POPism

This is a must have for any true Andy Warhol fan. It reads like a novel and sheds great insight to what it was like during the early factory days. Andy Warhol led a very interesting life and this book allows the reader to see things from Andy's perspective - what it was like in Andy's world during the 1960's. I would also recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the pop art movement, since a lot of key players are also mentioned throughout this book. Andy does not sugar-coat the hardships which allows for a realistic perspective. Pat Hackett did a wonderful job editing this book!

The intimate stories of the cultural changes that represented the 1950s are told by one who was at the center of the storm: Andy Warhol. In his studio, the Factory, he created large canvases of what came to define Pop Art, listened to music which reflected a radical new generation's energy, and remained at the hub of the avant garde. No other book recreates the pop atmosphere of the times - and any reader of 1960s history and culture must have it. Diane C. Donovan California Bookwatch

book review : POPISM the WARHOL SIXTIES by andy warhol & pat hackett 1980 harcourt brace. this marvelous autobiography is andy warhol's first person narrative from 1960-1969, focussing primarily on his art & film work, but also including many famous stars, & infamous Factory characters, various trips he made to california, michigan, paris, and elsewhere, and also depicting the cultural/historical backdrop to that era. It's always interesting to read andy's interpretations of popular songs, films & celebrities, the parties & clubs he attended, and his film-making process, which seemingly took up as much of his time in the mid-late 60s as his painting did. The theme/meaning of POP is explored frequently in the book, warhol analyzing events like nightlife/discos, politics and society, fashion from Mod to unisex, the Pope's 1965 NY visit, music both pop & radical, the Beatles & hippie, all in terms of "POP." Here are some of the details & events described that I found particularly interesting: 1960-63: travelling to the fox theatre in brooklyn with ivan karp to see murrey the k's rock & roll shows, incl. many motown acts. his friendships with larry rivers, rauschenberg & other art peers, and the suspicious reception he received from the abstract expressionist painters of the 1950s, an earlier, more earnest generation, as opposed to the cool, ironic POP. his relationship with underground cinema curator jonas mekas, who encouraged andy's alternative cinema style & projected almost all his films. outrageous characters reappear throughout the decade, like Pope Ondine, The Duchess, Billy Name, Edie Sedgwick, Taylor Mead, International Velvet, Ultra Violet, Fred Hughes. Candy Carling, all brought to life in chronological order as Andy met & worked with them. The evolution of the Factory, from east 89th st in 1963 to east 47th in by 1965 to union square west by the end of the 60s. 1964: hanging out with the rolling stones, mick, keith & brian jones, and Bob Dylan. 1966: the velvet underground & nico become the Factory's focus, from their debut LP to multi-media gigs/performances in the village & in selected cities. any rock fan will be fascinated to hear stories about hanging out with nico, lou reed, john cale & the crazed performances they innovated that year, S & M dances, light shows, sex & drug charged discoteques, confrontational noise performances, radical visuals & music -- essential underground nightlife & art historical events as they occurred. afterhours clubs with guide lou reed. the hostile reception the velvets got in LA & SF . discos like the cheetah and the ultimate latenight hangout max's kansas city. 1967: happenings/be-ins in central park organized by tom hoving. "chelsea girls" the 4 hour, double screen film at last winning worldwide recognition for his cinema, incl. shocking sex, drugs & a bizarre cast of personjalities, in doc

This engaging and fast-moving book chronicles the incredible rise of 60's pop culture and it's devastating conlusion as the key mover of the New York Pop art scene describes in ironic, humourous and incredibly sad detail. There are lots of bodies in the wake of Warhol's rise to American iconography. It's facinating and incredible. Pat Hackett has to be one of the most talented writers around to have been able to compile Andy's story in such a way that it's only his authentic voice that you hear as you read any of the books that she collaborated on. It's well worth the price of admission!

There are two sides to every story. Here at last we have Warhol himself giving his perspective of his most infamous decade of his career. He confronts the accusations that claim he drove superstars Andrea Feldman and Edie Segdewick to suicide, and answers the critics who abhored his art. At the same time humorous and sentimentle, this book is a great accomplishment of an artist reflecting on his career.