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Finale: Late Conversations with Stephen Sondheim Hardcover – November 22, 2022

by D.T. Max (Author)
4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 110 ratings
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“Brazenly entertaining. . . . It summons to the page a Broadway voice like no other.”—Los Angeles Times

“[An] erudite and affably self-conscious memoir of the creative process.”—Vulture

An intimate portrait of a genius: the late Stephen Sondheim in a series of illuminating and deeply personal interviews from the last years of his life—conversations that show the composer-lyricist as he has likely never been seen before.

In 2017, New Yorker staff writer D.T. Max began working on a major profile of Stephen Sondheim that would be timed to the eventual premiere of a new musical Sondheim was writing. Sadly , that process – and the years of conversation – was cut short by Sondheim’s own hesitations, then the global pandemic, and finally by the great artist’s death in November 2021.

Now, Max has taken the raw version of these conversations and knit them together into an unforgettable work of literature and celebration. Finale reveals Sondheim—a star who disliked the spotlight—at his most relaxed, thoughtful, sardonic, and engaging, as he talks about work, music, movies, family, New York City, aging, the creative process, and much more.

Max brings you into the room and gives you a front row seat for their unusual and intimate three-year-long “pas de deux.” The two bond, spar, separate, and reunite, as Max elicits from Sondheim a candor and vulnerability he seldom displayed in public. 

This is a unique portrait of an artist in his twilight, offering remarkable insight into the mind and heart of a genius whose work changed American musical theater and popular culture forever.

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  1. Print length
    240 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Harper
  4. Publication date
    November 22, 2022
  5. Dimensions
    5 x 0.85 x 7.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0063279819
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0063279810
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Max paints a nuanced and sympathetic portrait of a notoriously private figure, enhanced with his own astute and earnest perspective . . . . Sondheim’s fans shouldn’t miss this." — Publishers Weekly

"[An] erudite and affably self-conscious memoir of the creative process. . . . For every brilliant chunk of dialogue, there are multiple moments when Max invites readers into his thought process while interviewing, as well as first-person accounts of the frenzied desire he felt coaxing Sondheim into revealing what makes him tick." — Vulture

About the Author

D.T. Max is a staff writer at the New Yorker. He is the author of The Family That Couldn't Sleep: A Medical Mystery, and the bestselling Every Love Story is a Ghost Story: A Life of David Foster Wallace. He lives outside of New York City.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harper (November 22, 2022)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0063279819
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0063279810
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 0.85 x 7.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 110 ratings

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D. T. Max

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4 out of 5 stars
110 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book enjoyable and a worthwhile resource. They describe the author as talented and brilliant. However, some readers feel the book lacks scholarly content and provides little new insight into the subject matter.

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Value for moneyTalentScholarly content
7 customers mention "Value for money"7 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's value for money. They find it enjoyable and worthwhile.

"...But to me what makes this book an exceptionally terrific read are the kinds of discussions that SS and Max get into because SS is not an expert on..." Read more

"...Even if you’re not into musicals or Sondheim, this book is worth a read as a glimpse into good interview techniques and storytelling." Read more

"Great book about an interesting man and his career. I really liked the author’s previous books as well." Read more

"Excellent." Read more

5 customers mention "Talent"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book a valuable resource for creative artists. They say it's a great book about an interesting man and his career.

"...But for the ardent fan who revels in learning more about this great American artist, FINALE is a great. book." Read more

"...Now that this brilliant composer and lyric writer is gone, I'm grateful for any words of his that we have, and so I read FINALE avidly...." Read more

"...revealing, it's just conversations over a period of time with a very talented and private man." Read more

"Great book about an interesting man and his career. I really liked the author’s previous books as well." Read more

3 customers mention "Scholarly content"0 positive3 negative

Customers are disappointed with the scholarly content. They find it lacks insight and new information about the American theater. The author seems to have done little research, which is inexcusable for such a fascinating subject.

"...who changed the face of the American theater This tepid book offers little insight and nothing new about Sondheim...." Read more

"How did this ever become a book? The author seems to have done no research, which is inexcusable with such a fascinating subject...." Read more

"Offers nothing new or important about Sondheim. I am sorry that I bought th book." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • MP18
    5.0 out of 5 stars For Sondheim fans who are interested in learning about Steve Sondheim as a PERSON, this is a must.
    Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    It’s interesting, several other reviewers complained that D.T. Max didn’t really prepare to interview SS, I thought the same thing early in my reading of the book.

    But to me what makes this book an exceptionally terrific read are the kinds of discussions that SS and Max get into because SS is not an expert on Sondheim’s life or even music.

    Max - who is an accomplished and erudite writer - is continually trying to impress (or amuse!) SS with his own attempts to make a clever rhyme. SS makes clear that Max’s rhymes are inadequate. A different kind of interviewer wouldn’t have tried to do this and certainly wouldn’t have shared his own lame attempts at pleasing SS. But the back and forth is lovely - and most importantly - REVEALS more about Steven Sondheim.

    Similarly, when Max has pushed too far and Sondheim wants to end the interview process, we get to see how SS responds.

    In addition, the discussion of MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG between SS and Alex & Paul Gemignani, the father and son who each music directed MERRILY at different times is essential reading.

    There are obviously superb biographies to learn about SS’s entire life and career. And SS’s own “finishing the hat” series is wonderful and an important resource for creative artists.

    This is not the book for the person who is only going to read one book about Steven Sondheim. But for the ardent fan who revels in learning more about this great American artist, FINALE is a great. book.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Jack Bess
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good addition to my Sondheim shelf
    Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I devoured FINALE in a few hours one Saturday and enjoyed it overall. I share other reviewers' opinion that the author was woefully unprepared to do these interviews. How could he not know that Sondheim had compiled two volumes of lyrics and extensive notes on his shows? We might have been spared another retelling of how Jerome Robbins rescued FORUM from its disasterous previews. It IS a great story and deserves a place in theater history, but the iteration in FINALE adds no new detail to an account that Sondheim has given many times.

    The author adopts a conversational approach that oftens tells us more about his own life and opinions that we need to know. That casual approach can sometimes lead an interview subject to make interesting comments. I'm not extremely well-read in Sondheim literature, so there were a few things here that were new to me and that I enjoyed, like his account with Meryl Streep about the different forms of charades, thw two board games that Sondheim created, that he was a fan of "Breaking Bad," and that "The Catcher in the Rye" is the book he most enjoyed. A followup question about the novel would have been great, but there was none.

    And yet, I appreciated the glimpses of Sondheim approaching 90, however sad they are--the narrowing of the circle of his life, the passing of all his game-playing friends, his desire to be left alone, and his stalled work on the Bunuel project (forthcoming as HERE WE ARE). Now that this brilliant composer and lyric writer is gone, I'm grateful for any words of his that we have, and so I read FINALE avidly. So onto my Sondheim shelf it went.
    One person found this helpful
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  • David Seaman
    5.0 out of 5 stars The last few conversations with Sondheim
    Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I am fairly certain that this book, tiny as it is, is of interest only to people who are interested in the history of musical theater or history itself. Since it is my contention that Stephen Sondheim has left a legacy that will pare him with the likes of Mozart, Puccini, and Bernstein (though he’s better compared to J.S. Bach in regard to form and function) we can call him a master. We get to know as much about the author as we do about Sondheim who is very open and congenial throughout three or four different conversations. We also spend a little time with Meryl Streep, Paul Gemignani and his equally illustrious son Alex. Two of these interviews took place at Sondheim’s Turtle Bay townhouse (now on the market for 7.9 million) so we get intricate descriptions of his five story Manhattan home that he called “the house that Gypsy built.“ we also follow them to Sondheim’s Roxbury farm.
    Sondheim does talk a great deal about how he writes and we see how arduously hard the man has worked, carefully picking through his mind over every single note and word. But we also hear what Sondheim thinks about the near century in which he lived, and the culture and world around him. With the exception of his mother, Sondheim has nothing bad to say about anyone. When he finds fault with something, he blames himself for not being interested, rather than condemning something as substandard. In other words, he recognizes that if art exists, then it is important for somebody and that gives it value. In regard to Pop music, he has the most respect for rap because “it’s a modern day storytelling.”
    Stephen Sondheim was a private man, and really hated the spotlight despite the fact that his fame, and in particular his work, kept pushing him into it. This book isn’t for everyone, but if you’re reading this review, then I suspect that you already had an interest in Sondheim either as a fan or a scholar. I consider myself to be both, and I enjoyed the single day that I sat on my porch with lemonade and cigarettes, and the score to “Passion“ as I chewed through this book, as though it were a Sunday buffet at the four seasons hotel. We learn a greater deal about his new musical written with David Ives and the fact that the work glares at him and is difficult to do. He died before the show had more than a few readings but is scheduled to open this season. The last Sondheim show ever. Wait for the Tony Awards.
    The book is small, but robust at the same time. Of course I highly recommend it. To everyone. It’s rare that we get this close to a historic composer. May he rest in peace.
    5 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Ken Bailey
    1.0 out of 5 stars Late Conversations, but not with Sondheim's voice
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 30, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I assume that the interviews were taped. That is why I chose the CDs over the book. However, the text is a reading by Keith Sellon-Wright and Christoher Grove. Shame, the original recordings would have been far more interesting. As for the interviews, whoever is reading this could have done better.
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