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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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Quarterback : Inside the Most Important Position in the National Football League
by John Feinstein
What it's about: Profiles five NFL quarterbacks--Andrew Luck, Alex Smith, Joe Flacco, Doug Williams, and Ryan Fitzpatrick, describing the pressures, politics, business, and physical toll of the position and what it takes to be a legendary player.
What's inside: A deep dive into the most coveted and hallowed position in the NFL, exploring the stories of five top quarterbacks and taking readers inside their unique experiences of playing the position and holding the keys to their multi-billion-dollar teams.
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