Sinatra: The Chairman

Just in time for the centennial of "The Chairman" himself, James Kaplan delivers the endlessly absorbing sequel to his bestselling Frank: The Voice, offering what feels like the definitive biography that Frank Sinatra, rightly termed 'The Entertainer of the Century,' both deserves and requires. Much like Peter Guralnick's masterful work on Elvis, Kaplan delves deep behind the legend to present the man in his multifaceted entirety: peerless singer, sometimes powerful actor, astute business mogul, tireless lover, and associate of both the powerful and the infamous.

Following on from 2010's Frank: The Voice, which recounted Sinatra's meteoric rise, subsequent setbacks, and triumphant reinvention as a star of stage and screen, Sinatra: The Chairman picks up the story the day after Frank claimed his Academy Award in 1954, having firmly re-established himself as the top recording artist in music.

Kaplan paints a vivid picture of Sinatra's incredibly dense life post-Oscar. In between recording a prodigious output of albums and singles, he often juggled the demands of shooting four or five films a year, alongside television appearances and nightclub engagements. This period also saw him establish his own influential record label, Reprise, and navigate a considerable array of commercial ventures, from movie production and the restaurant business to even managing prizefighters. All this unfolded against the backdrop of his famously complex and sometimes notorious social life and commitments.

Written in Kaplan's rich, distinctive, and compulsively readable prose, Sinatra: The Chairman promises to be an immersive and insightful journey into the life of a true icon during a period of immense creative and personal activity. It's a biography that doesn't shy away from the complexities and contradictions of Sinatra's character, offering a nuanced and compelling portrait of a man who truly defined an era. For anyone captivated by the voice and the legend of Frank Sinatra, this sequel is an essential and highly anticipated read.