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Popular Culture January 2020
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| The Movie Musical! by Jeanine BasingerWhat it is: a lively, vividly written history of Hollywood musicals from the 1930s to the present, featuring more than 200 eye-catching photos.
Read it for: film historian Jeanine Basinger's infectious enthusiasm and insights into both the genre's biggest hits and forgotten gems.
Don't miss: Basinger's dressing-down of 2016's La La Land. |
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| Jay-Z: Made in America by Michael Eric Dyson; foreword by PharrellWhat it's about: Written to coincide with rapper Jay-Z's 50th birthday, this concise primer celebrates his artistry and cultural impact.
Is it for you? Longtime Jay-Z fans may not find much new info here, though curious newbies and lovers of cultural critique will appreciate Michael Eric Dyson's incisive study.
Try this next: Fans of Jay-Z's equally famous wife will want to pick up Queen Bey, a thought-provoking study of Beyoncé's artistry and activism, edited by Veronica Chambers. |
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| A Marvelous Life: The Amazing Story of Stan Lee by Danny FingerothWhat it is: an engaging and evenhanded biography of Marvel Comics editor Stan Lee that addresses his career triumphs and controversies.
Topics include: Lee's fight against comics censorship in the 1950s; legal battles with artists Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko; his cameos in Marvel films; his lasting influence on nerd culture.
Reviewers say: "This is a sure hit for comics fans of all camps" (Publishers Weekly). |
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| Vanity Fair's Women on Women by Radhika Jones (editor) with David FriendWhat's inside: an absorbing collection of 28 Vanity Fair profiles of women by women and published over the last 35 years.
Featuring: illuminating write-ups on Michelle Obama, Frida Kahlo, Gloria Steinem, Tina Turner, Cher, Lena Waithe, Meryl Streep, Princess Diana, Lady Gaga, Emily Post, and many more.
Don't miss: "#MeToo and Me" by Monica Lewinsky. |
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| Canyon Dreams: A Basketball Season on the Navajo Nation by Michael PowellWelcome to... the Navajo reservation's Chinle High School, home of the scrappy Wildcats who've set their sights on a basketball championship despite the odds stacked against them.
Read it for: a clear-eyed portrait of reservation life and culture.
For fans of: Friday Night Lights and underdog sports stories. |
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| All the Pieces Matter: The Inside Story of The Wire by Jonathan AbramsWhat it is: a reflective look back at the groundbreaking HBO crime series The Wire.
What's inside: revealing interviews with the show's cast and crew, including Dominic West, Idris Elba, and Michael B. Jordan.
Further reading: Rafael Alvarez's The Wire: Truth Be Told offers a richly detailed companion to the series. |
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| As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes with Joe Layden; foreword by Rob ReinerWhat it's about: actor Cary Elwes' experiences filming the 1987 adaptation of William Goldman's The Princess Bride.
Have fun storming the castle: Featuring never-before-told stories and reminiscences from cast, crew, and Goldman himself, this nostalgic and heartfelt read is perfect for fans of the highly quotable cult classic.
Inconceivable! François Truffaut was once attached to direct the film. |
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| Anatomy of a Song: The Oral History of 45 Iconic Hits That Changed Rock, R&B and Pop by Marc MyersWhat it is: a toe-tapping, genre-spanning, five-decade retrospective of 45 popular songs, full of insights from the artists who created them.
Featuring: "Please Mr. Postman;" "Stand by Your Man;" "Walk This Way;" "Heart of Glass;" "London Calling."
Don't miss: Mick Jagger setting the record straight about the drug-laden subtext of "Moonlight Mile." |
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Even This I Get to Experience
by Norman Lear
"Flat out, one of the best Hollywood memoirs ever written," says Booklist of this one, by Emmy Award-winning producer Norman Lear. Lear, best known for bringing touchy social and political issues to the small screen, was behind such sitcoms as All in the Family, The Jeffersons, and Sanford and Son. With more than 50 years in show business under his belt, along with three marriages and a strong interest in politics, Lear is both entertaining and engrossing, and his memoir is a can't-miss look at 1970s culture.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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