Les Paul: An American Original

People staff reporter Shaughnessy has put together a balanced and carefully researched biography of the man who legitimized the electric guitar and became a guru of modern players. A guitarist of stunning facility and a technological tinkerer of the first order, Paul (b. 1915) introduced or promoted advances in recording that, beginning in the 1930s, reshaped the sound of popular music. According to Shaughnessy, Paul's successes both on- and offstage had their price: a near electrocution, a life-threatening auto accident, the failure of his marriage to his longtime partner Mary Ford. She portrays a driven man whose absolute devotion to music has displayed itself from early childhood through the present. Depending on one's viewpoint, Paul is also either a shamelss self-promoter or a gifted raconteur; Shaughnessy notes that during her interviews with the star, he regaled her with expansive tales that turned out to be ``embellished.'' His achievements, however, need no embellishment, and this stylishly crafted book should serve to extend Paul's reputation. Photos not seen by PW. (Mar.)