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Popular Culture September 2021
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| Jayne Mansfield: The Girl Couldn't Help It by Eve GoldenWhat it is: A richly detailed biography of actress Jayne Mansfield, whose flighty sex symbol persona belied her shrewd ambition and longing for critical acclaim.
Read it for: A complex, well-researched portrait of an often-misunderstood star of Hollywood's Golden Age.
Reviewers say: "may well become the definitive word -- if not the last word -- on the Mansfield story" (Library Journal). |
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| All In by Billie Jean King with Johnette Howard and Maryanne VollersWhat it's about: Tennis superstar Billie Jean King's life, career, and activism both on and off the court.
Why you might like it: King's vivid recollections of her many career triumphs and coming into her own as a lesbian will inspire tennis fans and general readers alike.
Don't miss: King's 1973 "Battle of the Sexes" match against Bobby Riggs, seen by more than 90 million TV viewers worldwide. |
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| Trejo: My Life of Crime, Redemption, and Hollywood by Danny Trejo with Donal LogueWhat it is: An inspiring, no-holds-barred memoir from perennial Hollywood bad guy Danny Trejo, whose remarkable career has spanned more than 400 film and TV credits.
Topics include: The "macho Chicanismo" of Trejo's youth; his addiction battles and stints in Folsom and San Quentin prisons; finding faith, sobriety, and success in the entertainment industry.
Want a taste? "A bad day on a movie will always be a million times better than your best day in prison." |
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| The Office: The Untold Story of the Greatest Sitcom of the 2000s: An Oral History by Andy GreeneWhat it is: A nostalgic oral history that traces the evolution of NBC's hit sitcom The Office, from its humble beginnings as a low-rated series to its eventual success as a nine-season cultural juggernaut.
What's inside: Lively interviews with the show's tight-knit cast and crew.
Try this next: For another engaging behind-the-scenes look at a decade-defining sitcom, read Jennifer Keishin Armstrong's Seinfeldia. |
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| Bachelor Nation: Inside the World of America's Guilty Pleasure by Amy KaufmanWhat it's about: In this gossipy exposé, Los Angeles Times entertainment reporter Amy Kaufman peeks behind the curtain of long-running reality show The Bachelor, interviewing former contestants and profiling the show's manipulative producers.
Is it for you? Fans of the show -- whether conflicted or unabashed in their admiration for it -- will appreciate fellow fan Kaufman's fun and fascinating perspective. |
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| My Cubs: A Love Story by Scott SimonWhat it's about: NPR Weekend Edition host Scott Simon's lifelong love of the Chicago Cubs: "Being a Cubs fan is my nature, my heritage, and probably somewhere in my chromosomes."
Who it's for: Equal parts moving and amusing, this short, breezy memoir is a home run for sports fans of all stripes.
Don't miss: Simon's infectious joy recounting the team's 2016 World Series Championship, their first win in over a century. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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