THE PAUL LESLIE HOUR WHAT I THINK “SINATRA 100”: the official centennial book, by Charles Pignone – The Book Review

“SINATRA 100”: the official centennial book, by Charles Pignone – The Book Review

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Charles Pignone’s new book SINATRA 100 is perhaps the definitive book for those who love Frank Sinatra. It is a large-format book with more than 400 black and white photos (many previously never released) and is jacketed with a screen-printed acetate, making it one of the most beautiful books about a single personality I have ever seen.

You can listen to the spoken word version of this review here.

Frank Sinatra: A timeless legend

Frank Sinatra was born 100 years ago, and I struggle to think of a singer who has contributed more to the recording arts. To listen to a Frank Sinatra recording is to forget about everything around you and become fully immersed in the song. Many of his recordings are truly iconic—“Theme from New York, New York,” “My Way,” “Love and Marriage,” “In Other Words (Fly Me to the Moon),” “One for My Baby (and One More for the Road)”—and there is so much more.

Then there is Frank Sinatra, the Academy Award-winning actor. Even without his singing career, if Sinatra had only been an actor, he would be remembered as one of the greats. There are so many facets to the man. In addition to some 1,400 recordings and 60 films, he produced eight motion pictures, received countless awards, painted, and made countless contributions that are often forgotten.

Touching forewords from those who knew him

One of the things that makes Charles Pignone’s book SINATRA 100 touching is the forewords. Tony Bennett begins the book with a story about Frank Sinatra’s kindness and mentoring. Bennett called Sinatra his “best friend in show business.” Following this is a foreword by Steve Wynn, the visionary founder of Wynn Resorts Ltd. Wynn sums it up so simply and beautifully: “There will never be another Frank Sinatra, nor will there ever be another story like this.”

“The Voice” (1915–1952)

The first section of the book, titled “The Voice,” covers the years 1915 to 1952. Many of the photographs and anecdotes from both Sinatra and contemporaries like Bing Crosby paint a vivid picture of places, times, and events, bringing the reader right into the moment. For example, Sinatra recalls his first club date in New York when now mostly forgotten star Walter O’Keefe remarked, “Ladies and gentlemen, I was your star of the evening, but tonight, in this club, we have all just seen a star born.”

The book reads quickly, with images being the main attraction, but the fascinating stories about the singer make it a captivating experience.

“Chairman of the Board” (1953–1972)

The second section, “Chairman of the Board,” spans the years 1953 to 1972 and makes up the bulk of the book. These were not always easy years for Sinatra. As Bing Crosby shares in the book, “After a meteoric beginning, he had every conceivable reversal and disappointment… Few people in our business can rally from something like this. But he did, and big! And all by himself.”

“Ol’ Blue Eyes” (1973–1998)

The final section, “Ol’ Blue Eyes,” covers the years 1973 to Sinatra’s death in 1998. What’s most impressive about this section is how much Sinatra accomplished in the later years of his life. At the end of this section, Frank Sinatra Jr. reflects, “My father taught me to practice what you believe in devoutly and never to be afraid to believe in something and stand with it. There’s a word for it, and it’s called integrity.”

A heartfelt conclusion

The book closes with three touching notes from Frank Sinatra’s children: Nancy Sinatra, Frank Sinatra Jr., and Tina Sinatra. This ending is fitting, as it reminds us that despite being a cultural icon and hero to many, Sinatra was also a man who touched people on a personal level. Nancy Sinatra remarks, “He has never left us and never will.”

The book captures the anomaly that Frank Sinatra was and continues to be. That is what makes SINATRA 100 so special and why I recommend it. What Frank Sinatra created was timeless and will most certainly never be duplicated. SINATRA 100 celebrates the greatest entertainer of the 20th century. As Charles Pignone says so succinctly in the introduction, “The world needs the man and his music more than ever.”


About the author

Charles Pignone is the author of the New York Times bestseller The Sinatra Treasures and The Sinatra Family Album. He has produced numerous albums and box sets, including Frank Sinatra: Nothing But the Best and Sinatra: Vegas, as well as the 2011 television special Sinatra Sings. Pignone has been associated with the Sinatra family for over 30 years and is Senior Vice President of Frank Sinatra Enterprises.


SINATRA 100
By Charles Pignone
Forewords by Tony Bennett and Steve Wynn
Afterwords by Nancy Sinatra, Frank Sinatra Jr., and Tina Sinatra
Published by Thames & Hudson Inc.
Distributed to the trade by W.W. Norton & Company

Publication Date: October 6, 2015
ISBN: 9780500517826
Price: $60.00
Format: Hardcover | 10 7/8” x 13 5/8” | 288 pages | 400+ illustrations in black-and-white and color

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