Other books that might interest you

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  Aretha Franklin's Amazing Grace

  Aaron Cohen

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  This is a fascinating and thoroughly researched exploration of the best-selling gospel album of all time. For two days in January 1972, Aretha Franklin sang at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles while tape recorders and film cameras rolled. Everyone there knew the event had the potential to be historic: five years after ascending to soul royalty and commercial success, Franklin was publicly returning to her religious roots. Her influential minister father stood by her on the pulpit. Her mentor, Clara Ward, sat in the pews. Franklin responded to the occasion with the performance of her life and the resulting double album became a multi-million seller - even without any trademark hit singles. But that was just one part of the story. Franklin's warm inimitable voice, virtuoso jazz-soul instrumental group and Rev. James Cleveland's inventive choral arrangements transformed the course of gospel. Through new interviews, musical and theological analyses as well as archival discoveries, this book sets the scene, traces the recording's traditional origins and pop infusions and describes the album's enduring impact.

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  Beethoven Symphony No 4 and...

  Ludwig van Beethoven

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  Rain and thunder envelop Beethoven Symphony No. 4 in B Flat Major, Op. 60 
   
   
   
  Escape the stress and pace of the daily grind and transport your mind to an alternative reality. 
   
   
   
   
  I. Adagio - Alle 
   
  II. Adagio 
   
  III. Allegro vivace 
   
  IV. Allegro ma non troppo

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  Why Mariah Carey Matters

  Andrew Chan

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  The first book to critically examine the legacy of pop superstar Mariah Carey. 
   
  When it comes to Mariah Carey, star power is never in doubt. She has sold hundreds of millions of albums and cut more chart-topping hits than any other solo artist—ever. And she has that extraordinary five-octave vocal range. But there is more to her legacy than eye-popping numbers. 
   
  Why Mariah Carey Matters examines the creative evolution and complicated biography of a true diva, making the case that, despite her celebrity, Carey’s musicianship and influence are insufficiently appreciated. A pioneering songwriter and producer, Carey pairs her vocal gifts with intimate lyrics and richly layered sonic details. In the mid-1990s, she perfected a blend of pop, hip-hop, and R&B with songs such as “Fantasy” and “Honey” and drew from her turbulent life to create the introspective masterpiece Butterfly. Andrew Chan looks beyond Carey’s glamorous persona to explore her experience as a mixed-race woman in show business, her adventurous forays into house music and gospel, and her appeal to multiple generations of queer audiences. He also reckons with the transcendent ideal of the voice that Carey represents, showing how this international icon taught artists around the world to sing with soul-shaking intensity and a spirit of innovation.

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  Dancing on My Own - Essays on...

  Simon Wu

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  A Literary Hub Most Noteworthy Nonfiction Book of 2024 • A Brooklyn Rail Best Art Book of 2024 • A The Millions and Hyperallergic Most Anticipated Book of 2024 • A Publishers Weekly Summer Reads Pick 
  ""A book that emerges out of the moment, electric with timely energies.""  –Washington Post 
  “Keen and refreshing.” –Cathy Park Hong 
  ""Genius."" –Claudia Rankine 
  An expansive and deeply personal essay collection which explores the aesthetics of class aspiration, the complications of creating art and fashion, and the limits of identity politics. 
  In Robyn’s 2010 track Dancing on My Own, the Swedish pop-singer chronicles a night on the dance floor in the shadow of a former lover. She is bitter, angry, and at times desperate, and yet by the time the chorus arrives her frustration has melted away. She decides to dance on her own, and in this way, she transforms her solitude into a more complex joy.      
  Taking inspiration from Robyn’s seminal track, emerging art critic and curator Simon Wu dances through the institutions of art, capitalism, and identity in these expertly researched, beautifully rendered essays. In “A Model Childhood” he catalogs the decades’ worth of clutter in his mother’s suburban garage and its meaning for himself and his family. In “For Everyone,” Wu explores the complicated sensation of the Telfar bag (often referred to as “the Brooklyn Birkin”) and asks whether fashion can truly be revolutionary in a capitalist system—if something can truly be “for everyone” without undercutting someone else. Throughout, Wu centers the sticky vulnerability of living in a body in a world where history is mapped into every choice we make, every party drug we take, and every person we kiss. 
  Wu’s message is that to dance on your own is to move from critique into joy. To approach identity with the utmost sympathy for the kinds of belonging it might promise, and to look beyond it. For readers of Cathy Park Hong and Alexander Chee, Dancing on My Own is a deeply felt and ultimately triumphant anthem about the never-ending journey of discovering oneself, and introduces a brilliant new writer on the rise.

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  Inside Out - The Ultimate Trivia...

  Film Trivia Metaverse

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  INSIDE OUT 
  THE ULTIMATE TRIVIA COLLECTION 
    
  FROM THE MOVIE DIRECTED BY PETE DOCTER 
    
  CREATED BY FILM TRIVIA METAVERSE 
    
  ABOUT THE FILM 
  Inside Out is an animated film that explores the emotions inside the mind of an 11-year-old girl named Riley. After moving to a new city, Riley’s emotions—Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust—must work together to help her navigate the challenges of adjusting to her new life. The film delves into themes of growing up, emotional growth, and the complexity of feelings, portraying how both positive and negative emotions play a crucial role in shaping one’s personality and experiences. It blends humor, adventure, and heartfelt moments while providing a unique look at the human mind. 
    
  TRIVIA SAMPLES: 
    
  “At the end of the movie with the cat, the background poster reads "sure locks for homes," a playful reference to Sherlock Holmes.” 
    
  “Bing Bong reminisces over a recent memory of Riley, feeling she has grown too large to fit in the wagon. This moment leads to a quiet realization that his time is running out and he may be a burden.” 
    
  “Bing Bong's final line is often misquoted as "Take her to the moon for me, Joy." The actual line is "Take her to the moon for me, okay?" 
    
  “Joy is often viewed as the only positive emotion in the movie, while the other emotions are seen as negative. However, the film shows that no emotion is inherently positive or negative.”

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  Drawing and Painting Leaves

  Leigh Ann Gale

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  Many artists struggle to stop leaves looking flat in their illustrations or find it challenging to mix shades of green accurately to reflect a true likeness to foliage. This book addresses these problems and many more to help you draw and paint leaves successfully and confidently.
  Written by a leading botanical artist and tutor, it explains key practical techniques and approaches with clear instructions and step-by-step tutorials. It also examines the fascinating world of foliage to reveal the important role that leaves play in the plant kingdom, including modified and adapted forms, so that your artwork accurately reflects the science. Packed with over 300 illustrations, this beautiful book is an essential read for all artists who want to understand the role of leaves and to depict them accurately.

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