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New book: "Darcey Bussell Evolved"


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Darcey Bussell just announced on Instagram that she has a new book coming out called Darcey Bussell Evolved:

 

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I'm so excited to share with you the cover for my new book Evolved. It's full of photographs from my career taken by fantastic photographers such as Annie Liebovitz. Evolved will be published on 1st November by @hardiegrantuk and you can order your copy now in bookshops and online (including a very special edition!). Dx

 

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Looks like it'll be released on 1st November this year. Most bookshops are listing a 'special edition' but I'm not sure what that entails! 

 

Her last photo book - simply called Darcey Bussell - is one of my favourite ballet books, so I have high hopes for this. 

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This is what Amazon say about the special edition.  The ordinary edition is £30, the special edition £50.

 

"This special edition (limited to 500 copies), of the first book from Darcey Bussell in over six years, is a true collector's item for all admirers of one of our greatest ballerinas. The exquisitely produced hardback, with over 150 glorious images of Darcey Bussell's career, is presented in a luxurious slipcase. Each book is signed and numbered by Darcey Bussell. Produced to the highest specification, the book is filled with remarkable images of Dame Darcey in various notable locations, such as a pod of the London Eye, on top of the Victoria and Albert memorial, and performing at worldwide events, like the Olympics closing ceremony. The collection includes rare and unseen moments of Darcey shot by some of the most famous photographers, including Lord Snowdon, Mario Testino and Annie Liebovitz, in locations beyond the stage including rehearsals, fashion shoots and more which are accompanied by behind-the-scenes stories and personal anecdotes. A fitting testament to one of our true national treasures, this glorious and charming book is a wonder to enjoy for years to come"

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2 hours ago, Pulcinella said:

This is what Amazon say about the special edition.  The ordinary edition is £30, the special edition £50.

 

I put in an order for this when it was £30 earlier... Literally the only time I've preordered anything on Amazon, and their Preorder Price Guarantee has already paid off for me! 😄

 

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9 minutes ago, BristolBillyBob said:

 

I put in an order for this when it was £30 earlier... Literally the only time I've preordered anything on Amazon, and their Preorder Price Guarantee has already paid off for me! 😄

 

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Don't quote me on it but their price guarantee deals with the price you pay should it go down between the time you order it and when it's released, as it's now indicating the Special Edition version is £50 they may claim your order was when it was mis-priced and the guarantee doesn't cover that.

 

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19 minutes ago, Rob S said:

 

Don't quote me on it but their price guarantee deals with the price you pay should it go down between the time you order it and when it's released, as it's now indicating the Special Edition version is £50 they may claim your order was when it was mis-priced and the guarantee doesn't cover that.

 

Wish me luck, then! :DI'll report back in the autumn...

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2 minutes ago, BristolBillyBob said:

Wish me luck, then! :DI'll report back in the autumn...

 

If it were me and I particularly wanted the Special Edition (enough to buy it at £50 if that's what it had said originally)  I'd check with Amazon customer services quickly to determine what's going to happen given there will only be 500 of them. If you 'just chose the special one as it's a seemingly free enhancement then maybe leave it and you may be pleasantly surprised.

Amazon are usually very good re customer service so may honour it but I would check

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  • 1 month later...

Well, I don't think that the book will cover her latest venture which is to join the Scenic Tsar cruise in St Petersburg (though it looks as if she will be staying ashore during her couple of days involvement). I quote:

 

Day 3: "This afternoon, you will be joined by legendary Prima Ballerina Darcey Bussell who will reveal stories from her career in conversation with The Telegraph's Dance Critic, Mark Monahan.

Day 4: Tonight, join Darcey and Mark at a drinks reception.

 

The 15 day cruise also includes the inevitable performance of Swan Lake (but clearly not at the Mariinsky or the Bolshoi).

 

 

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I'm sure it will be a beautiful book I love ballet piccies anyway but I missed most of Darcey's career only caught her towards the end of it as it was in the long nearly ten year period when I didn't go to Covent Garden at all for all sorts of reasons so didn't build up any relationship with her as a dancer etc. So doesn't excite me because it's her but I'm sure the book will be worth buying for ballet enthusiasts. In fact only the other day someone shared an interesting titbit from her first book which they had so always interesting on that level too!! 

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4 hours ago, Sim said:

Somehow I just can't get excited about this....

 

Nor me and I had to fight back a comment to that effect!  But I felt that it was an interesting new sideline for Bussell  which forum members might like to hear about.

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I have yet to see portrait photography from Annie Liebovitz that I've admired and now she has shot Darcey as a sweaty Amazon in an excruciatingly ugly pose.  Her pictures always have a chill running through them.  The women in the boat picture she did for M&S was a total failure with not an atom of warmth amongst them.

Edited by penelopesimpson
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  • 2 months later...

CAmazon has now added the ‘Look Inside’ feature to its listing of the forthcoming publication of Darcey Bussell Evolved. It is worth glancing through for some previously unseen images, including a lovely group shot with Dame Ninette. There is more text, and less fashion shoot in the featured pages which is good news. Like others here, I can’t warm to the cover image but otherwise it looks a lovely book.

 

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Oh Penelope and Jan, is this a cold image by Annie Leibovitz? 😍

ella.jpeg

 

 

 

 

Ella Fitzgerald by Annie Leibovitz, Los Angeles, 1988

Edited by Sophoife
Attribution of photograph without date typo of two years after EF's death. I own a postcard of it.
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Just now, Jan McNulty said:

 

I didn't say she wasn't a good and much admired photographer but she leaves me cold in the same way that some much admired dancers, actors etc do...

 

Chacun-e à son goût as they say... I agree with you about some Leibovitz but this one particularly I find delightful 😉

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Actually there are some nice rehearsal pictures featuring quite a few dancers in the shots  in the preview pages.  If you look at the Amazon Market place there are already some discounted prices including the limited edition , and the book hasn't been published yet.

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13 hours ago, Sophoife said:

Oh Penelope and Jan, is this a cold image by Annie Leibovitz? 😍

ella.jpeg

 

 

 

 

Ella Fitzgerald by Annie Leibovitz, Los Angeles, 1988

No, it is lovely.  But I stand by the fact that I find most of her work cold.  Her campaign for Marks and Spencers, shot at enormous cost was a failure.  

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  • 2 weeks later...

I bought a discounted copy of "Darcey Bussell Evolved" from Amazon at rather less than half cost.  But it turns out to be no bargain.

 

It's new and the only difference I can see from the full priced version is that the 'luxurious' slipcase is not included.  But I was rather surprised by the lack of performance photographs.  Over 50% of the material is connected with fashion, advertising, and other ventures such as Strictly and Viva La Diva (of which the less said the better, IMHO).  The chapter on the Olympics closing ceremony was interesting but it's not something I would want to read again.

 

The Annie Leibovitz photos are for Gap and totally forgettable as is the minimal text.    Altogether a dull book except for fans of celebrity photographers. I can see it joining my list of unwanted ballet books to give away - anyone want it (no charge except for the postage)?

 

Linda

 

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