The Reader's Shelf: Like a Rolling Stone: Music on the Page, February 1, 2011
Edited by Neal Wyatt Feb 1, 2011Music stands as a language that speaks to everyone in different yet meaningful ways, despite varying interpretations and personal histories. Be it Beethoven, Bob Dylan, or Lady Gaga, musicians have long shared the inner workings of their minds through song. What is it that resonates most with people when they listen to music? What power do melodies have in shaping our selves? These six authors explore those crucial questions and the role music plays in so many of our lives. So settle in; headphones optional.
In Love is a Mix Tape: Life and Loss, One Song at a Time (Three Rivers: Crown. 2007. ISBN 9781400083039. pap. $13), veteran Rolling Stone contributor Rob Sheffield chronicles his relationship with Renée Crist, his wife and fellow music fanatic. The two lovers shared the language of music, and in this deeply moving memoir Sheffield reveals the extended sound track that accompanied the couple’s romantic highs and lows, as well as the profound loss that separated them forever. Told in the author’s candid, conversational voice, this love story of two flawed yet exceptionally likable individuals is quickly involving. Readers who enjoy this might also like to try Sheffield’s latest memoir, Talking to Girls About Duran Duran: One Young Man’s Quest for True Love and a Cooler Haircut.
There are few things more personal than the mix tapes that we make for the people we love. Readers who understand the painstaking care involved in crafting the perfect compilation will delight in Cassette From My Ex: Stories and Soundtracks of Lost Loves, edited by Jason Bitner (Griffin: St. Martin’s. 2009. ISBN 9780312565527. $22.99). Drawn from the popular blog of the same name, this is a compendium of stories and mix tapes from 60 noted writers who bravely share their youthful experiences with love and the music that most brings their memories of the joy and sorrow of crushes and breakups to life. These rich musical snapshots of romantic triumph and heartbreak will leave readers longing to sift through the most significant playlists of their own emotional histories.
Readers with a passion for experimental fiction and innovative prose will surely revel in the time-hopping, nonlinear narrative of Jennifer Egan’s A Visit from the Goon Squad (Knopf. 2010. ISBN 9780307592835. $25.95). This inventive novel draws readers into the lives of kleptomaniac personal assistant Sasha in contemporary New York and her burgeoning music producer supervisor, Bennie Salazar. Join Sasha as she attempts to balance love, life, and professionalism in the big city, and Bennie as he flashes back to his past life as a musician during the quintessential period of 1980s Bay Area punk rock.
In Nick Hornby’s High Fidelity (Riverhead: Penguin Group [USA]. 1996. ISBN 9781573225519. pap. $15), London music enthusiast and independent record store owner Rob Fleming has just been abandoned by his long-term girlfriend. This event inspires Rob to reflect on past loves, heartbreaks, and, most important, the music that inspired him throughout his life. Can Rob ever learn to grow up, or will he remain trapped in an endless loop of childish behavior in the company of his record store minions? Packed with self-deprecating humor and tremendous warmth, this novel offers the often-neglected male angle on love. Readers enthralled by Rob’s tales of love, loss, and music might also enjoy Hornby’s Songbook, a series of personal essays about the author’s favorite tunes.
Young love can be so fickle yet so satisfying, as Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan (Knopf Bks. for Young Readers. 2008. ISBN 9780375846144. pap. $7.99) so winningly illustrates. In an effort to make his ex-girlfriend, Tris, jealous, quirky bassist Nick persuades Norah to pretend to be his girlfriend for five minutes. Recovering from her own recent tumult, Norah reluctantly agrees. For the dynamic pair, this spontaneous ploy unfolds into an epic evening of shared music, heartache, and romance. A great escape for young readers experiencing their first pangs of love and for adults nostalgic for days of youthful passion.
Readers who crave a fuller understanding of the foundation underlying the fame of contemporary indie bands like Pavement, the Shins, and Modest Mouse should try Slanted and Enchanted: The Evolution of Indie Culture (Holt. 2009. ISBN 9780805088526. pap. $14). In this spirited overview, Kaya Oakes provides a history and analysis of independently produced and distributed art, music, and literature in America. She also explores indie culture’s hotly contested relationship with the corporate world and creates a portrait of an ethos through a series of apt interviews and artist profiles.
This column was contributed by Jeannie Tucker,a second-year MLIS student at the University of Washington, Seattle
| Author Information |
| Neal Wyatt compiles LJ’s online feature Wyatt’s World and is the author of The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Nonfiction (ALA Editions, 2007). She is a collection development and readers’ advisory librarian from Virginia. Those interested in contributing to The Reader’s Shelf should contact her directly at Readers_Shelf@comcast.net |
