|
|
| No Walls and the Recurring Dream by Ani DiFrancoWhat it is: the freewheeling debut memoir from Grammy Award-winning musician and activist Ani DiFranco.
Topics include: DiFranco's creation of her independent label Righteous Babe Records (on which she has released all her studio albums); her bouts of homelessness after leaving home at age 15.
Read it for: snippets of the author's original poetry and her candid musings on politics and feminism. |
|
| Naturally Tan by Tan FranceWhat it is: a charming coming-of-age memoir from Queer Eye fashion expert Tan France.
Why you might like it: With wit and candor, France tackles topics both affecting (the racist bullying he endured as a Pakistani Muslim teen in England) and amusing (his penchant for no-nonsense sartorial advice).
For fans of: fellow Fab Five personality Karamo Brown's Karamo: My Story of Embracing Purpose, Healing, and Hope. |
|
| The Castle on Sunset: Life, Death, Love, Art, and Scandal at Hollywood's Chateau Marmont by Shawn LevyWhat it's about: the iconic Los Angeles hotel Chateau Marmont, which for nearly a century has attracted celebrities to its secluded bungalows for all manner of decadence and debauchery.
Want a taste? "Chateau Marmont is the ultimate Hollywood hotel because it is, like Hollywood itself, bigger than life even when it is obviously fake."
Try this next: For another dishy history of a storied landmark, try Julie Satow's The Plaza: The Secret Life of America's Most Famous Hotel. |
|
| Mind and Matter: A Life in Math and Football by John Urschel and Louisa ThomasWhat it's about: John Urschel's adventures in academia (he's currently pursuing a PhD in mathematics at MIT) and athletics (he was a Baltimore Ravens offensive lineman for three seasons).
Read it for: Urschel's infectious enthusiasm for his disparate passions.
Want a taste? "So often, people want to divide the world into two. Matter and energy. Wave and particle. Athlete and mathematician. Why can't something (or someone) be both?" |
|
| Mr. Know-It-All: The Tarnished Wisdom of a Filth Elder by John WatersWhat it is: an irreverent and wide-ranging essay collection from cult filmmaker and self-proclaimed "garbage guru" John Waters.
Don't miss: juicy gossip about the making of Serial Mom and Polyester (Waters' favorites of his own films); tips for aspiring filmmakers.
Is it for you? The author's provocative sense of humor may be off-putting to readers unfamiliar with his work. |
|
Books You Might Have Missed
|
|
|
Our musicals, ourselves : a social history of the American musical theater
by John Bush Jones
A retired professor of theater arts from Brandeis University serves up the first social history of American musical theater, covering the broad sweep of plays, from "Showboat" to "Urinetown," discussing the impact of this brand of theater on culture and society. (Performing Arts)
|
|
|
Hollywood costume
by Deborah Nadoolman Landis
Features the best costume designs from the past one hundred years of Hollywood films, showcasing the talents of such designers as Sandy Powell, Adrian, and Travis Banton.
|
|
|
The Soul of Basketball: The Epic Showdown Between LeBron, Kobe, Doc, and Dirk...
by Ian Thomsen
What it's about: The 2010-2011 NBA season marked a turning point for the sport, beginning with LeBron James's controversial decision to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat and bolstered by the league's rising popularity and financial success.
About the author: Ian Thomsen is a writer at Sports Illustrated and an NBA.com contributor.
Reviewers say: "A fine work of sports journalism and a must for every bookish roundball fan" (Kirkus Reviews).
|
|
Contact your librarian for more great books!
|
|
|
|
|
|