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A must for readers interested in breaking into the business of writing or running a TV show. This entertaining guidebook gives straightforward, no-nonsense advice.
Packed with photos, this is the perfect reference tool for the publishing genre that launched many lifetime readers.
Funny and revealing, this book, filled with the author’s opinions, is an evocative record of theater life and life on the road.
While of obvious regional interest, this book’s informed and lively writing will play well everywhere.
A beautifully written examination of complicated, intertwined lives during a period of intense social change. Collections of social history, music, and women’s biographies will benefit.
Perceptive observations and a vast fashion vocabulary that may have even die-hard fashionistas scrambling for their dictionaries are perfect accessories. This amazing title will enhance readers’ watching and rewatching experiences.
A no-brainer purchase for the countless denizens of Ramones Nation. Fans of Rock ‘N’ Roll High School, Roger Corman, and cult movies are going to love this too.
An extensive insider’s knowledge of rock that offers new insights into the genre’s legends. Readers will find this book fascinating and entertaining.
Rannells’s top-notch narration makes this laugh-out-loud listen a must-purchase for patrons who are fans of his work or enjoy well-crafted memoirs.
A storytelling masterpiece, this work will appeal to Neill’s fans and those interested in the film industry.
Will appeal to listeners seeking a candid, creative conversation that offers intriguing insight into celebrity and self. Recommended for fans of Martin’s wit and wisecracks.
This audio will appeal to listeners seeking a raw rock-and-roll memoir. Recommended for fans of arts and entertainers’ stories that include their coping with trauma and landing triumphs.
Narrator Matt Godfrey helps Monson sound less like an elitist film critic and more like a likable film buff with whom one could share a beer, which might help listeners forgive Monson for dragging them along through his many tangents.
Preceded by innumerable contributions to the study of Garbo, including Robert Gottlieb’s Garbo and Robert Dance’s The Savvy Sphinx, this book presents a truly different approach for both lay and academic readers. It expertly offers an understanding of an elusive figure within the context of the film industry.
Readers looking for perspectives on the July 1981 rap battle might enjoy this. Readers looking for more information on hip-hop’s history and development will find it in Jonathan Abrams’s The Come Up.
A remarkable visual history of Broadway theater in its heyday and the New York performing arts scene until Hirschfeld died in 2003. With its comprehensive indexes, this work is a fitting tribute to an outstanding artist. Should be a mandatory addition to reference art and performing arts collections.
Withers, a staple of classic radio and movie soundtracks, seems as popular now as he’s ever been. Loyal and new fans will appreciate this first full biography of the artist.
PREMIUM
Changing Destiny
Fans of Egyptian history, short stories, and plays and those with deep philosophical questions will enjoy this text. Often triggering thoughtful retrospection and occasionally offering surprising splashes of humor, Okri’s play is recommended for readers who have questioned their place in the world.
PREMIUM
Goth: A History
An impressionistic, heartfelt account of the origins, influence, and curative powers of the goth subculture. Will likely appeal to the existing legions of the goth community.
PREMIUM
The Masters: Conversations with Dylan, Lennon, Jagger, Townshend, Garcia, Bono, and Springsteen
A complement to Wenner’s memoir, Like a Rolling Stone. Since much of this material can be found elsewhere, fans will appreciate having these key interviews in one place. Also ideal for readers who want to hear from those who’ve made it in the musical industry as they start their own path of discovery.
From its deeper dives into classic horror archetypes to its spotlights on niche neurological disorders, this book will likely appeal to a variety of readers.
Recommended for everyone who’s interested in pop-cultural explorations of race, gender, and ethnicity. Fans of Hughes’s comedy and readers who’ve enjoyed memoirs such as Tina Fey’s Bossypants, Tiffany Haddish’s The Last Black Unicorn, and Ali Wong’s Dear Girls will also love this book.
A thorough investigation of Cloverfield as a post-9/11 touchstone of American cinema. A well-suited addition to academically focused library collections, especially those supporting studies in film and media analysis, political science, and sociology.
A fascinating look at the hidden reefs lying below the surface waters of musicals and how to ride over most of them. A treat for anyone interested in theater.
The story behind Lynch’s Dune is both unique and indicative of the struggles faced when mounting an epic film production. A treasure trove for Dune and Lynch aficionados.
Familiarity with the author’s comedic career is unnecessary to appreciate his story. This title will undoubtedly generate new fans.
This highly recommended book has the power to change the way everyday readers of Herbert’s classic novel experience it.
Invaluable to readers seeking a career in the film-producing field, but lively enough to please a wide audience.
This extraordinary book showcases the Bob Dylan Center and the artist himself. It introduces enticing new scholarship in the Dylan historiography to be studied and celebrated for generations to come.
Readers will come away with an insider’s view of what it means to be a singer with regard to technique and inspiration. The book will be of interest to fans of popular music of all genres.
This book is extremely timely, as transgender rights and events such as drag queen story hours are constantly scrutinized in legislation and in the American media. A vital purchase for any collection.
Headbangers will likely rejoice about the thorough celebration of the power and fury of metal in this enjoyable encyclopedia.
Considering the massive scope, this photobook is surprisingly succinct, informative, and helpful as an overview of horror films.
PREMIUM
How Coppola Became Cage
The book artfully avoids any superfan swooning despite the author’s obvious admiration for Cage’s sometimes misunderstood talent. Fascinating details and entertaining provocative backstories make this an important, captivating read for Cage fans and cinephiles alike.
Best for die-hard fans of the show who are already familiar with the cult classic’s storylines and characters and are seeking a deeper dive.
A gratifying, spiritual, and hopeful against-all-odds memoir. An essential read for both Neville fans and those who may be unfamiliar with his music.
Kunze paints a fascinating picture of how the Walt Disney Company has become an indelible part of the world.
PREMIUM
Why Mariah Carey Matters
An excellent look at a great artist. Readers will likely find themselves YouTubing the Carey performances described in this book.
Rich with detail, this book will immerse rock and fashion history buffs alike in a satisfying intersection of subjects. A must for collections with a particular focus on popular music or historical dress.
While some of Coles’s conclusions are arguable, this is an intriguing study of a wide array of vocalists who were inspired by Sinatra. A fresh and educational look at an influential element of popular music.
PREMIUM
The Mummy’s Hand
Often as quirky as the movie it documents, this entry in the “Scripts from the Crypt” series is a great look at a B-horror film.
Another delightful gathering of the voices of women of Broadway. An excellent choice for musical theater and women-in-the-performing-arts library collections and fans.
Written with the pulsating pace of a thriller, this book will likely attract readers and scholars interested in political journalism, women in film and television, and mid-20th-century pop culture history.
Erratic in content and weak in analysis, this book reads more like a breezy collection of film factoids.
Raw and discomfiting, but completely compelling. This is an essential read for Bamford fans and will likely reassure those who are on their own journeys.
This impressive volume is an important biographical addition to collections on musical theater and the Broadway entertainment industry.
This richly rewarding book is a singular achievement in tracing the prowess of these larger-than-life musical figures, whose talents still have emotional resonance today.
PREMIUM
Hound Dog
Will likely appeal to both music scholars and readers investigating the intersection of race and society in the U.S.
PREMIUM
Movie-Made Los Angeles
An excellent source on the development of the arts and film. It would work well as a supplemental text in a film or art history course.
International-film enthusiasts will applaud the author for providing such in-depth consideration of Israeli films; others might simply be grateful for a list of new movies. Best for only the most comprehensive film studies collections.
Highly recommended for fans of Maurice and general film buffs, who will likely enjoy and learn from Greven’s detailed and historical perspective.
PREMIUM
Will & Grace
The author persuasively proves that Will & Grace deserves its reputation as a classic sitcom and a milestone for LGBTQIA+ representation.
Not entirely new, this book’s stories focus much more on the musicians and their brief brush with music history.
This book successfully explodes the myth of Parker as a manipulative puppeteer by portraying him as a shrewd but fair, loyal, and hardworking marketing innovator.
The eclectic mix of pop standards, songs from TV specials, contemporary hits from Mariah Carey and Taylor Swift, and lesser-known punk and heavy metal Christmas tunes makes this an essential read for trivia buffs, music enthusiasts, and holiday revelers.
Written in a highly entertaining, articulate style with a wickedly acidic sense of humor, this book sets a new standard for rock biographies; most readers will enjoy.
Generously illustrated with stills from Airplane! , this book covers stories about its production and discusses how some of the funniest scenes originated. Fans of the film will likely enjoy this engaging behind-the-scenes look.
PREMIUM
Listen: On Music, Sound and Us
The essays in this book don’t display the same attention to fine detail that made Faber’s novels a success. There’s rarely any serious explanation, just opinions, sometimes appallingly argued.
PREMIUM
Mingus
For Mingus fans especially, and those who know the legend and the stories. People who are less familiar with the complicated jazz master will want to delve into the works mentioned in the discography, bibliography, and videography provided by Massarutto.
While Schlatter may be a better comedy impresario than practitioner, his amiable succession of observations about encounters with entertainers from the past 70 years is a breezy read.
PREMIUM
Kick Out the Jams: Jibes, Barbs, Tributes, and Rallying Cries from 35 Years of Music Writing
An inspiring, informative, and challenging collection. Readers will be left with much to ponder and appreciate.
An efficient, well-researched, and polished biography about Powell and Loy that also offers an astute analysis of “The Thin Man” series.
This would make an excellent accompaniment for an advanced course in musical or racial history, but it’s not for general readers.
Meehan’s research into the subjects of alien abduction and related cinema is fascinating, but the book would have ultimately worked better as two unrelated volumes.aw
An absorbing and richly detailed retrospective that will especially appeal to country and bluegrass aficionados.
A captivating backstage view of the music industry and a pivotal player in the electric guitar evolution.
PREMIUM
Eleanor Powell: Born To Dance
Powell’s journey, particularly her comeback in her forties after raising her son, is awe-inspiring. This comprehensive biography will likely appeal to cinephiles and hoofers alike.
An insightful and informative book that also includes Segaloff and Arnie Reisman’s two-act comedy Code Blue!, a witty wordplay on the battle between Preminger and Breen.
Page’s fame as both actor and an LGBTQIA+ figure already makes this volume of interest to numerous library communities, but institutions should also consider adding it to collections as important insight at a time when transgender narratives are increasingly sought after.
A quick, engaging read that’s perfect for anyone who loves Disney or ’90s pop culture or who wants an inside look at the music and film industry from a singular perspective.
Readers interested in contra dance and its music will find this a satisfying immersion. Best suited for collections specializing in New England history, American folk traditions, or roots music.
PREMIUM
Silhouettes and Shadows: The Secret History of David Bowie’s Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)
This book is fascinating, but its density may be more suitable for academically-inclined music readers.
An elegant exploration of the profundity of loss. While the memoir will appeal to Grant’s many fans, it may also comfort those struggling with an impending or recent loss.
Segaloff’s incisive writing untangles Hollywood myths about the horror classic without damaging its mystique. His access to those at the heart of The Exorcist’s production offers new revelations, even for longtime fans.
Huang’s lively, surprising, and all-encompassing biography of Anna May Wong should be on everyone’s summer reading list. A must for libraries with strong film and pop culture collections.
This feminist look at the history of the women of the Rolling Stones would make an excellent addition to collections looking to round out its offerings on rock and women’s history.
Longtime Allman Brothers fans and readers who have only recently discovered the band will enjoy this in-depth treatment.
This title ably conveys the fickle nature of censorship and skillfully details the history and significance of horror films in Australia.
PREMIUM
Drag: A British History
A strong selection for collections focusing on LGBTQIA+ communities, drag history, and performing arts.
Overall, music lovers will wax nostalgic for the passing of the various genres and relish what has been memorialized.
This detailed study of popular stars as marketable properties might appeal more to social and economic historians. For general readers of this subject, there’s Thomas Schatz’s The Genius of the System and Paul McDonald’s Hollywood Stardom.
Readers of music memoirs and Kool & the Gang fans will find much to like in Brown’s insightful and upbeat memoir.
Highly recommended for libraries, general cinephiles, and readers interested in Asian American viewpoints.
For anyone familiar with the movie, the book will have instant appeal. It’s also a wonderful glimpse into the joys and travails of treating something nearly universally loved in a way that honors the original, while its horizons are expanded in a fresh, bold way.
A lovely Valentine to Broadway and a moving tale of Shayne’s search for self-acceptance during the not-so-accepting 1940s and 1950s.
PREMIUM
Pink: Raise Your Glass
Readers will love the images, and fans will enjoy the book. The information, however, is easily accessible online and even on Pink’s own social media posts.
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