Yanni in Words - Hardcover

Yanni; Rensin, David

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1401351948 ISBN 13: 9781401351946

Publisher: Miramax, 2003

Synopsis

Yanni is practically a force of nature. With global sales of over 20 million albums, 35 gold and platinum awards, and a fan base of untold millions in nearly every corner of the world, this self-taught musician and composer has achieved a cult-like following. The Washington Post has called Yanni's career 'a miracle, a lesson in pluck that could be taught in business school, preached from pulpits and woven into bedtime stories.' In this long-awaited memoir, Yanni offers an inside look at his fascinating journey, from his boyhood in Greece, where he taught himself to play piano at the age of six, to his current status as a musical star. His path to success was sometimes rocky. With unprecedented candor, Yanni describes his long struggle to separate himself from the 'New Age' label, his ongoing battles with a music industry bewildered by his work, and the depression that threatened to derail his career. With great affection, he also discusses his long relationship with Linda Evans and shares the lessons about love and truth that he's learned from his father along the way.

About this title

About the Author

Yanni was born in 1954, in Kalamata, Greece. He moved the U.S. and graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1976 with a major in psychology. He taught himself music, and has become one of the world's best-loved musician/composers, with global sales of over 20 million albums, and more than 35 Gold and Platinum album awards. He lives in Florida.

From Publishers Weekly

The platinum-selling electronic-don't call him New Age-instrumentalist Yanni tends to inspire strong opinions, and this ambitious autobiography, which Yanni calls "a book about a life of challenges, lessons, dreams, and obstacles," is unlikely to change any of them. Yanni, with the help of Rensin (who similarly aided Tim Allen and Chris Rock with their memoirs), adopts a conversational, occasionally almost condescending tone, full of tics like "Mind you" and "Can you imagine?". He recounts his "idyllic" childhood in a Greek village; his high school years as a champion swimmer; his time in rock bands (complete with groupies and cocaine); his nine-year love affair with Linda Evans; his near-breakdown; and his determination to make and market his music. Throughout, his plainspokenness is jarringly juxtaposed with show-offy references to the likes of Socrates and Schopenhauer. His claims that anyone could match his success if only he or she tried hard enough, perhaps meant to be inspirational, come off instead as preachy. In his acknowledgments, Yanni writes that "words have never been my medium"; fortunately, his fans love him for his music.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Miramax
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 1401351948
• ISBN 13: 9781401351946
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 318