Deirdre O'Connell was born and educated in Australia and has lived in Britain and the United States. Having made documentaries for the Jimi Hendrix Estate and United Nations Environment Program, she now works in news at SBS Australia and in community cultural development.
"O'Connell's vivid, carefully researched narrative reflects the
tenor of the times, the culture of the Old South, the chaos of
emancipation and Blind Tom+s single-minded devotion to his
performances."-"Publishers Weekly "
"Tom's is a story with bottomless complexity, touching on race and
sanity and slavery and art. But ultimately, his life makes us think
about what it means to be human." -"Los Angeles Times"
"If you're an avid reader of African American history or a student
of early American entertainment, you'll want this book." -"
Pittsburgh Courier"
"Deirdre O'Connell lays out for readers the contradictions of an
apparent musical genius who fit into no society." -"New Jersey Star
Ledger"
""The Ballad of Blind Tom " is a unique look at America's past
through the life of a truly unique American." -"Present Magazine, "
Kansas City
"Deirdre O'Connell writes dynamically enough to fittingly
illustrate Wiggins' beautiful and tragic story, from his youth
spent entertaining plantation society with his "parlor tricks" to
his later days, when he faded into the damning realm of
vaudeville."-"Colorado Springs Independent"
"O''Connell''s vivid, carefully researched narrative reflects the
tenor of the times, the culture of the Old South, the chaos of
emancipation and Blind Tom+s single-minded devotion to his
performances."-"Publishers Weekly "
"Tom''s is a story with bottomless complexity, touching on race and
sanity and slavery and art. But ultimately, his life makes us think
about what it means to be human." -"Los Angeles Times"
"If you''re an avid reader of African American history or a student
of early American entertainment, you''ll want this book." -"
Pittsburgh Courier"
"Deirdre O''Connell lays out for readers the contradictions of an
apparent musical genius who fit into no society." -"New Jersey Star
Ledger"
""The Ballad of Blind Tom " is a unique look at America''s past
through the life of a truly unique American." -"Present Magazine, "
Kansas City
"Deirdre O''Connell writes dynamically enough to fittingly
illustrate Wiggins'' beautiful and tragic story, from his youth
spent entertaining plantation society with his "parlor tricks" to
his later days, when he faded into the damning realm of
vaudeville."-"Colorado Springs Independent"
From Publishers Weekly
Documentary filmmaker O'Connell recounts the engaging story of
slave prodigy, entertainment sensation and national curiosity Blind
Tom (1849-1908). The son of slaves, Tom displayed early musical
acuity and a fierce attachment to his owners' family piano, amazing
onlookers with his ability to emulate music, dialog and sounds in
nature; from age five, Tom was entranced by storms, which he could
perfectly mimic, and later was able to play two tunes at a time
with his back to the keyboard. Classified as an idiot, yet
possessed of remarkable skills (including the ability to perform
odd athletic feats), Tom's 40-year career enriched his owners and
managers, especially as the effects of war and the opening of
northern venues broadened Tom's audience (which included famous
commentators like Mark Twain). Tom himself, of course, would
struggle under the control of others his entire life, culminating
sadly in a debilitating, career-ending stroke. O'Connell's vivid,
care
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