Business readers will admire Lowe’s acumen and the bite-sized takeaways at the end of each chapter. Media consumers will appreciate Lowe’s insider history of game-changing film companies.
Beethoven is said to have said “Art demands of us that we shall not stand still,” and Kramer here effectively demonstrates that similar demands apply to musical analysis and revelation. Recommended for scholars of classical music.
This is a good recommendation for those who like to read about family dynasties, the mid-century modern New York art world, or people who have a lasting fifteen minutes of fame.
Sure to be a popular read for lovers and practitioners of music of all kinds. A must-have for public and academic libraries, especially at conservatories.
Rodríguez’s book successfully balances an intellectual understanding of the cultural ramifications of post-punk music with poignant and alluring background stories, appealing to scholars and fans alike.
Stanley’s engaging narrative music study invites general readers as well as music mavens into a memorable world that provided the necessary antecedents for rock and roll.
While this slim book succeeds in bringing together the facts about the film in a tidy linear format, it lacks enough critical analysis to elevate its message. Film fans will find it a useful, entertaining retelling.
Nesseth combines savvy science writing with a deep love of horror movies, resulting in something both scholarly and eminently readable. Even horror aficionados may stumble across an unfamiliar title she cites.
Meeuf provides evidence of underlying social and political themes in an often-dismissed genre in this thought-provoking work that will be appreciated by fans of the format and by scholars studying the cultural effects of the first Black presidency.
A delightful and informative introduction to the best (and worst!) documentaries, biopics, feature films, and musical extravaganzas of the last 70 years.
A thought-provoking look at an oft-neglected facet of the music industry, most valuable for the diverse viewpoints and thoughts expressed by its subjects.
As a comprehensive account of the rise and fall of the Weinstein name, Auletta’s volume is a critical text and worthy of sitting beside Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor’s She Said.
Rodgers tells it the way she saw it, often stripping away the celebrity glamour of growing up in a revered musical theater environment. Green is a welcome and unobtrusive organizing voice and fact checker. Hollywood biography readers and musical theater fans will enjoy.
The audiobook is long, but Griffith’s excellent performance, Hongo’s brilliant prose, and the incredible depth and breadth of topics discussed make for a delightful listening experience.
Those looking for a humorous jaunt may be disappointed by the heft of Schur’s subject. For anyone looking to learn more about philosophy, this is an excellent place to start.
While Britt’s insightful and entertaining history may not take fans where no one has gone before (considering there have been decades of books written about the expansive Star Trek franchise), he still offers a fun ride that few fans will be able to resist.
This memoir is an honest account of the transition from Hollywood to adult film actress. The explicit details provided and style of writing may limit its audience.
White’s scholarly take on Hollywood’s infatuation with kung fu offers multiple entry points for readers, from film historians to sociologists. Action film fans will come away with a deeper appreciation of these films, and an expanded watch list.
Though sometimes obsessed with Scott’s debauchery, Fink delivers a page-turning account of the complicated character and significant contributions of Bon Scott that metalheads will devour.
Rozzo documents a roller-coaster ride of big ideas, big failures, lasting successes, and lost projects. Recommended for anyone interested in the culture of the 1960s.
Readers looking for a musical biography of Liszt will find here instead an excursion through European culture of the 19th century and earlier. Roberts’s accessible style reads like a conversation with his erudite friends
Much like Isacoff’s previous books, this is a sprawling narrative, intertwining history, politics, and musical biography, that’s as entertaining as it is informative. Whether readers are dedicated musicologists or casual fans, they’ll enjoy this thought-provoking dive into the history of Western music.
Black’s own relevant musical experience, alongside his interviews with White, his family, and country music icons such as Marty Stuart, make this biography a must-read for bluegrass aficionados. Although White may not be a household name to those outside the bluegrass scene, he richly deserves this long-awaited tribute.
Though not for newcomers to Dylan’s work, this is a valuable resource for Dylan experts and researchers producing content for future biographies and scholarship.
In an industry famous for self-congratulation Schwartzel takes viewers behind the silver screen to reveal a reality where revenues trump values and artistic choices take a back seat to political pressures. A must-read for anyone influenced by media in general and film in particular. And that means all of us.
Dylan fans, and they are legion, will appreciate the backstory and long history that influenced the style, structure, and content of one of his most powerful songs.
Bingham convincingly argues that listeners cannot disconnect “My Old Kentucky Home” from its fraught and dishonest history and that the only way forward is to stop performing it altogether. Readers familiar with the song will get the most out of this book, as will anyone with a deep interest in the intersections of music and history.
A thorough and sometimes surprising lens into how Irish music in the U.S. came to be codified and understood. For Irish music historians and ethnomusicologists, and scholars of the Irish immigrant experience.
Though they’re sometimes repetitive, Johnston and Simmons ably and vividly recount the Doobie Brothers’ hard-working, highly successful 50-year career. Their account will appeal to fans of ’70s rock.
Though at times the text pulls readers away from Wilson, at other times, Wilson feels as though he’s the center of the universe. For readers ready to spend the time and take this trip with Morley, it is worth it.
Highlighting the cultural moments surrounding Reeves, as well as some of the acting choices that have made him such an intriguing performer over the years, this is a solid addition to any library’s pop culture collection.
Supplementing previous works, such as Michael Azerrad’s Our Band Could Be Your Life and Steven Blush’s American Hardcore, with new in-depth interviews, Ruland expertly conveys the importance of SST to the rise of hardcore and indie rock and the challenges faced by a small label in the cutthroat corporate music industry. Rock fans will be fascinated.
While Cantor relies heavily on previously published interviews, he does provide fresh insights from Miller’s professional acquaintances, and the result is an honest, cautionary tale about a troubled musician gone too soon.
A thorough and intriguing history made no less appealing by its length. For pop music historians and fans, particularly of Canadian bands from 2000 to 2005, whether they know it or not.
Butler has produced an essential study of this hugely influential theory and practice of American acting. This work should be in every collection of books on theater and film.
This decade will mark the centenaries of Buster Keaton’s most celebrated features, and Curtis has assembled a biography that will be a go-to source for fans both old and new during the centenary celebration and beyond.
Though mired in minutiae and scholarly lingo, Reali’s work successfully shatters misconceptions about soul music and an identifiable Shoals sound and will appeal to academics and music aficionados.
Hip-hop and Biggie fans will appreciate the book’s context of his rise to fame and the reminiscences of those closest to him. [See interview, p. 73, and Editors’ Picks, p. 24.]
Examining Dilla’s posthumous legacy in detail, Charnas asserts that the once best-kept secret in music is now a recognized trailblazer. A must-read for those interested in music history and in Dilla.