|
I've been reading a lot of books on political philosophy recently as research for my ongoing dissertation. A lot of it was re-reading stuff I've read before (the "usual suspects", one's tempted to say: A Theory of Justice, Taking Rights Seriously, Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy), but I've also read for the first time A Preface to Democratic Theory by Robert Dahl, which I found quite interesting.
|
#
¿
Jun 26, 2014 12:36
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 14, 2024 10:31 |
|
|
I recently read The Chitlin' Circuit and the Road to Rock & Roll by Preston Lauterbach. He's a music journalist and I believe this is his first book, but it is a good one. It tells the story of the emergence and development of the Chitlin' Circuit in the early 20th century, which was this informal network of clubs, theatres, ballrooms and other venues where black artists could perform in the era of segregation. It tells a vivid story of a time when the music business - at least the independent industry - was the province of mobsters and gangsters rather than oligarchs and accountants, and explores how the Circuit was really the incubator of rock and roll music. It's a must for anyone with an interest in the early days of rock and roll, or in this very small slice of African-American culture and music in the 1930s through to the 1950s. Looking forward to his next book, which comes out at the end of March and tells the story of Beale Street in Memphis. I have also read The Life and Times of Little Richard by Charles White. Now, this is a pretty wild read because it takes a lot of its words directly from Richard's mouth and he is one-hundred per cent candid. In between his stories about life on the road, about the people he's met, how he handled success, and his various comebacks, he regales you with all these tales of his sexual adventures, all the orgies he was in at the height of his fame. There's one bit where he says something like, "There was this boy I liked and I decided I'd turn him gay, so I went and I tried to make love to him in his rectum." Yeah, there's a lot like that. Of course, the book was written in the mid-1980s, when Richard was going through this really intense homophobic phase, so there's parts where he goes on about how homosexuality is contagious and he only became gay because his parents didn't love him enough, or something to that effect. That stuff's a bit out-there. But all that aside, it's one of my favourite musician biographies (my favourite is Ska'd For Life by Horace Panter of the Specials).
|
|
#
¿
Jan 28, 2016 23:56
|
|
|
I've just finished DisneyWar and it was great. Is there anything else like it that's worth checking out? It would be pretty cool if Stewart revisited Disney in 2018 when (if) Bob Iger retires. The book ends just before Eisner actually resigned (his announcement is literally the last thing in the afterword) and I have some awareness of what happened next for Disney (mostly restricted to the big successes - bringing Pixar back into the fold, acquiring Marvel and Lucasfilm, the runaway success of Frozen etc.) but not in anything resembling detail. There must be many more stories to be told in the decade that's passed since.
|
|
#
¿
May 5, 2016 13:40
|
|
|
I enjoyed what you're describing but I was also interested in the corporate intrigue dimension. The only other book I've read which I think is reasonably similar is Soulsville USA by Robert Bowman, which is the story of Stax Records. I recently watched Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films and enjoyed it as well. I feel that that's similar.
|
|
#
¿
May 5, 2016 21:34
|
|
|
I am about to start this Otis Redding biography by Mark Ribowsky. I've heard he's written one about the Temptations as well which I will need to seek out, because I sure do love the Temptations.
|
|
#
¿
Jul 28, 2016 06:04
|
|