The Magnificent Dance of ‘The Swans of Harlem’
In her dance history book The Swans of Harlem, author Karen Valby structures a magnificent, wide-ranging, complex narrative that’s both engaging and emotional.
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‘Nothing But a Man’ Is an Unflinching Drama of Marriage and Racism
Nothing But a Man is about battling discrimination on an uneven playing field but also about tenaciously preserving friendships and families.
‘1967’ and Robyn Hitchcock’s Quest to Stay High for Eternity
Robyn Hitchcock’s memoir 1967 taps into the music high that untethered the restraints of boarding school and shaped his life and music for eternity.
The Eerie Beauty in Horror Film ‘I Saw the TV Glow’
With horror film I Saw the TV Glow, Jane Schoenbrun creates an eerie, emotional journey into the intersection of identity and popular culture.
Tommy Orange Testifies to the Power of Cultural Reclamation
In Wandering Stars masterful storyteller Tommy Orange shifts our lens from historically imposed assimilation to contemporary cultural reclamation.
This Lesbian Fashion History Is a Perfectly Tailored Fit
With Unsuitable, lesbian fashion historian Eleanor Medhurst stitches fashion, gender, and sexuality into a perfectly tailored, comprehensive and inclusive book.
The Beatles Shake Britain: The Beginning of Beatlemania
Shake It Up, Baby! breaks down the Beatles’ concerts, business deals, sleepless nights, and bloody fights month by month during the transitional year of 1963.
‘Dirty Dancing’ in Pre-Roe v. Wade America
Andrea Warner’s book on Dirty Dancing in pre- Roe v. Wade America, The Time of My Life, is the deep dive into the film we need in these times.
‘Robot Dreams’ Quietly Encourages You Not to Be Afraid
Pablo Berger’s animated Robot Dreams is a near-perfect marvel of silent cinema nearly a century after talkies ended the silent era.
Biography of ‘Rolling Stone’ Co-Founder Ralph J. Gleason Rocks and Swings
‘Rolling Stone’ co-founder Ralph J. Gleason predates that golden era of music journalism when Lester Bangs and Robert Christgau thrived.
Sasha Frere-Jones: Portrait of the Critic as a Young Man
Sasha Frere-Jones’ anti-memoir memoir, Earlier, moves around in time without clear logic, keeping things alive and even suspenseful, though somewhat cryptically.
‘Good One’ Challenges Adulthood’s Naïve Appropriation of Wisdom
India Donaldson’s directorial debut Good One leans into gender distinctions, but goes beyond them to offer incisive and observant critique of human nature.