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Popular Culture March 2021
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Just As I Am
by Cicely Tyson
What it is: an engaging memoir by iconic Emmy and Tony Award-winning actress Cicely Tyson, published just two days before her death in January at age 96.
Topics include: how Tyson broke barriers and combatted stereotypes in the entertainment industry, including being the first Black actress to wear her natural hair on TV and earning an Oscar nomination for 1972's Sounder, her first lead film role; her volatile relationship with Miles Davis, to whom she was married for eight years.
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Walking with Ghosts
by Gabriel Byrne
What it is: celebrated Irish actor Gabriel Byrne's humble and intimate memoir detailing his working-class origins and his 40-year career.
Topics include: Byrne's childhood spent in seminary school, which he left after he was molested by a priest; how alcoholism spurred his complicated relationship with fame.
Book buzz: Byrne's lyrical writing style has earned him comparisons to Irish literary icons James Joyce and Seamus Heaney.
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5,203 things to do instead of looking at your phone
by Barbara Ann Kipfer
The author of 14,000 Things to Be Happy About suggests thousands of practical and inspiring alternatives to social media, from playing board games and practicing mindfulness to training a bonsai and painting at dawn. Illustrations.
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Nobody ever asked me about the girls : women, music, and fame
by Lisa Robinson
Organized by subjects ranging from personal branding to abuse, a collection of intimate interviews by the famed journalist draws on exchanges with such artists as Tina Turner, Alanis Morrissette and Rihanna to reveal what inspired their careers. Illustrations.
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A wealth of pigeons : A Cartoon Collection
by Steve Martin
The Academy, Grammy and Emmy Award-winning comedian and the syndicated New Yorker cartoonist and cover artist blend their creative talents in an uproarious treasury of original cartoons and comic strips that celebrates the cartooning world’s evocative power. Illustrations.
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Unlikely angel : the songs of Dolly Parton
by Lydia Hamessley
"Dolly Parton's success as a performer and pop culture phenomenon has overshadowed her achievements as a songwriter. But she sees herself as a songwriter first, and with good reason. Parton's compositions like "I Will Always Love You" and "Jolene" have become American standards with an impact far beyond country music. Lydia R. Hamessley's expert analysis and Parton's characteristically straightforward input inform this comprehensive look at the process, influences, and themes that have shaped the superstar's songwriting artistry. Hamessley reveals how Parton's loving, hardscrabble childhood in the Smoky Mountains provided the musical language, rhythms, and memories of old-time music that resonate in so many of her songs. Hamessley further provides an understanding of how Parton combines her cultural and musical heritage with an artisan's sense of craft and design to compose eloquent, painfully honest, and gripping songs about women's lives, poverty, heartbreak, inspiration, and love. Filled with insightson hit songs and less familiar gems, Unlikely Angel covers the full arc of Dolly Parton's career and offers an unprecedented look at the creative force behind the image"
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Singular Sensation: The Triumph of Broadway
by Michael Riedel
What it is: a richly detailed history of Broadway in the 1990s, which saw the arrival -- and massive success -- of productions including Rent, The Lion King, and Angels in America.
Book buzz: Theater critic Michael Riedel's fast-paced follow-up to Razzle Dazzle, his dishy history of Broadway in the 1970s and '80s, offers a nostalgic peek behind the curtain.
Featuring: interviews with more than 100 theater luminaries involved in the hits (or flops) of the era.
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Bravey: Chasing Dreams, Befriending Pain, and Other Big Ideas
by Alexi Pappas
What it's about: In the aftermath of her mother's suicide, which happened when she was five, Alexi Pappas sought an adventurous life, becoming a filmmaker and record-setting Olympic runner.
Why you might like it: Pappas' candid debut offers an inspiring roadmap to overcoming hardships and following your dreams.
Want a taste? "This book is about making a life, not just living a life. We will grow up together here."
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The dynasty
by Jeff Benedict
"How was the Patriots dynasty built? And how did it last for two decades? In The Dynasty, acclaimed journalist Jeff Benedict provides richly reported answers in a sweeping account based on exclusive interviews with more than two hundred insiders, including team executives, coaches, players, players' wives, team doctors, lawyers, and more, as well as never-before-seen recordings, documents, and electronic communications"
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HRH : so many thoughts on royal style
by Elizabeth Holmes
The veteran fashion journalist blends commentary, essays and hundreds of photographs in an expansion of her award-winning “So Many Thoughts” Instagram series to reveal the political statements within the style, branding and positioning of prominent British royals. Illustrations.
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You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories About Racism
by Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar
Starring: NYC-based comedian and Late Night with Seth Meyers writer Amber Ruffin; and her sister Lacey Lamar, who lives in Omaha, NE.
What's inside: Lacey's firsthand accounts of the racist treatment she's received living in the Midwest, paired with the sisters' funny yet frank commentary on each incident and illustrative photographs.
Who it's for: With its conversational tone, this “must-read” (Library Journal) will appeal to Black women who can relate to the authors' experiences and to readers looking for eye-opening insights on racism.
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I Want to Be Where the Normal People Are
by Rachel Bloom
What it is: a chatty and self-deprecating essay collection from Emmy Award-winning Crazy Ex-Girlfriend co-creator and star Rachel Bloom.
What's inside: intimate musings on Bloom's mental health battles; insights on navigating male-dominated spaces in the entertainment industry; dish on attending award shows; childhood diary entries.
Don't miss: "Inside Jokes Can Leave Many Outside," the earnest newspaper editorial Bloom wrote as a teen.
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| The Princess Diarist by Carrie FisherWhat it is: actress Carrie Fisher's self-deprecating behind-the-scenes account of making the first Star Wars movie at age 19.
Featuring: Fisher's earnest diary entries and poems written during the film's production, which reveal her crush on (and eventual affair with) co-star Harrison Ford; her present-day recollections on the relationship.
Want a taste? “If Harrison was unable to see that I had feelings for him (at least five, but sometimes as many as seven) then he wasn't as smart as I thought he was -- as I knew he was." |
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| Everything's Trash, But It's Okay by Phoebe Robinson; foreword by Ilana GlazerWhat it is: comedian Phoebe Robinson's irreverent follow-up to the New York Times bestselling You Can't Touch My Hair: And Other Things I Still Have to Explain.
Essays include: "The Top Ten Non-Trash Moments of My Life;" "Meeting Bono Twice Was My Reparations;" "How to Be Alone and Only Mildly Hate and Lukewarm Love It."
Try this next: For another freewheeling essay collection by a witty multi-hyphenate, try Samantha Irby's We Are Never Meeting in Real Life. |
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| Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets & Advice for Living Your Best Life by Ali WongWhat is: an upbeat and unfiltered collection of letters addressed to comedian Ali Wong's toddler-age daughters, offering hard-won advice from her life on and off the stage.
Topics include: Wong's Vietnamese Chinese upbringing; early career failings; marriage and motherhood; hobnobbing with celebrities.
Reviewers say: "A down-to-earth collection that is raw but not irreverent" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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Rage against the minivan : learning to parent without perfection
by Kristen Howerton
Having four kids in four years, a licensed marriage and family therapist, in this heartfelt, subversively funny memoir, shares valuable lessons from her journey through motherhood and challenges the idea that there’s a “right” way to raise kids.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Iredell County Public Library 201 North Tradd Street Statesville, North Carolina 28677 704-878-3090www.iredell.lib.nc.us/ |
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