A portrait as affecting and indelible as Holiday’s exquisite performances.
Ultimately, this book achieves a successful and accurate tribute to Lady Day and her immense talent while also painting a stark and honest portrait of her life and hardships.
Alexander’s evocative prose seamlessly complements the painstaking research that he conducted ... He has written a tale as unique as Holiday’s voice and, more importantly, given voice to the life of an American original.
