If Frank Sinatra had written a self-help book Bill Zehme's The Way You Wear Your Hat might very well be it. Mark's recent post of a 1963 interview with Frank brought this great book back to mind.
This entertaining book uses anecdotes from Sinatra and his friends, collected by Bill Zehme, to share the philosophy of an iconic man. There is no doubt that Sinatra lived an incredible life, full of amazing ups and downs. Frank was so many things, some good and some bad, but what this book has taught me is how he always stayed true to himself.
While the book covers all aspects of Frank's life, from clothes (suits) to drinking (Jack Daniels,) the most important thing to Frank were his friends and family. Sinatra also made sure you knew how he felt, good or bad. There was no ambiguity.
I've kept this book close at hand. It is an incredible guide to style and living, however dated. While Zehme doesn't declare every story true, and some of Sinatra's behavior is not worth patterning on, I absolutely enjoy re-reading it whenever I feel a bit lost.
I also, always, wear my hat at an angle.
The Way You Wear Your Hat: Frank Sinatra and the Lost Art of Livin'
