"When the young Louis Armstrong arrived in Chicago to play second cornet in King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band, he was first given the once-over and then the cold shoulder by the band's 20-year-old piano player, Lil Hardin (a.k.a. "hot Miss Lil") . . .. Dickerson (Colonel Tom Parker) here combines biography with cultural history, making Lil the central character of a host of jazz musicians, managers, booking agents, nightclub owners, gangsters, and record company executives. This is Lil's story, to be sure, handled with intelligence and sensitivity, but in a broader sense it is also that of Chicago and Memphis jazz. And, of course, it's the story of the artists, some of them magnificently gifted, struggling day by day against the forces of exploitation, racism, and prejudice against women. Dickerson's subjects, method, and sympathetic treatment recommend his book to public libraries and especially to middle school and high school readers." Library journal, Harold Cordry, Baldwin, KS

"Few women in jazz-other than vocalists-have been able to carve a noticeable niche for themselves, and perhaps no talent has been more overlooked than that of Lil Hardin Armstrong. Being married to the famous trumpeter regrettably eclipsed her considerable talents as a pianist, composer, and bandleader and, therefore, she is largely a forgotten figure today. Born in Memphis in 1898, Lil was a child piano prodigy who strove to become a musician against the wishes of her stern, puritanical mother. Lil single-handedly shaped the career of her famous husband, forcing the shy trumpeter to leave the shadow of Joe Oliver and strike out as a soloist. But managing the career of the awkward, wandering Louis Armstrong consumed her energy, and it was only toward the end of their estranged marriage that she struck out on her own as a musician. In offering a compelling portrait of a remarkable woman, Dickerson also provides a fascinating history of jazz."-Booklist, Ted Leventhal

"Except for her songs, documentary remnants of this second wife of Louis Armstrong are scarce. But this doesn't make Dickerson's assertion of her musical importance any less valid, and he has performed heroically in tracking down and interpreting the biographical tidbits that do remain . . . In her later years, Lil Hardin Armstrong saw such stars as Ray Charles, Nancy Wilson and Peggy Lee record her songs. She ran a restaurant, designed clothing (including stage costumes for her ex-husband) and taught music and French. On Aug. 27, 1971, just over a month after Louis Armstrong died, she performed at a concert in his memory. As she finished her opening selection, St. Louis Blues, she collapsed at the piano and died."-Edward Morris, BookPage

"Just for a Thrill brings the roots of jazz to life by telling the dramatic story of one young woman who became the 'brains' of the operation and in the process, helped kick start one of the greatest careers in jazz. A fast read and a key piece of the puzzle."-Ben Sidran, author of Black Talk and Talking Jazz