Popular Culture
November 2020
Recent Releases
Wild Thing: The Short, Spellbinding Life of Jimi Hendrix
by Philip Norman

What it is: a descriptive and engaging biography of legendary rock musician Jimi Hendrix.

Read it for: fresh insights from Hendrix's family and associates, including his brother Leon Hendrix and British model Linda Keith, who helped discover him. 

Book buzz: Published to mark the 50th anniversary of Hendrix's death, this evocative latest from acclaimed rock biographer Philip Norman is an "entertaining, psychedelically tinged portrait" (Publishers Weekly).   
The Writer's Library: The Authors You Love on the Books That Changed Their Lives
by Nancy Pearl & Jeff Schwager

What it is: a lively collection of interviews with 22 authors on the books that have touched their lives and influenced their careers.

What's inside: candid reflections from Michael Chabon, Donna Tartt, Viet Thanh Nguyen, Louise Erdrich, T.C. Boyle, Susan Choi, and more. 

Want a taste? "One of the best parts of talking about books with people...is discovering that you share a love of the same books." 
Three-Ring Circus: Kobe, Shaq, Phil, and the Crazy Years of the Lakers Dynasty
by Jeff Pearlman

What it's about: After coaching the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships in the 1990s, Phil Jackson set his sights on transforming the Los Angeles Lakers, leading the team to three consecutive championships from 2000-2002. 

Why you might like it: This dramatic chronicle offers a richly detailed portrait of a prosperous yet tumultuous era for the Lakers.

Don't miss: juicy details on the feud between teammates Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. 
Is This Anything?
by Jerry Seinfeld

What it is: a decade-by-decade collection of memorable bits from Jerry Seinfeld's 45-year comedy career.

Featuring: brief anecdotes on career highlights, including his first time going to a comedy club and his collaborations with Seinfeld co-creator Larry David. 

Reviewers say: "essential reading for comedy fans, from a master of the form" (Publishers Weekly).  
She Come By It Natural: Dolly Parton and the Women Who Lived Her Songs
by Sarah Smarsh

What it's about: country superstar Dolly Parton's musical and cultural legacy.

What sets it apart: Heartland author Sarah Smarsh's thoughtful exploration of how Parton's music resonates with working-class women and folks from marginalized communities.

For fans of: NPR's Dolly Parton's America podcast, on which Smarsh appeared as an interviewee.
Touchdown!
Overtime: Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines at the Crossroads...
by John U. Bacon

What it is: a comprehensive you-are-there account of the University of Michigan Wolverines' 2018 season.

Why you might like it: this "must read" (Publishers Weekly) chronicle captures college football's winningest team hoping to reclaim their championship glory.

Author alert: Journalist and New York Times bestselling author John U. Bacon has written several books about the Wolverines, including Endzone: The Rise, Fall, and Return of Michigan Football. 
NFL Confidential: True Confessions from the Gutter of Football
by Johnny Anonymous

A successful offensive lineman who secretly hates football and its politics shares riotous behind-the-scenes observations about life in the NFL to expose its bizarre realities, customs and prejudices.
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"
America's Game: The NFL at 100
by Jerry Rice and Randy O. Williams

What it is: a spirited history of the first 100 years of the NFL, co-written by three-time Super Bowl champion Jerry Rice and sportswriter Randy O. Williams.

Why you might like it: This accessible history emulates the structure of a football game by dividing the century into quarters.

Try this next: NFL Century: The One-Hundred Year Rise of America's Greatest Sports League by Joe Horrigan. 
Jim Brown: Last Man Standing
by Dave Zirin

What it's about: the life, career, and complicated legacy of fullback Jim Brown, who played for the Cleveland Browns from 1957-1966.

Topics include: Brown's political activism and role in the Black Power movement of the 1960s; his post-retirement foray into Hollywood, where he hoped to become the "Black John Wayne;" his turbulent personal life, which includes multiple allegations of violence against women. 

Reviewers say: "the definitive biography of Brown" (Publishers Weekly).
Contact your librarian for more great books!


44 Burrer Drive | Sunbury OH 43074 | (740) 965-3901 | www.yourcl.org