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Popular CultureSeptember 2014
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"Every survival kit should include a sense of humor." ~ Author unknown
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New and Recently Released!
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| Brando's Smile: His Life, Thought, and Work by Susan L. MizruchiFans of talented actor Marlon Brando may have read his eponymous memoir or any one of numerous biographies, like Stefan Kanfer's Somebody. Now, fans can also learn more about his intellectual side in this unique portrait, which analyzes Brando's contributions to film and theater through the lens of his reading and other intellectual pursuits. Having amassed a huge collection of books, scripts, and research notes, Brando was especially interested in comparative philosophy and religion, Asian cultures, and the social sciences, and he annotated heavily. He was also involved in supporting particular political causes, which author Susan Mizruchi also details. |
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| Unruly: The Highs and Lows of Becoming a Man by Ja RuleIn his first book, rapper Ja Rule explains how hard times led to his success with a microphone...and his time in prison. Growing up in Queens, NY, gang life and drug dealing were an irresistible lure; after dropping out of high school, he sold crack while working on his rhymes. Though recalling both his troubled youth and his years in Federal prison (each chapter ends with a handwritten letter from his time there), Ja Rule also explains how he eventually got sober and grew up; Publishers Weekly calls Unruly "a remarkable memoir and a worthy read." |
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| Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! The Story of Pop Music from Bill Haley to Beyoncé by Bob StanleyEverything you ever wanted to know about pop music but never thought to ask, delivered with wit -- and plenty of opinions. From long-time success stories like Simon & Garfunkel (they "looked as much fun as their undertaker name suggested") to one-hit wonders, this encyclopedic history covers about 60 years and multiple musical genres, like R&B, doo-wop, glam, grunge, disco, new wave, techno, and country. Some pieces are short and pithy, while others are a little more in-depth, but overall this "joyful, smart, and addictive" book (Booklist) is a must-read for fans of popular music of all stripes. |
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| Seriously...I'm Kidding by Ellen DeGeneresLike Ellen herself, these essays are charming, quirky, and witty, at times veering into the absurd; they're also on a host of diverse topics loosely arranged around the idea of "happiness" and how Ellen herself has found it. From advice on "How to Be a Supermodel" to her thoughts on haikus to more serious discussions on gay marriage and the dangers of stereotypes, this collection will delight fans. |
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| Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life by Steve MartinSteve Martin is a wildly successful entertainer who has spent years at the top of his field as a stand-up comedian, actor, author, and musician. In this enchanting memoir, he looks back over his years in stand-up comedy and reflects on the effort, discipline, and originality that were necessary to achieve his goals. From his years working at Disneyland to his time as a writer for television's Smothers Brothers to the success he achieved on stage, Martin's autobiography is a "spare, unexpectedly resonant remembrance of things past" (Entertainment Weekly). |
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| The Humor Code: A Global Search for What Makes Things Funny by Peter McGraw and Joel WarnerWhat makes people laugh? Combining road-trip farce with social science research, a scientist and a journalist travel the globe to discover the secret behind what makes things funny. Along the way, they question countless experts -- both comedians and other researchers -- and conduct hands-on experiments. For more books on the science of humor, there's neuroscientist Scott Weems' Ha!, while Jim Davies' Riveted looks at humor as well as several other human behaviors. |
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| Zombie Spaceship Wasteland by Patton OswaltThough now a successful comedian/actor/author, Patton Oswalt once had a mundane job in a movie theater, has weirdo relatives, and read voraciously as a child. In some ways, he's not so different than his fans, and this colorful essay collection addresses, among many other topics, the interests that he, as a teen, shared with other creative teenagers then and now (namely zombies, spaceships, and wastelands). Descriptive, offbeat, and not always G-rated, Oswalt's wanderings on the darker side mix memoir with fiction, comics, and poems. "Hilarious," says SPIN magazine. |
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| Seven Dirty Words: The Life and Crimes of George Carlin by James SullivanStand-up comedian George Carlin, who was known for his sharp social commentary and acerbic wit, died in 2008. A year later, his memoir, Last Words, was published. Fans of that book -- and, of course, its author -- will enjoy this measured biography, which covers Carlin's personal life and his groundbreaking career, which quickly took him from nightclubs to television and beyond. For another take on Carlin (and other envelope-pushing comedians of the 1970s), try Richard Zoglin's Comedy at the Edge, and for more of Carlin in his own words, try The George Carlin Letters, collected by his wife, Sally Wade. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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