Billie Holiday was one of the most inspiringly talented singers of the 20th century, appreciated not just in the world of jazz, but by music lovers across the whole musical spectrum. Stuart Nicholson successfully describes the complexities of Holiday's personality, her art and her times in this well-written and original biography. Acclaimed as 'Notable Book of the Year' by the New York Times it is a gripping insight in to the life and music of Billie Holiday, who was without doubt a phenomenon of American culture.