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Weekly Words about New Books in
Independent Bookstores
November 17, 2019
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Fans of These Music Icons Can Rock On With Candid New Memoirs
Me by Elton John. In what Janet Maslin of the New York Times called "a
hairplugs-and-all memoir that pushes the envelope for aging rock star
can
d
or," the flamboyant Sir Elton proves to be a colorful and forthcoming author. If you thought the biopic Rocketman told you all you needed to know about this living legend, think again. That was merely a tease, as John proves here in recounting his life story with great humor and no apologies. While much of the book is focused on his legendary pop music career, he also writes powerfully about getting clean after years of drug addiction, about finding love, and about becoming a father. In all, John offers up a rollicking and entertaining celebrity memoir.
The Beautiful Ones by Prince. A unique scrapbook-cum-memoir from a unique musician, this is the story of how Minnesota-born Prince Rogers Nelson became a one-word
legend. The book is organized into four segments, beginning with the
unfinished memoir Prince was writing before his untimely death, pages that focus on his childhood years. The second part takes us through Prince's early years as a musician, before his first album was released, via a melange of writing and photos. The third section shows us Prince's evolution through candid images that go up to the cusp of his greatest achievement, which we see in the book's fourth segment - his original handwritten treatment for Purple Rain.
In reviewing the book, USA Today said, in part,"It doesn't matter whether you're a Prince fanatic or if your interest is simply piqued by all things music or pop culture: The book is worth picking up. . . . The Beautiful Ones is not a read, but an experience, an immersion inside the mind of a musical genius. You are steeped in Prince's images, his words, his essence."
Face It by Debbie Harry. The kick-ass lead singer of the punk rock band Blondie takes readers on whirlwind tour of her life through a series of intervie
ws that cover the gamut. She talks about pre-fame life, commercial success tha
t l
ed to heroin addiction, a bankruptcy, and Blondie's breakup as a band. In addition to the sex, drugs, and rock & roll, she describes her acting stints and solo career, as well as the the triumphant return of her band. Harry, also a committed advocate for the environment and LGBTQ rights, proves insightful and uncomplaining throughout. That said, this is not a book for everyone - the conversational style of the interview format sometimes leads to rambling and some will just as soon skip Harry's tales of sexual abuse. But for fans of the queen of New York cool in the 1970s, Face It is a trip worth taking.
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Meet One of the Most Interesting Men You've Probably Never Heard Of
All Blood Runs Red: The Legendary Life of Eugene Bullard - Boxer, Pilot, Soldier, Spy by Phil Keith and Tom Clavin. Eugene Bullard lived one of the most fascinating lives of the 20th century, and I bet most of you have never  heard of him (I hadn't). The son of a former slave and an indigenous Creek woman, Bullard was born in 1895 and fled home at the age of 11 to escape the racism of his Georgia roots. His journey led him to Europe, where he garnered some fame as a middleweight boxer, fighting under the name Black Sparrow. Settling in France, he joined the French Foreign Legion to fight in World War I, becoming what the book says was the first African American fighter pilot in history.
After the war, Bullard returned to Paris a celebrated hero and became a nightclub owner and impresario, rubbing elbows with the likes of Louis Armstrong, Pablo Picasso, Langston Hughes, and Josephine Baker. Perhaps more intriguing, he also used the club to spy on Germans for the French. He signed up with the French military again when WWII broke out, eventually exiting the country when the Nazis overran Paris and landing in New York City.
Military historian Keith and longtime journalist Clavin do yeoman's work to tell Bullard's amazing story, drawing on their subject's unpublished memoir and plenty of digging on their own. Their efforts read as much like a novel as nonfiction, and they succeed in paying tribute to an unsung hero who lived a varied and intriguing life.
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WHERE TO FIND
AN INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE
Many of you already have a favorite local bookstore, but for those of you without such a relationship, you can click here to find the
nearest indie bookstore by simply entering your postal code.
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WHY THE COLUMN?
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Hi, I'm Hut Landon, and I work as a bookseller in an independent bookstore in BerkeIey, California.
My goal with this newsletter is to keep readers up to date about new books hitting the shelves, share what indie booksellers are recommending in their stores, and pass on occasional news about the book world.
I'm not into long, wordy reviews or literary criticism; I'd like HUT'S PLACE to be a quick, fun read for book buyers. If you have any friends who you think might like receiving this column, simply click on "Forward
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I always love hearing from folks, so please feel free to let me know what you're reading, make a comment, or ask a question.
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