Reddit reviews Pops: A Life of Louis Armstrong

I'd recommend Pops by Terry Teachout.

Also, Subversive Sounds, while not an biography per se, talks a good deal about Armstrong while contextualizing the careers of early jazz musicians within the social atmosphere of early 20th century New Orleans.

For more info on the man read Pops by Terry Teachout - he had an amazing life. Link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0151010897/ref=redir_mdp_mobile

I'm reading a biography of Louis Armstrong, Baldwin's contemporary. The author notes that the non-racist reputation early 20th century France has is at least a little oversold. Of the critics who were less than impressed with young Armstrong's music and stage antics, during his first trip to France, there were clearly racist comments, including remarks, in print, of him carrying on like "a gorilla."