Customer Reviews
Steps in Time! - By: J. Taylor, 20 Aug 2008 
It was a pleasure & an exciting thrill to read about Fred Astaire's life in his own words up until the late 1950s, at some points you reallly did feel like you were there, even when he talked about places or films you've never seen or even heard of! The ups & downs of Astaire's life are thought provoking & inspirational. There are parts where everyone can fit into Astaire's shoes; he seems to reflect on everyone's life in some way or another. This is a brilliant autobiography, it is one of the best I have ever read & I recommend it to alll Astaire fans or people who are interested in taking a career in the theatre or on the stage.
Candid recollections of the most famous tap dancer - By: , 17 Nov 2001 
STEPS IN TIME is a must for fans of Fred Astaire. It is important to bear in mind - & this book helps remind us - that Astaire was first & foremost one of the most talented dancers of the 20th Century, as well as a superlative musician. He was not, however, a writer & is candid about his lack of literary ambition. In spite of its 'unliterary' style, STEPS IN TIME is a fascinating read. It is an authentic testimony of someone who, for many of us, represents the song-and-dance-man par excellence, about the Vaudeville circuit & the making of some of the best known Hollywood musicals.
Astaire is sparing with personal details, using them chiefly as a framework for the history of his impressive career. In spite of his self-professed amateur status as a writer, he succeeds in transporting us to the legendary world of stage & film entertainment, often relating very interesting & funny episodes involving musical heros, such as Gershwin, Berlin & Ziegfeld. He also gives us a portrayal of stars such as Ginger Rogers & of his own, talented sister - the unimitable Adele. Yet, Astaire is always candid about his own flaws, both personal & professional.
STEPS IN TIME offers a unique insight into a world where perfectionism was not just a quality but a professional necessity.
