Books

Item Description

Books in this package include:

• Buck: A Memoir, by MK Asanta
• Here We Are Now: The Lasting Impact of Kurt Cobain, by Charles R. Cross
• Chinaberry Sidewalks, by Rodney Crowell
• Simple Dreams, by Linda Ronstadt
• I'm Your Man, The Life of Leonard Cohen, by Sylvie Simmons

Buck: A Memoir A coming-of-age story about navigating the wilds of urban America and the shrapnel of a self-destructing family, Buck shares the story of a generation through one original and riveting voice. MK Asante was born in Zimbabwe to American parents: his mother a dancer, his father a revered professor. But as a teenager, MK was alone on the streets of North Philadelphia, swept up in a world of drugs, sex and violence. MK's memoir is an unforgettable tale of how one precocious, confused kid educated himself through gangs, rap, mystic cults, ghetto philosophy, and eventually, books. It is an inspiring tribute to the power of literature to heal and redeem us.

Here We Are Now: The Lasting Impact of Kurt Cobain Cobain's life and work can be seen everywhere, from his indelible marks on music to his more subtle influence on gender and gay rights, the way we view suicide and drug addiction, and the very idea of Seattle as a cultural hub. Nirvana's music has touched multiple generations, and while the world has changed considerable since Nevermind was first released in 1991, the status of that album only grows as years pass... Simply stated, Kurt Cobain changed the cultural conversation, in his all too brief life, and even after his shattering death. With interviews and commentary from all corners of the pop culture universe, from the people who knew Cobain to those who continue to help his legend grow, Here We Are Now explores what a singular life meant, and how the meaning can be measured, when and if it can be. (Excerpt from the Back Cover)

Chinaberry Sidewalks The only child of a hard-drinking father and a holy-roller mother, acclaimed musician Rodney Crowell was no stranger to bombast. But despite a home life always threatening to burst into violence, Rodney fiercely loved his mother and idealized his blustering father, a frustrated musician who took him to see Hank Williams, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash perform. Set in 1950s Houston, a frontier-rough town with icehouses selling beer by the gallon on payday, pest infestations right out of a horror film and the kind of freedom mischievous kids dream of, Chinaberry Sidewalks is Rodney's tribute to his parents and his remarkable youth. Full of the most satisfying kind of nostalgia, it is hardly recognizable as a celebrity memoir. Rather, it's a coming-of-age at a particular time, place, and station, crafted as well as the perfect song. 

Simple Dreams Ronstadt arrived in Los Angeles just as the folk-rock movement was beginning to bloom, setting the stage for the development of country-rock. As part of the coterie of like-minded artists who played at the famed Troubadour club in West Hollywood, she helped define the musical style that dominated American music in the 1970s. One of her early backup bands went on to become the Eagles, and Linda went on to become the most successful female artist of the decade.

In Simple Dreams, Ronstadt reveals the eclectic and fascinating journey that led to her long-lasting success, including stories behind many of her beloved songs. 

I'm Your Man: The Life of Leonard Cohen Singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen is one of the most important and influential musical artists of the past fifty years - and one of the most elusive. In I'm Your Man, journalist Sylvie Simmons, one of the foremost chroniclers of the world of rock 'n' roll and popular music, explores the extraordinary life and creative genious of Leonard Cohen... Readers of Life by Rolling Stone Keith Richards and Patti Smith's phenomenal Just Kids will be riveted by this fascinating portrait of a singular musical icon.

Book summaries from Amazon.com. 

Item Special Note

Donated by:

Southern California Public Radio