What songs have made up your life’s soundtrack? Which have captured your every mood and deepest sentiments? Pop music, like no other form of entertainment or art, is capable of articulating our feelings, desires, joy, and pain. In a few soul-grabbing minutes, artists from every genre – from Little Richard to Lou Reed, Willie Nelson to Wu-Tang Clan, Sly and the Family Stone to the Rolling Stones – can help us understand our place in our own lives.
This collection of short, sharp essays by New York Times bestselling author Ben Greenman (Mo’ Meta Blues), organized around a thematic playlist of songs, serves as a reminder of the lyrical power of songwriting and the sonic ability of pop to capture the human experience. Greenman’s wit, insight, and honesty are as sweet and satisfying as the hits (and the deep cuts) at the center of each essay.
A lovely, emotional essay collection in which the author … A lovely, emotional essay collection in which the author uses his personal experiences to reflect on pop lyrics, and vice versa. It’s quirky, not for everyone – but what is? People who let themselves ease into Greenman’s prose will find it charming and surprisingly illuminating.
Never buy a pig in a poke if you don’t eat bacon I love a good memoir and I’m always complaining that very few Kindle First books are non-fiction. So I opted for this one, even though music has never been a big deal for me. I’m puzzled that there’s no “Look Inside” feature for this book, since all the other selections let you take a test drive. It’s true that Kindle First books are free to Prime members, but only one. If you choose unwisely, you can’t get a different one. This is the LAST time I will ever opt for a Kindle First book…
Music meets memoir As a listener of all types of music, I was initially excited about this non-fiction essays centered around music and life’s great emotions. Sadly Greenman’s Emotional Rescue falls short of expectations–by sprinkling both personal events and song lyrics into one book, he fails to delve into either deeply.Â