Ghost of a Chance: A Memoir
Dec 2018 · Sold by Random House
5.0star
2 reviews
Ebook
384
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About this ebook
“The story of [Peter] Duchin’s life has an elegiac aura of glamour and tragedy that might have come directly from the imagination of F. Scott Fitzgerald.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer
“This book brings back marvelous memories of a very special time.”—Frank Sinatra
Called “a living compendium of a hundred years of social history” by The New York Times Book Review, Peter Duchin has lived through tremendous highs and dismal lows. Orphaned by his glamorous parents, the Newport debutante Marjorie Oelrichs and the famous bandleader Eddy Duchin, he was raised in the privileged, old-money world of Averell Harriman, the diplomat and former governor of New York. He grew up to be one of America’s preeminent bandleaders, effortlessly entertaining and charming partygoers at thousands of society galas, from the White House to Truman Capote’s Black and White Ball.
In Ghost of a Chance, he looks back on a life that another man may not have survived. And as he relates the frank, often surprising recollections of the many friends and famous figures who made up the strange family of his youth, Duchin chronicles the changing face of social life in America.
Praise for Ghost of a Chance
“A tale told with wit and charm . . . It is a sprightly, engaging, and at times hilarious look back at a life spent in music, show business, and what used to be called society.”—The Boston Globe
“A bittersweet gem of a book.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer
“Peter Duchin’s glamorous story is about absent fathers, surrogate mothers, and dwelling on the edges of money and power in a tuxedoed world.”—Gay Talese
“A great read.”—Frank Sinatra
“This book brings back marvelous memories of a very special time.”—Frank Sinatra
Called “a living compendium of a hundred years of social history” by The New York Times Book Review, Peter Duchin has lived through tremendous highs and dismal lows. Orphaned by his glamorous parents, the Newport debutante Marjorie Oelrichs and the famous bandleader Eddy Duchin, he was raised in the privileged, old-money world of Averell Harriman, the diplomat and former governor of New York. He grew up to be one of America’s preeminent bandleaders, effortlessly entertaining and charming partygoers at thousands of society galas, from the White House to Truman Capote’s Black and White Ball.
In Ghost of a Chance, he looks back on a life that another man may not have survived. And as he relates the frank, often surprising recollections of the many friends and famous figures who made up the strange family of his youth, Duchin chronicles the changing face of social life in America.
Praise for Ghost of a Chance
“A tale told with wit and charm . . . It is a sprightly, engaging, and at times hilarious look back at a life spent in music, show business, and what used to be called society.”—The Boston Globe
“A bittersweet gem of a book.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer
“Peter Duchin’s glamorous story is about absent fathers, surrogate mothers, and dwelling on the edges of money and power in a tuxedoed world.”—Gay Talese
“A great read.”—Frank Sinatra
Ratings and reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Kaye Hartfield
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April 6, 2019
Very well written and enjoyable. I went to a performing arts school as a teenager and received some training in jazz theory and instrumentation. Peter Duchin's description of music, playing techniques, etc I find interesting and helpful to understand band music of the past. Of course I enjoyed reading about the "romance" and about life in high society. Peter Duchin seems down to earth, which is a marker of true upper class background, and he used both his opportunities and talents in a positive way: to make people happy and to provide them with fun. Excellent book.
About the author
Peter Duchin was born in New York City in 1937. His father was the celebrated bandleader Eddy Duchin, one of the most important figures of the big-band era. His mother, Marjorie Oelrichs, the daughter of a socially prominent Newport and New York family, died a few days after he was born. Duchin grew up at Arden, the upstate New York residence of Averell Harriman and his wife, Marie, who had been a close friend of his mother’s. He was educated at Eaglebrook, Hotchkiss, and Yale. In 1962, after a stint in the army, Duchin made his professional debut as a bandleader at the Maisonette in the St. Regis Hotel in New York. He soon became one of the preeminent pianists and bandleaders in the country, and he and his orchestra have continued to be popular and sought-after.
Charles Michener was senior editor for cultural affairs at Newsweek and senior editor at The New Yorker and has written widely on music for many publications. He collaborated with Robert Evans on The Kid Stays in the Picture and was coauthor with Peter Duchin of Ghost of a Chance. He lives in New York.
Charles Michener was senior editor for cultural affairs at Newsweek and senior editor at The New Yorker and has written widely on music for many publications. He collaborated with Robert Evans on The Kid Stays in the Picture and was coauthor with Peter Duchin of Ghost of a Chance. He lives in New York.
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