| Feel free: Essays by Zadie SmithWhat 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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| Improv nation: How we fade a great American art by Sam WassonWhat it is: a sweeping behind-the-scenes history of American improvisational comedy, which was born during the McCarthy era and counts Saturday Night Live and Second City as success stories.
Why you might like it: Funny and fast-moving, this entertaining read will delight as it informs.
Reviewers say: “A remarkable story, magnificently told” (Booklist). |
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How to be champion : My autobiography
by Sarah Millican
Part autobiography, part self help, part confession, part celebration of being a common-or-garden woman, part collection of synonyms for nunny, Sarah Millican's debut book delves into her super normal life with daft stories, funny tales and proper advice on how to get past life's blips - like being good at school but not good at friends, the excitement of IBS and how to blossom post divorce.
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Everything you need to know about social media: (without having to call a kid)
by Greta Van Susteren
An MSNBC anchor and media maven presents a simple, step-by-step guide to the major social platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Snapchat, that addresses important moral and behavioral issues, and is perfect for anyone who wants to stay up to date with today’s changing technology.
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Higher calling: Cycling's obsession with mountains
by Max Leonard
Higher Calling explores the central place of mountains in the folklore of road cycling. Blending adventure and travel writing with the rich narrative of pro racing, Max Leonard takes the reader from the battles that created the Alpine roads to the shepherds tending their flocks on the peaks, and to a Grand Tour climax on the ‘highest road in Europe’. And he tells stories of courage and sacrifice, war and love, obsession and elephants along the way.
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The world atlas of street fashion
by Caroline Cox
An extensively researched and generously illustrated volume offering a striking and diverse portrait of street style in cities and cultures around the world
Since the early 20th century, city sidewalks have become runways where idiosyncratic modes of dressing are presented, consumed, and exported. Their messages include resistance, solidarity, subversion, social transformation, or musical affiliation, and a group of like-minded individuals can create a powerful sartorial force. Organized by continent and with 600 colour images, The World Atlas of Street Fashion examines street style in all its global diversity.
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| Life in motion: An unlikely ballerina by Misty CopelandWhat it is: the memoir of ballet dancer Misty Copeland, who became the first African-American principal ballerina in the history of the American Ballet Theatre.
What's inside: candid tales of Copeland's difficult upbringing, her first experience with ballet at age 13, and her rise to stardom.
You might also like: Jenifer Ringer's Dancing Through It; David Hallberg's A Body of Work. |
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Taking the lead: Lessons from a life in motion
by Derek Hough
The only four-time champion of the hit ABC reality show Dancing With the Stars shares the lessons he's learned on and off the dance floor that helped him embrace and overcome daily challenges, along with never-before-told, behind-the-scenes stories from the show.
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West End Broadway: The golden age of the American musical in London
by Adrian Wright
Adrian Wright’s book offers a new and important lens for the study of the Broadway musical. By focusing on London productions of American shows between 1945 and 1972, Wright examines the relationship between the innately ‘American’ nature of the genre and its perceived universality. Several times he poses the question ‘Was their journey really necessary?’ In some instances, the answer is resoundingly affirmative while in others, despite great hopes, it turns out to be just the opposite.
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| Master of Ceremonies: A memoir by Joel GreyeWhat it's about: Best known for portraying the master of ceremonies in Cabaret (on stage and screen alike), Broadway star Joel Grey shares his life story, from his Jewish-American upbringing in 1930s Cleveland to his sexual identity, 24-year marriage, and seven-decade career.
Why you might like it: it's a moving, engaging story of a life well lived. Theatre fans especially will appreciate Grey's tales of Cleveland's theatres -- and Broadway's.
Reviewers say: "honest, eloquent, memorable" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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| Hamilton: The revolution by Lin-Manuel MirandaWhat it is: The Hamilton libretto, complete with annotations, photos, and commentary from Lin-Manuel Miranda, the Tony Award-winning composer-lyricist-star behind the beloved musical based on founding father Alexander Hamilton.
Who it's for: Anyone who wants to get behind the scenes of the hip-hop musical with the diverse cast -- whether or not you've been lucky enough to see it.
Fair warning: Reading this book might make you all the more desperate to score tickets to be in the room where it happens. |
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| Bolshoi confidential: Secrets of the Russian ballet from the rule of the tsars to today by Simon MorrisonWhat it's about: the world-famous Bolshoi Ballet. From inescapably elegant performances to the influence of the Soviet government, this history of Moscow's ballet (founded in 1776) is "charming and astonishingly detailed" (Booklist).
What's inside: scandals, fires, corruption; choreographers, dancers, composers; tsars, Soviets, and Stalin. |
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| The secret life of the American musical: How Broadway shows are built by Jack ViertelWhat it is: a behind-the-scenes exploration of what makes a great Broadway show so memorable, using a range of examples (from Gypsy, My Fair Lady, The Book of Mormon, and others) as illustrations.
From overture to curtain call: If you want to know more about the structure and patterns of Broadway shows, this is the book for you. Plus, there's a list of the best cast recordings to listen to post-reading. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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