Yolo County Library
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Popular CultureJanuary 2016
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"He and the rest of the ragged island squad didn't even have a single towel to share between them, and their coach was a fifth-grade schoolteacher who didn't know how to swim." ~ from Julie Checkoway's The Three-Year Swim Club
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| The Three-Year Swim Club: The Untold Story of Maui's Sugar Ditch Kids... by Julie CheckowayIt was a lofty goal: Japanese-American school teacher Soichi Sakamoto, who knew nothing about swimming or coaching, decided to create an Olympic swimming team from among the poor children of a segregated Hawaiian sugar plantation. Lacking a pool, they were to practice in the filthy irrigation ditches of the plantation. But it was 1937, and war intervened: the 1940 Games were canceled. Then so too were the 1944 Games. But finally, in 1948, members from his team were able to compete. Fans of the inspiring story found in Daniel Brown's The Boys in the Boat will likely enjoy this rousing tale of another set of underdogs. |
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| Sam Phillips: The Man Who Invented Rock 'n' Roll by Peter GuralnickRock historian and author Peter Guralnick is known for extensive biographies on Elvis Presley (among other music greats), and he's now given the same treatment to his friend, legendary record producer Sam Phillips. Lauded for discovering Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash, Phillips was also a force behind B.B. King and Ike Turner, brought African American music to white audiences, and created the iconic Sun Records. Exhaustive at nearly 700 pages, this passionate biography is a must-read for rock 'n' roll devotees. |
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| The Comedians: Drunks, Thieves, Scoundrels, and the History of... by Kliph NesteroffWrite what you know, the saying goes, and former stand-up comedian Kliph Nesteroff has done exactly that with this history of American comedy. Starting with burlesque and vaudeville, continuing with radio and TV broadcasts, and moving into non-traditional outlets like podcasts and Twitter, Nesteroff provides an engaging overview. He also offers biographies of both extremely well known (Abbott and Costello, Chris Rock) and lesser-known comics (including Frank Fay, the first to deliver a routine while standing in one place). It's an entertaining, informative history; for more specifically on the golden era of stand-up (the 1970s), try Richard Zoglin's Comedy at the Edge. |
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| The Song Machine: Inside the Hit Factory by John SeabrookWhy is it that some songs, singers, or videos just seem to strike a chord in listeners, like Adele's "Hello," or Pharrell's "Happy"? New Yorker writer John Seabrook travels the world to find out. Though he focuses on the American popular music scene, his explorations delve into chord progressions, camera angles, songwriting teams, and other hit-making aspects of the music industry. From one-name wonders like Rihanna and Beyoncé to conflicts between stars and their managers (the Backstreet Boys come to mind), this "clever, lively, and well-researched book" (Library Journal) offers an excellent musical complement to readers of Anita Elberse's Blockbusters. |
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Whether you're waiting to read Jeanne Marie Laskas' Concussion (or you've already seen the Will Smith movie based on it) or you're eager for The Game's Not Over: In Defense of Football by Gregg Easterbrook, the books below should give you something to read in the meantime.
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I feel like going on : life, game and glory
by Ray Lewis
The legendary Baltimore Ravens linebacker assesses the state of football while recounting his troubled youth, his rise to athletic fame and the allegations that have threatened his NFL career.
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When it was just a game : remembering the first Super Bowl
by Harvey Frommer
"Written by acclaimed sports author and oral historian Harvey Frommer and with an introduction by pro football Hall of Famer Frank Gifford, When It Was Just a Game tells the fascinating story of the ground-breaking AFL-NFL World Championship Football game played on January 15, 1967: Packers vs. Chiefs"
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Is there life after football? : surviving the NFL
by James A. Holstein
Draws on the experiences of hundreds of former professional football players to illuminate the challenges that many of them face after injuries or early retirements that significantly compromise their post-athletic lives.
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Parcells : a football life
by Bill Parcells
The Pro Football Hall of Famer and Super Bowl-winning coach traces his five decades in football, discussing such topics as his controversial methods, work with major teams and relationships with such players as Lawrence Taylor and Curtis Martin.
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Contact your librarian for more great books! |
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Yolo County Library
226 Buckeye St. Woodland, California 95695 530-666-8005
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