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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.
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.
A well-written and fascinating biography that celebrity mavens and fans of the Golden Age of Hollywood will enjoy.
PREMIUM
George Michael: A Life
Gavin’s fluent, gripping account of Michael’s roller-coaster music career will draw readers in. An emotionally fulfilling read.
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.
In this fascinating tribute, Smith ensures that the achievements of these Black women musicians will not be forgotten.
PREMIUM
Why Patti Smith Matters
Readers will be better served by Victor Bockris and Roberta Bayley’s Patti Smith: An Unauthorized Biography. Not recommended.
PREMIUM
Prop Man: From John Wick to Silver Linings Playbook, from Boardwalk Empire to Parks and Recreation
In this stunning work, MacDonald illustrates that the devil is in the details for a prop man.
PREMIUM
On Jazz
This lively book hits all the right notes and will delight both jazz aficionados and neophytes.
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.
An affectionate yet clear-eyed view of gospel’s brightest voices. For fans of gospel music or those who would like to know more about it.
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
PREMIUM
Blake Shelton: Happy Anywhere
Avid Shelton fans who like to wallow in minutiae might enjoy this biography, but others might find it a yawn-fest.
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.
PREMIUM
Grease, Tell Me More, Tell Me More: Stories from the Broadway Phenomenon That Started It All
Capturing Grease’s joyful silliness and moving coming-of-age themes, this narrative will delight fans and musical theater history buffs.
Aspiring actors and fans of 24 and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia will enjoy Rajskub’s humor, words of wisdom, and down-to-earth tone.
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.
Poignant and powerful, this work will resonate with a wide audience: rap and Law & Order fans, young adults, and readers of memoir.
Not hiding his obsession for “Hey Jude,” Campion delivers an in-depth account of an important song; Beatlemaniacs will be pleased.
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.
A charming addition that will add style and substance to the pop culture corner of library collections.
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.
An entertaining, absorbing behind-the-scenes look at drag that will especially appeal to fans of Drag Race and the TV drama Pose.
A must for anyone interested in country music and how the genre reflects on the United States as a whole.
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.
Walker’s years of research and personal expertise about Houston’s music scene will help cement Screw’s legacy as an innovator who still inspires.
PREMIUM
Love Me as I Am
An inspirational memoir that fans of the Real Housewives franchise or The Real will enjoy..
PREMIUM
Serenade: A Balanchine Story
A touching tribute to a master, this work will delight balletomanes.
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.
PREMIUM
Queer Country
An empathetic and illuminating study, sure to expand country playlists. For scholars interested in queer studies and fans of country music.
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.
This is an essential purchase for public libraries with patrons who are interested in popular culture, music, or awesome dudes.
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.
Fans and detractors alike will find films to revisit and new things to ponder about Cage’s protean career.
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.
Levy gives these trailblazers their due, and fans of comedy will adore the snippets of classic banter and long-lost one-liners.
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.
An insider's guide to Fury Road that will inspire fans to rewatch and leave them eager for the next installment on Furiosa.
Mosesson’s poignant demonstration of the tragic costs of superstardom for an introverted, highly creative, anxiety-ridden young man will resonate with anyone interested in popular culture. Highly recommended.
PREMIUM
Party Like a Rockstar: The Crazy, Coincidental, Hard-Luck, and Harmonious Life of a Songwriter
Aspiring songwriters will find a treasure trove of tips and inspiration. Heartwarming, funny, and entertaining.
A treat for movie fans: Two thumbs up!
Correction: A coauthor of this book was erroneously listed as Tom Sainsky. It has been updated to read Tom Salinsky.
PREMIUM
Horror Films of the 2000s
Highly recommended. Beyond the insightful main text, horror fans will find the supplementary material an incredibly useful way to find movies by convention (e.g., “Road Trip Gone Wrong”).
A highly detailed and exceptionally well researched look at Hitchcock’s cinematic beginnings, best left to scholars and Hitchcock completists.
PREMIUM
Tupac Behind Bars
Die-hard fans of the artist might find the work entertaining, but most readers will want to give this one a pass.
This thorough work will appeal not only to fans of the Sisters of Mercy but also to readers interested in English popular music and 1980s post-punk music history.
PREMIUM
Putting the Rabbit in the Hat
An enjoyable and conversational backstage pass to the life of a highly respected character actor.
Fans of the popular but often under-appreciated genre of romantic comedy will appreciate Meslow’s book, which offers insight on the development of landmark films and how some of Hollywood’s biggest names launched their careers.
This extremely thought-provoking look at radical changes in depictions of women on TV will appeal to readers interested in media and cultural theory.
Written with verve and enthusiasm, Fierstein’s memoir will be a must-read for his fans and for theater lovers and anyone who appreciates pop culture.
A solid addition to collections that have a focus on unique art forms and community building through the arts.
PREMIUM
Conversations
An enjoyable series of insights into an artist’s creative process. For Reich fans and scholars of American musical composition.
Fans of classical music will enjoy reading about one of the most important cultural events of the 20th century, while students of history will appreciate this account of a pivotal moment in U.S.-China relations.
Likely to become the definitive Merle Haggard biography and will sit nicely alongside Haggard’s own two memoirs.
More than a biography of Buster Keaton, this is a stunning, extensively researched, and eminently readable cultural history.
Chronicling Black contributions to film in the United States, this is an engaging, well-crafted work that will appeal to pop culture fans, film geeks, history buffs, and academics.
Readers interested in pop culture will find this an enlightening look at the role of women as a creative force in media.
Walter’s useful introduction to Wagner’s masterpiece breaks down the epic opera’s plot, musical motifs, and poetic structure into digestible pieces of information; ideal for readers with any amount of previous knowledge of the Ring cycle.
Fernando brilliantly reconstructs the Wu-Tang story and, in the process, sketches a concise history of hip-hop and illuminates the challenges the group members encountered growing up. Whether readers are long-time Wu-Tang Clan fans or have never listened, they’ll be captivated.
A fun, informative, and stunning look at the American movie industry’s role in the success of the war effort.
Though sometimes overly detailed, Milkowski’s book is an entertaining, balanced, thoroughly researched, and informative study of the even-tempered saxophone great Michael Brecker; will engage fans of popular music and jazz.
Anyone who has wondered about the background of these iconic covers, and what it’s like working with these musicians, will find much to savor here. Powell reminds readers how closely these images are entwined with the music. Highly recommended for fans of classic rock.
In all, this title makes a valuable contribution to the ever-expanding universe of works addressing science and music, two seemingly disparate fields that have surprisingly much in common.
Much like a Merchant Ivory film, this memoir is filled with lush detail, enchanting stories, and memorable characters that will thrill fans both of Merchant’s movies and of film and culture in general.
Although focused on film, this exciting, well-researched work crosses multidisciplinary boundaries and will be of value to those interested in cinema, gender studies, propaganda, history, and political science. Recommended for academic libraries.
Opera lovers will be delighted by this conversational, memoir-style book from an author who has spent years studying and writing in the art form.
A superb resource for popular culture and media studies collections; Golden Girls fans will be delighted.
PREMIUM
Rock Me on the Water: 1974—The Year Los Angeles Transformed Movies, Music, Television, and Politics
Brownstein spends much more time on the years before 1974 than actual events occurring that year, and much of the content is repetitive, but there are interesting backstories that fans of television history will enjoy.
Band’s prolific body of work, along with his ability to anticipate the newest and best ways to promote his films, ensures that his multigenerational fan base will be clamoring for this book. A wildly entertaining read.
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