A call to action for engaging with our current political moment, from the Grammy-nominated and multiplatinum singer-songwriter and New York Times bestselling author Tori Amos.
... less an explanation of what her songs were about than a reflection on what they mean to her now, resulting in a tale of politics, feminism and equality. There are a few too many discussions with her muses, but Resistance reinforces Amos’s position as one of pop’s more thoughtful songwriters.
... a lesson in observation and expression that seeks to move people to action and understanding ... there is a through line regarding Amos’s connection to what she calls the Muses and moments when she writes of communicating with the spirit of her dead mother that may put off readers uncomfortable with these New Age references. If, however, you want to read and revel in the creation of one of the most influential careers in alternative music of the last four decades, Resistance is the book for you.
Only a handful of rock-star memoirs attract a wide audience outside of their fanbase, such as Bob Dylan’s Chronicles: Volume One (2004) or Patti Smith’s Just Kids (2010). Resistance is unlikely to enjoy such breakout success: the narrative can be hard to follow as Amos criss-crosses chronology, skipping, for example, from the Iran hostage crisis to Trump’s current immigration policies before circling back to 9/11 ... Her devoted fans, however, will no doubt relish the book’s release. Reading the backstory of her often-abstract lyrics recreates the bygone intimacy of studying liner notes to suss out meaning.
