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Popular Culture March 2019
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| Hollywood's Eve: Eve Babitz and the Secret History of L.A. by Lili AnolikWhat it is: a gossipy yet perceptive biography of Los Angeles artist, writer, and pleasure-seeking socialite Eve Babitz, a mainstay of the 1960s and '70s Hollywood milieu.
Guest starring: Jim Morrison, Steve Martin, Andy Warhol, and more.
Why you might like it: Sweeping and colorful, Hollywood's Eve is a tribute both to Babitz's enduring allure and a bygone Hollywood era. |
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| Bookends: Collected Intros and Outros by Michael ChabonWhat it is: an upbeat collection of introductions and afterwords penned by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Chabon.
Read it for: Chabon's enthusiastic discussion of his favorite books (including some of his own); insights into his literary influences and writing process.
Notable favorites include: Andrew Bolton's Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy; Norton Juster's The Phantom Tollbooth; Ray Bradbury's "The Rocket Man;" Chabon's Summerland. |
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| All That Heaven Allows: A Biography of Rock Hudson by Mark GriffinWhat it's about: the complex rags-to-riches life of 1950s film icon Rock Hudson, whose public persona as "Hollywood's Most Eligible Bachelor" concealed his homosexuality until his death from AIDS in 1985.
What's inside: over 100 interviews with co-stars and loved ones; a comprehensive analysis of Hudson's filmography.
Movie buzz: A film adaptation helmed by Love, Simon director Greg Berlanti is in the works. |
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| The Birth of Loud: Leo Fender, Les Paul, and the Guitar-Pioneering Rivalry That Shaped... by Ian S. PortWhat it's about: the epic rivalry between guitar manufacturers Leo Fender and Les Paul that changed the sound of rock music forever.
Don't miss: Jimi Hendrix (playing a Fender Stratocaster) besting Eric Clapton (playing a Les Paul Gibson) at a 1966 concert.
Reviewers say: "this love letter to American creativity and rock and roll belongs in every library and should be read by all rock fans" (Library Journal). |
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| How to Date Men When You Hate Men by Blythe RobersonWhat it's about: the pitfalls of modern love, as recounted by 27-year-old Blythe Roberson, a researcher for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and self-described "horned-up perv."
Topics include: Good Flirts That Work; Bad Flirts That Do Not Work; Definitive Proof That Tom Hanks Is The Villain Of You’ve Got Mail.
For fans of: Phoebe Robinson and other feminist comedy writers. |
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| Coach Wooden and Me: Our 50-Year Friendship On and Off the Court by Kareem Abdul-JabbarWhat it is: a sensitive portrait of the friendship between NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Basketball Hall of Fame coach John Wooden, which began after Wooden recruited Abdul-Jabbar for the UCLA Bruins in the 1960s and endured until Wooden's 2010 death at age 99.
Read it for: the lessons Abdul-Jabbar learned from Wooden over the years, including the importance of properly attired feet during games. |
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| The Legends Club: Dean Smith, Mike Krzyzewski, Jim Valvano, and an Epic College... by John FeinsteinStarting lineup: Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) coaches Dean Smith (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) Mike Krzyzewski (Duke University), and Jim Valvano (North Carolina State University).
What it's about: the trio's fierce rivalry throughout the 1980s as they navigated recruiting wars and sought (and won) national championships.
Further reading: Johnny Moore and Art Chansky's The Blue Divide and Joe Menzer's Four Corners similarly explore North Carolina rivalries. |
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Boys among men : how the prep-to-pro generation redefined the NBA and sparked a basketball revolution
by Jonathan P. D. Abrams
What it's about: Explores the trend of teenage basketball stars skipping college and going right into playing professionally, resulting in the 2005 age limit requirement instituted by the NBA, mandating that all players must attend college or another developmental program for at least a year.
Reviewers said: "Abrams weaves a compelling tale about a transformational era in the NBA that also speaks to the sometimes-desperate pursuit of sporting stardom" (Kirkus).
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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