Better Days Will Come Again

The Life of Arthur Briggs, Jazz Genius of Harlem, Paris, and a Nazi Prison Camp

De: Travis Atria

Narrado por: David Sadzin

Arthur Briggs's life was Homeric in scope. Born on the the tiny island of Grenada, he set sail for Harlem during the Renaissance, then to Europe in the aftermath of World War I, where he was among the first pioneers to introduce jazz music to the world. During the legendary Jazz Age in Paris, Briggs's trumpet provided the soundtrack while Hemingway, Fitzgerald, and the rest of the Lost Generation got drunk. By the 1930s, Briggs was considered "the Louis Armstrong of Paris," and was the peer of the greatest names of his time, from Josephine Baker to Django Reinhardt. Even during the Great Depression, he was secure as "the greatest trumpeter in Europe." He did not, however, heed warnings to leave Paris before it fell to the Nazis, and in 1940, he was arrested and sent to the prison camp at Saint Denis. What happened at that camp, and the role Briggs played in it, is truly unforgettable. Better Days Will Come Again, based on groundbreaking research and including unprecedented access to Briggs's oral memoir, is a crucial document of jazz history, a fast-paced epic, and an entirely original tale of survival.

©2020 Travis Atria; preface copyright 2020 by Barbara Pierrat-Briggs; epilogue copyright 2020 by James Briggs Murray (P)2020 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Perfect for Lovers of History

I knew nothing of Arthur Briggs before listening to this book. I checked it out because it was one of the books available for free for Audible+ members and I have a strong interest in the history of the early 20th century, including an interest in "The Lost Generation"of Paris after World War I and the history of Jazz since jazz was vital to understanding the culture of the first half of the 20th century.

This is a great book. I found it fascinating learning what life was like as a professional jazz musician during the 20s and 30s in Paris. He lived there during the same period as Hemingway and F. Scott. Fitzgerald. He lived there during the same time as Josephine Baker (this book contains quite a few anecdotes about her). The story of him living as a prisoner during the German Occupation of Paris during World War 2 was also very interesting and harrowing. This is a great book.