The Dance Claimed Me: A Biography of Pearl Primus

Yet I didn’t know this until soon after my Dad died. If anyone has pics or personal info about Onwin can you please let me know? Yep, that is a picture of my Dad and Pearl holding a black and white kitten. I know my Dad would want me to know. It is complicated family stuff. Thanks.

While I appreciated the research by the authors, learning the facts of Primus' life, and the comments by many whose lives transected hers, I came away from the book without any real sense of Pearl. For me, biography needs to bring the reader into the intimate circle of the subject and I unfortunately did not feel like this happened in this book.

I gave this rating as I am the Nephew of Dr. Primus. I found the book very informative but I also found certain materials that didn't seem to be based in fact due to what I know of the family history on my Father's side who was her brother. I also feel that there were numerous intrusions of other voices that if you read carefully are marginal to Dr. Primus story. I would recommend the book to others in fact I am sending this copy to a friend in Japan who is interested in my Late Aunt's life. I am aware that there is a lot more material that is held by people about my Late Aunt and I am doing research to bring this information to light.

I read a library copy of this book and I had to have my own for reference purposes. Excellent book to have for anyone is interested in dance, history or anthropology of dance.

Good quality for a used book

This was on my daughter-in-law's wish list, so we got it for her for Christmas. She seemed to love it. I actually want to borrow it from her later and read it myself.Thanks.

This biography was tremendous! Peggy and Murray Schwartz truly loved writing about this amazing woman. A perfect marriage of academic inquiry and artistry. I loved reading about Pearl Primus' love of dance, love of African dance, and what it meant to her. The cover image alone should tell you that she had to have been an inspirational dancer. I really wish I could have seen her perform, but this book allowed me to envision her move, think, and feel. In reading this, I learned of Pearl Primus' courage, creativity, and intelligence.

Excellent read