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Popular Culture September 2020
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| The Lost Memoir by Lou Gehrig with a biographical essay by Alan D. GaffWhat it is: a recently rediscovered memoir from New York Yankees baseball legend Lou Gehrig that was originally written as a series of columns for the Oakland Tribune in 1927.
Why you might like it: This humble, homespun narrative features a richly detailed essay from scholar Alan D. Gaff that chronicles the Hall of Famer's achievements (including his lifetime stats) and legacy.
Want a taste? "I'm proud of the game and all who play it. And as long as I wear a big-league uniform, I will give all I can to the game." |
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| I Tried to Change So You Don't Have To: True Life Lessons by Loni LoveWhat it's about: comedian and Emmy Award-winning The Real host Loni Love's hard-won path to success.
Read it if: you're looking for a lighthearted memoir peppered with inspiring advice (including "Find Your Hustle" and "If God Sends You a Sign, You Better Pay Attention").
For fans of: Tiffany Haddish's The Last Black Unicorn. |
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| You Look So Much Better in Person: True Stories of Absurdity and Success by Al RokerWhat it's about: the life lessons beloved Today co-host Al Roker has learned throughout his four-decade career in TV.
Read it for: a heartwarming and conversational blend of memoir and self-help.
Want a taste? "It doesn't matter that you're not the star; it matters that you're part of the constellation." |
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| You Play the Girl: On Playboy Bunnies, Stepford Wives, Trainwrecks, & Other Mixed... by Carina ChocanoWhat it is: a witty and incisive collection exploring the limitations of pop culture portrayals of women characters.
What's inside: essays on Bewitched, the Real Housewives franchise, Sex and the City, Pretty Woman, Frozen, and many more.
Awards buzz: You Play the Girl won the 2017 National Book Critics Circle Award for Criticism. |
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They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us: Essays
by Hanif Willis-Abdurraqib
What it is: a collection of literary essays by the cultural critic, MTV News columnist and author of The Crown Ain't Worth Much uses music and culture as a gauge for better understanding the world, the self and the challenges of today.
Reviewers say: "He doesn’t posit music as a cure-all for modern America’s societal ills—those he mentions include mass shootings, racial violence, and prejudice against Muslims—but also observes that it 'isn’t only music' but a way of feeling a sense of belonging. Abdurraqib’s essays are filled with honesty, providing the reader with the sensation of seeing the world through fresh eyes" (Publishers Weekly, vol 264, issue 33).
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| Chuck Klosterman X: A Highly Specific, Defiantly Incomplete History of the Early 21st... by Chuck KlostermanWhat it is: the 10th irreverent book by cultural critic Chuck Klosterman.
Who it's for: Fans and newcomers alike will appreciate Klosterman's entertaining collection of previously published pieces from 2007-2017, which include updated introductions and footnotes.
Featuring: illuminating profiles of Taylor Swift and Kobe Bryant; a thoughtful essay on empathizing with Peanuts' Charlie Brown. |
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| I Like to Watch: Arguing My Way Through the TV Revolution by Emily NussbaumWhat it is: a collection of new and previously published pieces from Pulitzer Prize-winning former New Yorker TV critic Emily Nussbaum.
Read it for: a thought-provoking exploration of TV as art form that gives equal critical consideration to low-brow and high-brow series.
Topics include: the relationship between #MeToo and criticism; TV in the time of Trump; toxic fandom; how Buffy the Vampire Slayer inspired Nussbaum to become a critic. |
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| Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion by Jia TolentinoWhat it's about: the complexities and contradictions of American culture and identity.
Is it for you? Balancing wry humor with bleak insights, this 2019 New York Times Notable Book offers a well-researched collection of pieces that will resonate with New Yorker staff writer Jia Tolentino's fellow millennials.
Don't miss: "Reality TV Me," in which Tolentino reflects on her time as a contestant on a teen reality show competition. |
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| What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Blacker: A Memoir in Essays by Damon YoungWhat it is: a candid collection of humorous and bittersweet musings on contemporary Black manhood.
Topics include: gentrification's impact on author Damon Young's Pittsburgh neighborhood; the relationships forged in barbershops and on basketball courts; the use (and misuse) of racial epithets.
Author alert: Debut author Young is the co-founder of the website Very Smart Brothas and a senior editor at The Root. |
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Feel Free: Essays
by Zadie Smith
What it is: a collection of essays from novelist Zadie Smith, on topics from social media and British politics to pop culture and American race relations. She also writes about books, paintings, and people (like singer Billie Holliday, comedy duo Key and Peele, and author J.G. Ballard).
Why you might like it: Conversational and perceptive, Smith reveals the creative processes behind her well-received novels.
You might also like: the analytical essays of fellow novelist Roxane Gay's Bad Feminist.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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