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    California Dreamin': Cass Elliot Before The Mamas & the Papas
    California Dreamin': Cass Elliot Before The Mamas & the Papas
    California Dreamin': Cass Elliot Before The Mamas & the Papas
    Ebook274 pages20 minutes

    California Dreamin': Cass Elliot Before The Mamas & the Papas

    By Pénélope Bagieu

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    About this ebook

    California Dreamin' from Pénélope Bagieu depicts Mama Cass as you've never known her, in this poignant graphic novel about the remarkable vocalist who rocketed The Mamas & the Papas to stardom.

    Before she was the legendary Mama Cass of the folk group The Mamas and the Papas, Ellen Cohen was a teen girl from Baltimore with an incredible voice, incredible confidence, and incredible dreams. She dreamed of being not just a singer but a star. Not just a star—a superstar. So, at the age of nineteen, at the dawn of the sixties, Ellen left her hometown and became Cass Elliot.

    At her size, Cass was never going to be the kind of girl that record producers wanted on album covers. But she found an unlikely group of co-conspirators, and in their short time together this bizarre and dysfunctional band recorded some of the most memorable songs of their era. Through the whirlwind of drugs, war, love, and music, Cass struggled to keep sight of her dreams, of who she loved, and—most importantly—who she was.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Publishers
    Release dateMar 7, 2017
    ISBN9781250156143
    California Dreamin': Cass Elliot Before The Mamas & the Papas
    Author

    Pénélope Bagieu

    Pénélope Bagieu was born in Paris in 1982 to Corsican and Basque parents. She is a bestselling graphic novel author, and her editorial illustrations have appeared all over the French media. In America, her graphic novels include Exquisite Corpse, California Dreamin’, The Witches (an adaptation of the Roald Dahl classic), and Brazen (a 2019 Eisner Award winner). She blogs, plays drums in a rock band, and watches lots of nature shows.

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    Reviews for California Dreamin'

    4/5

    51 ratings4 reviews

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    • 4/5
      This was a nice read. I've always liked the Mamas and the Papas ever since hearing them on oldies radio that my mom used to listen to. I am curious to read a more comprehensive history of the group, but I felt like this told a good story of Cass Elliot up until the early part of the group's formation. I also thought the art style was cute. In addition, I enjoyed having the chapters written from different figures'/characters' perspectives. It made for an interesting read overall.
    • 5/5
      When I started hearing buzz about this, I knew I definitely had to read it being the 60s music kid I am. I enjoy The Mamas and the Papas, but I've never been in lovvvve with them or anything, so I wasn't holding the bar too high. But dang! I ended up really loving this!!! I don't think I looked into the dramarama of the M&Ps since watching their VH1 Behind the Music or something in the 90s, so I forget just how *much* dramarama there was. So apart from this being super juicy, it was also an excellent presentation of a talented, complicated woman fighting the haters over her weight, her attitude, and her persistence. I was hooked by the story early enough, but wasn't sold on the amateurish art until about halfway through when it started growing on me--it has that sort of crude feel that Lynda Barry has (the era being similar, too, to much of her work), and you know Lynda Barry is my everything. So win-win all around! Pardon me as I go listen to everything Cass Elliot...
    • 4/5
      Perfect for people who love biographies. The early years of Cass Elliot are told from the perspective of the people around her, including her family and band mates.

      She was a complex, talented woman with a strong personality and the author brings that out perfectly. You will want Cass to stick around for drinks afterwards.

      Although some drug use, perfect for teens and adult collections.
    • 4/5
      I've read dozens* of graphic novel biographies and have come to dread the experience as they are so often dry and dull as dirt. But I keep trying because once in a while you get an amazing little gem like this. I've never been a huge Mamas and Papas fan - I have a greatest hits album - but through Bagieu's pen, Mama Cass comes alive as a riveting if tragic figure. I'd really love to see a second volume.

      * Okay, I just checked my personal book database, and the number is actually 90. And only nine of those would rate three-stars or above. (Hey! Sturgeon's Law in action!)

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    California Dreamin' - Pénélope Bagieu

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