book reviews
Book reviews on music, artists, and pop culture related literature.
Halsey Street
When I pick up a new novel and begin reading, a few things I look for are strong characters, a compelling setting, and poignant themes. Three years ago, I stumbled upon a beautifully-written book with all these qualities and far more.
Jennifer M. WardPublished 2 years ago in BeatFive Books Every Writer Should Own
Writing has always been part of my life in one way or another. As a child, my journey began with writing short stories and poems about family summer vacations. As a teenager, I kept a journal for many years, writing about crushes and teenage drama. Today, I’m grateful that I can say it is a daily part of my life. As most people would expect, I write a lot as an English Teacher and an MFA student. But I also spend substantial time working on my creative writing. Whether our passion is technical writing, copywriting, creative writing, or something else, as writers, we never stop improving our craft or looking for work.
Jennifer M. WardPublished 2 years ago in BeatBitcoin Is Fundamentally Different From Other Cryptos
Bitcoin Is Fundamentally Different From Other Cryptos According to Fidelity Digital Assets, a financial asset-centric provider of digital assets, Bitcoin (BTC) will be introduced by essentially any substitute digital device, and no digital computing device, expressed in bitcoin, is likely to be added as monetary harmonization.
The Time on the Wire
I have to begin this with a few confessions. First, it took me a very long time to get into the cult of Cohen. I thought all of that moodiness and dark rambling was a pose. Being a student of literature in Canada did not help, either. You pretty much have “Suzanne” in your DNA if you are of a certain generation studying poetry and song in this country. When I was a teenager, it was Neil Young who did it for me (even having a roommate who worshipped Leonard Cohen did not convert me). And then I finally got it: the wit, the fedora, the gravelly-voice intonations and desires for the impossible woman who will set everything straight. It all fell together as I went back to the records and could hear what the man was saying about romance and love.
Kendall DefoePublished 2 years ago in BeatAt The End of The Day
Poetry is a universal language of rhyme and reason. As a poet, I write to make sense of chaos. It was William Wordsworth who once claimed that the poet’s duty was to recollect, in tranquility, thoughts made in state of Sublime chaos. It is undeniable as humanity faces a global crisis currently of war, disease and near-madness, that we all could use moments of tranquility to not only recollect, but to repair ourselves. This is what my poetry does for people, my poetry helps people to reflect and to heal. My Poetry is honest, raw and passionate. The current state of the world is desensitising people to the ability to feel the lightness of a moment of tranquility in which, like gazing into a stream, one can reflect and catch a wave of a thought, only for their unfaithful mind to elope onto another.
Book Review: Secrets for the Mad by Dodie Clark
Dodie Clark is one of, if not my favorite musician and songwriter of all time. Her lyrics are always brilliant, putting words to feelings and experiences that are difficult to communicate but relatable to pretty much everyone. With her debut book Secrets for the Mad: Obsessions, Confessions, and Life Lessons, Dodie continues to demonstrate that her insightful style is not exclusive to her music. Her narrative writing is just as powerful and universally relatable as her music, and it feels just as inviting and cathartic. However, it's not just a book meant for her fans -- it's a book that is accessible to anyone and one that I personally feel is the most important exploration of mental health issues available right now.
Jamie LammersPublished 3 years ago in BeatThe 10 Commandments - The Rockstar’s Guide To Life
I picked this book up at HMV today. The title bought me in, along with the rockstars on the cover. The discount sticker helped too. For those who don’t know the Q magazine is a prestigious music magazine in the UK. I remember it had it‘s own music channel at one point, don’t know if it’s still airing, as I don’t watch much telly nowadays. Editor, Ted calls Q the greatest music magazine in the UK. I have a feeling that he really wanted to write Q is the best music magazine in the world.
Chloe GilholyPublished 3 years ago in BeatBook Review: "Essays on Dylan" by John Hyldgaard
Since receiving it this morning, I have been immersed in a fan’s perspective of Dylan in the essays published by John Hyldgaard. Since then, as an avid Bob Dylan fan, I have been looking deep into my own knowledge and I think I might have just accidentally reignited my love affair with books written about Bob Dylan by fans of Bob Dylan. Thanks a lot, John, now I can get back to spending god knows how much money on this stuff.
Annie KapurPublished 4 years ago in BeatBook Review: “Beethoven: A Life in Nine Pieces” by Laura Tunbridge
Many may just call this a great biography about Beethoven, but that really isn’t it at all. This book is more like a celebration of his life whilst also filling in the gaps that had previously been marred by popular culture. The latter presents us with a scowling image of a man toiling over a masterpiece in a famous piece of artwork, but Tunbridge argues that this isn’t actually it at all. Beethoven was far more than just a discontent who worked day and night on his music - he was a three dimensional personality and a man who was way ahead of his time whilst also being a product of it. Tunbridge seeks to let us explore into the world of Beethoven and how he really went about his pieces and his masterpieces in the contexts of the social, cultural and political realms. It is a wonderful book that I’m sure that Beethoven himself would be very proud to have written about him.
Annie KapurPublished 4 years ago in BeatTen Books About Michael Jackson
I'm not going to lie when I say that the death of Michael Jackson was, to this day, one of the worst days of my life. I remember exactly what happened that day and it went a bit like this...
Annie KapurPublished 4 years ago in BeatManic Music Manifesto
"Manic Music Manifesto", a book written by Jim Gaven, takes a deeper look into the obsessed mind of musicians and why music is so important to their well-being and essence as well as non-musicians alike. With several clinical research studies bringing to light the powerful effect music has on every day life mixed with first hand experiences of musicians caught with the music 'bug', this book is poised to make waves in the industry and beyond.
What Would Dolly Do?
Taking a much deserved break from Greek mythology, I decided to dive into another passion of mine--Dolly Parton. The embodiment of southern charm, Dolly Parton has a career that has not only spanned decades, but she has also managed to seamlessly weave her name throughout all different genres of entertainment and popular culture: music, film, television, cooking, real estate, philanthropy, education, and so much more.
Kurt MasonPublished 4 years ago in Beat