RaveLibrary JournalExtraordinary ... Although its length is daunting, this tome is welcome. It’s an interesting foray into Converse’s glimmer of fame and sad subsequent neglect.
Natalie Hodges
PositiveLibrary JournalHodges’s frustrations while learning violin pieces and trying to please her parents and teachers will resonate with both amateur and professional musicians. For her technical discourses, she cites luminaries such as Stephen Hawking and Richard Feynman and sustains her arguments with recent and historical references, as evidenced in the thorough chapter bibliographies. Hodges is at her best when she opens up about her mother’s experiences as a Korean immigrant in Denver and her own struggles with performance anxiety and the challenges of mastering violin warhorses by Johann Sebastian Bach and Niccolo Paganini; these poignant chapters will leave readers emotionally drained but richly rewarded. However, the fascinating science lessons will engage the more scientifically motivated but may prove heavy going for those without the requisite background ... In all, this title makes a valuable contribution to the ever-expanding universe of works addressing science and music, two seemingly disparate fields that have surprisingly much in common.
Lenny Kaye
PositiveLibrary JournalThroughout Kaye draws from insider knowledge, crafting a fluent, attention-grabbing narrative and offering autobiographical asides about listening to 45s in grade school and becoming a true history maker himself. A copious biblio-discography, including classic and contemporary citations, adds value ... Kaye’s felicitous turns of phrase and ability to humanize his subject paint vivid pictures of each venue and its denizens; readers of any vintage will appreciate the chance to either relive these musical moments or experience them for the first time.
Bob Spitz
MixedLibrary JournalAlthough Spitz can spin a good yarn and keep readers engaged, this book is far too long: it spends inordinate amounts of time on many long-forgotten musicians and chronicling the minutiae of practically every week of the band’s whirlwind decade, and Spitz appears to revel in debauchery and excess for their own sake ... For Led Zeppelin completists only.
John Clifford
RaveLibrary JournalThough Balanchine’s works and influence have been well documented, the male perspective has been somewhat lacking, and Clifford is to be commended for this sparkling read, an appreciative yet clear-eyed tribute to his mentor and a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes of ballet.
Mary Gauthier
RaveLibrary Journal... [an] intimate, riveting memoir ... Accounts of her struggles with addiction, her violent home life, and the realization that she was a lesbian are cleverly interwoven with a series of flashbacks to her teenage years. Gauthier writes with a light, ironic touch, and sprinkles quotes from a variety of esteemed folk and pop/rock musicians throughout, to good effect ... This emotional narrative will leave readers spent, but rooting for Gauthier to prevail. Her lyrics dig deeply into the human condition, and her explanations leave little room for complacency.
Momus
RaveLibrary JournalScottish polymath Momus...has an uncanny ear for the cadence of a particular author ... Although it is sometimes challenging to locate actual events within each selection (capital N\'s help), the writing is so delightfully witty and truly captures the essence of its tribute that this is of little import ... Showing a prodigious awareness of the sweep of centuries of culture, this is an admirable conceit finely executed. It will have great appeal to anyone interested in new modes of autobiography as well as Anglophiles and devotees of Momus\'s musical, literary, and artistic talents.
James Sullivan
PositiveLibrary JournalTreating protest songs thematically, journalist Sullivan...provides rich context for both well-known and more obscure musical contributions to the American experience, from the Civil War to the present, thus exceeding the boundaries of the subtitle ... Sullivan\'s fluid prose and attention to detail serve him admirably in this engaging title, which should awaken nostalgia in those of a certain age and introduce new generations to these musical catalysts for social change
