Louis Armstrong: The Offstage Story of Satchmo

This is a wonderful book about a spectacular talent who brought an immeasurable amount of joy to the world. Looking through the hundreds of photos of Louis, one can't help but be charmed by Louis's infectious beaming smile. Reading through the book, I just kept thinking that Louis might have been the coolest person who ever lived. I wish I could have met him, let alone heard him play.

You will love this book. A ton of rare high quality photographs right from his and wife lucille's private picture albums and scrapbooks. Good writing too in the book that will hold the reader's interest. I agree with the other reviewer in that it makes you want to check out the actual house he once lived in that is open to all fans as a museum.

This is a wonderful coffee table book, perfect for paging through while listening to your favorite Louis Armstrong recordings. The photographs include include wonderful candid shots of Louis both on and offstage (despite the title). The book also has some great anecdotal material regarding Louis' life and work. Perusing this book has made me look forward to visiting the newly opened Armstrong House museum in Queens the next time I get back to NYC. A real treasure for the fan of Armstrong's music.