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Popular Culture September 2018
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| Just a Shot Away: Peace, Love, and Tragedy with the Rolling Stones at Altamont by Saul AusterlitzWhat it's about: the ill-fated Rolling Stones concert at the 1969 Altamont Speedway Free Festival, in which Meredith Hunter, an 18-year-old African American attendee, was killed by Hells Angels security forces.
Don't miss: Saul Austerlitz's poignant tribute to Hunter includes interviews with surviving family members.
Further reading: Joel Selvin's Altamont: The Rolling Stones, the Hells Angels, and the Inside Story of Rock's Darkest Day. |
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12: The Inside Story of Tom Brady's Season of Redemption
by Casey Sherman
Documents the story of the Patriots' tumultuous 2016 season, revealing how the under-inflated football scandal reopened old wounds, placed Tom Brady's career in question and inspired the team's Super Bowl comeback.
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It's Lovely on the Outside: A Memoir
by Guy Branum
Traces the author's path from a California farm town to success as a stand-up comic, and the inspiration he received from pop culture to accept himself as he truly was.
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The Faith of Dolly Parton: Lessons from Her Life to Lift Your Heart
by Dudley Delffs
Iconic superstar Dolly Parton has never been shy about the driving force behind her success. “A belief in God is essential,” she says. Revealing the heart behind this legend’s amazing achievements, The Faith of Dolly Parton spotlights the spiritual beliefs anchoring her life with stories and insights to inspire every fan.
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Solo: A Star Wars Story
by Titan
In this guide to the all-new standalone Star Wars movie, Solo: A Star Wars Story, get the full lowdown on the brand new movie, meet the characters, including familiar acquaintances and all-new cast members, and learn about the new locations, spaceships, weapons, props and more. Also includes interviews with the cast and crew, fantastic images and production art. An essential companion to the film and for all fans of the saga!
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| You're on an Airplane: A Self-Mythologizing Memoir by Parker PoseyWhat it is: the quirky debut memoir from "Queen of Indie Film" Parker Posey, best known for her roles in Christopher Guest mockumentaries.
What's inside: family recipes, handmade photo collages, showbiz anecdotes, and advice from Posey's therapist.
Want a taste? "I'm not great at being a movie star. It's either too boring or too much work." |
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Mother American Night: My Life and Crazy Times
by John P. Barlow
Traces the remarkable life story of the Grateful Dead lyricist and digital free speech advocate, describing his upbringing among elite Wyoming ranchers, his vigorous advocacy of Internet freedoms, and his relationships with figures ranging from Jerry Garcia to Steve Jobs.
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Siren Song: My Life in Music
by Seymour Stein
The founder of Sire records recounts his career in music, detailing how he has discovered such influential artists as Madonna, The Ramones, Lou Reed, the Talking Heads, The Smiths, and Ice-T.
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The Essential James Garner
by Stephen H. Ryan
This book looks at the key feature films and made-for-television movies starring James Garner. Includes a brief profile of the actor, information about each significant film, a synopsis, production details, and critical/commercial reception--as well as explanations why these works are essential viewing.
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Major Dudes: A Steely Dan Companion
by Barney Hoskyns
Compiled by a leading music writer and critic, a collection of interviews with the founding members of Steely Dan offers insight and perspective on the band's elegant, erudite and eclectic body of work.
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| Why To Kill a Mockingbird Matters: What Harper Lee's Book and America's Iconic Film Mean... by Tom SantopietroWhat it is: a concise, affectionate history charting the enduring cultural legacy of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel and its Academy Award-winning film adaptation.
Did you know? Before Gregory Peck was cast, Bing Crosby, Rock Hudson, and Spencer Tracy were all considered for the role of Atticus Finch.
Try this next: Atticus Finch: The Biography by Joseph Crespino. |
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Famous Father Girl: A Memoir of Growing Up Bernstein
by Jamie Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein's oldest daughter presents a deeply intimate memoir of life with her father that shares insights into his complex personality, sense of humor, artistic influence, and erratic creative process.
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Flash: The Making of Weegee the Famous
by Christopher Bonanos
A biography of the photographer nicknamed after the Ouija board due to his uncanny ability to arrive at a crime scene mere moments after law enforcement, reveals a man now known as an innovator, pioneer and master crime-scene photographer.
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Room to Dream: A Life
by David Lynch
Combines biography and memoir in a collaborative portrait of the visionary filmmaker, artist, and creator of "Twin Peaks" that draws on Lynch's own contributions as well as those of his closest colleagues, friends, and family members.
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| Unbeaten: Rocky Marciano's Fight for Perfection in a Crooked World by Mike StantonWhat it's about: the astonishing 49-0 boxing career of "Brockton Bomber" Rocky Marciano, the only heavyweight champion to retire undefeated.
About the author: Mike Stanton is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and the author of The Prince of Providence.
Is it for you? Marciano's fans (and those who enjoy rags-to-riches storytelling) will be entertained by this meticulously researched and admiring biography. |
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| Ghostbuster's Daughter: Life with My Dad, Harold Ramis by Violet Ramis StielWhat it is: a heartfelt and intimate memoir from Violet Ramis Stiel chronicling her close relationship with her father, comedy legend Harold Ramis.
Why you might like it: By balancing candid reflections of family dynamics with behind-the-scenes anecdotes of her father's career in Hollywood, Ramis Stiel "renders a three-dimensional image of her father as an emblematic figure in comedy" (Publishers Weekly). |
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| Crazy Is My Superpower: How I Triumphed by Breaking Bones, Breaking Hearts.... by AJ Mendez BrooksWhat it's about: In this inspiring and upbeat memoir, three-time WWE champion A.J. Brooks chronicles how she survived an impoverished childhood rife with family dysfunction to become an empowered "real-life superhero" in a male-dominated industry.
Read it for: Brooks' unflinching, behind-the-scenes look at the oft-brutal world of professional wrestling; her motivational directive for readers to stay true to themselves. |
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| Yes: My Improbable Journey to the Main Event of WrestleMania by Daniel Bryan with Craig TelloWhat it is: an engaging, conversational memoir of Daniel Bryan's unlikely ascent to WWE stardom, hindered by his being "undersized" and his disinterest in fame and fortune.
Art alert: flip-book style animations add a whimsical touch to the lower corners of the book's pages.
About the author: Outside the ring, Bryan is an avid supporter of environmental advocacy and was named PETA'S Most Animal-Friendly Athlete of 2012. |
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| Carry On: A Story of Resilience, Redemption, and an Unlikely Family by Lisa FennWhat it's about: Leroy Sutton lost his legs after a childhood train accident; Dartanyon Crockett is legally blind. The two formed a brotherly bond while wrestling for their Cleveland high school team. When ESPN producer Lisa Fenn saw their story in a newspaper article, no one could predict the effect these three would end up having on each other's lives.
For fans of: Moving sports stories like Friday Night Lights and The Blind Side. |
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| Foxcatcher: The True Story of My Brother's Murder, John du Pont's Madness, and... by Mark Schultz with David ThomasWhat it's about: the fraught relationship that brothers and Olympic gold medalists Mark and Dave Schultz had with self-styled coach and eccentric du Pont family heir John du Pont, culminating in the shooting death of Dave by John in 1996.
Want a taste? "We were his newest trophies...and we were more fun to play with than his seashells and birds because we were collectibles that he could manipulate."
Media buzz: Foxcatcher is the basis of the Academy Award-nominated film of the same name. |
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| The Squared Circle : Life, Death and Professional Wrestling by David ShoemakerWhat it is: an eye-opening history of professional wrestling, from its sideshow origins in the late 1800s to its breakthrough during the beginnings of the television industry.
Is it for you? Adventurous readers and fans of Chuck Klosterman's cultural histories will appreciate this deep dive into ringside life.
Further reading: Sisterhood of the Squared Circle: The History and Rise of Women's Wrestling by Pat Laprade and Dan Murphy. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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