Highly recommended for listeners interested in social justice and entertainment equity. Offer to those who have devoured Kantor and Twohey’s She Said or Ronan Farrow’s Catch and Kill.
Distinguished research, featuring the over 1,900-page FBI report, media accounts, and interviews with family members, coworkers, and historians, propels this excellent biography that captures Chaplin, both the person and his work.
Nostalgic for some, revelatory for others, this account demonstrates how film evaluators can influence popular culture as much as the films themselves did.
Readers might sometimes find there’s too much arcane minutia in this retrospective edition, but Azerrad has written a poignant afterword that makes this expanded version worth the shelf space. Nirvana fans will want to read it.
Casual film fans will discover new titles, while dedicated aficionados will enjoy debating Foote’s inclusions and exclusions. An enjoyable look at a pivotal era in film history.
An incredible work of film analysis, examining cultural context and interspersing personal history, that makes a great read for movie, horror, and pop-culture fans. Highly recommended for libraries with media analysis collections.
Marvel fans and film aficionados alike will appreciate this highly recommended, smashing insider look at one of entertainment’s greatest success stories.
Impressive in size and scope, the 880 pages of this tome might deter some readers. However, casual and hardcore fans of Madonna (or of pop music in general) will still benefit from making a beeline for this book. A vital pick for public libraries and institutions with collections on women artists or 20th- and 21st-century music and pop culture.
A complex study, in content and in presentation. Those who take the time to read in depth will be rewarded with meticulous analyses and perceptive insights that have universal relevance.
This may well become the definitive biography of Carpenter and an excellent companion to Randy L. Schmidt’s Little Girl Blue. Pop music fans will appreciate this strong biography.
McCrae’s innovative stylistics and associative leaps take some getting used to, but his poetry echoes his hope that “what once seemed strange to you/ Becomes your heart.”
The descriptions of Ratmansky’s style and working process are accessible to readers who have no extensive technical ballet vocabulary, but the book is still detailed enough to satisfy serious researchers. This thorough account of Ratmansky’s career is best suited for libraries that support in-depth dance scholarship.
An effective primer that gives a behind-the-scenes look at some of anime’s most influential and popular works. Best for general readers and casual viewers. Dedicated fans might look elsewhere for less-mainstream selections.
A solid and well-researched effort about this famous, often-sung song. Will be appreciated by specialists, but it’s accessible to anyone interested in the history of the hymn.
With a stupendously long notes section, a more than 22-page index, chapters headed thesis-style, with the subjects covered therein, and street addresses of practically everywhere Reed went, this title is for mega-fans and those wishing they could’ve lived in New York when it was all going down.
More intended for fans of the shows described than feminist or cultural theorists, this is an accessible study of archetypes and their pop culture iterations. Evelina gives viewers of the featured 10 shows an excuse to binge watch some of their old favorites.
Readers who are not extremely familiar with Beatles history or who are seeking a Harrison-focused biography will want this. They’ll gain more insight into the most enigmatic member of the Beatles.
A sweet and intimate retrospective of a long and prolific career. This book will make readers feel like they’ve sat down with Nelson, who has just regaled them with tales.
Though not entirely filled with fresh information, the book includes enough new material to make the second volume of this set worthwhile for readers interested in more recent rock.
Schwarzenegger provides a useful, logical, and sometimes humorous blueprint for general readers to achieve a successful and satisfying life, although he chooses to avoid talking about his own misconduct.
This skillfully written, engaging, and carefully referenced biography will appeal to fans of old Hollywood glamour and to readers interested in the social construction of gender, especially within the context of the film industry.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.