Beneath teh Underdog

[olps]

I just picked up the autobiography of Charles Mingus, Beneath The Underdog. On one of the first few pages it says that some names have been changed, and some facts/events are fictitious; here's the question, how does one tell which events are true or not? Thanks.

[Andrew Noury]

Heh... there are several parts in the book that will make you wonder as you read on.

Even if it isn't 100% accurate and I am not saying it isn't but it is still a fascinating look inside the man's head.

[winston]

Right now I'm reading Gene Santoro's Mingus bio, "Myself When I Am Real". Santoro includes many quotations from people who knew Mingus well throughout his life (his wives/sisters, Buddy Collette, Britt Woodman) and the verdict is that Chazz embellished/fabricated quite a bit to juice up the story.

In particular, Santoro says, Mingus' claim of having been a pimp in "Underdog" isn't supported by those who knew him. "Beneath The Underdog" is definitely one of the most memorable and provocative books I've read, but the Santoro book provides a more in-depth account of the details of Mingus' remarkable life.

[Damon Rondeau]

Beneath The Underdog is a truly unique piece of literature. It's definitely not a traditional autobiography. I remember having the same reaction when I first read it 25 years ago. Just re-read it last summer...

It's like a stream of consciousness riffing by Mingus on the theme of his life. Sometimes it verges on the hallucinatory. Full of anger, boasting, magic. A book to suit the man.