Feb 19, 2010 Books Web Exclusive

Though he's widely known for The Ten Cent Plague, his 2008 book on the U.S. government's 1950s war on comics, David Hajdu has long been a music critic for The New Republic. Heroes and Villains is primarily focused on the musical end of things, but as its full title notes, contains explorations into music, movies, comics, and the broader cultural landscape as well. More

Jan 22, 2010 Books Web Exclusive

While the glam rock era of the early 1970s could arguably be one of the most scrutinized, mimicked, analyzed and ultimately eviscerated scenes in books, media, and copycat bands in recent years, Dave Thompson manages to put a new spin on his examination of glam by primarily focusing on that essential period from 1970-1973 when the lives of David Bowie, Iggy Pop and Lou Reed—arguably the triptych of vitality in glam rock—neatly dovetailed to create a monumental shift in the face of rock music. More

Jan 11, 2010 Books Web Exclusive

For the past 50 years, Jim Marshall has devoted himself to photographing musicians. But more than just taking pictures, Marshall had a knack for capturing moments, snapshots of when the music and the individual collided, which, in turn, revealed something special or private about the artist. His pictures were often windows into the souls of those who were so revered but not always understood. More

Dec 16, 2009 Books Web Exclusive

By now The Simpsons is among the most predictable institutions in America. Not in the sense that the show is boring or unsurprising—though many will argue that it is—but predictable in that, after two decades, it's still on the air every with new episodes Sunday night at eight o'clock. Like baseball or The Ramones, The Simpsons has come to be synonymous with America. More

Dec 07, 2009 Books Web Exclusive

After a collection of previously-published essays and taking an ill-advised stab at fiction, Chuck Klosterman's latest offering gets back to what he does best, but it all feels a little too familiar. In Eating the Dinosaur, Klosterman once again takes the position of all-encompassing cultural commentator, riffing on Abba, Garth Brooks, Kurt Cobain and David Koresh, time travel and more. Composed of a collection of unrelated essays, Dinosaur ostensibly replicates 2002's Sex Drugs & Cocoa Puffs, inexplicably Kosterman's best-selling title to date More

Oct 23, 2009 Books Web Exclusive

A decade and a half after making a name for himself with High Fidelity, Nick Hornby has at last written a novel that, while not topping his debut, comes closer to the mark than any of his more recent output. Julet, Naked centers once again on the nature of male musical obsession. More

Oct 16, 2009 Books Web Exclusive

Fables is the very popular comic book series from DC/Vertigo that reimagines imaginary figures as castaways from their faerie lands, living in the real world among us mundane, or "mundy" types. Most of your favorites, such as Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Prince Charming, Blue Beard, the Big Bad Wolf, and many more have appeared in the long-running comic. More

Oct 15, 2009 Books Web Exclusive

Photo books of musicians or music scenes are tricky business. Too often, these tomes come across as either lifeless documents of some alien world to which the reader has no relatable context, or they function as vaguely voyeuristic glimpses into the lives of those who are lauded as heroes. The pictures of Lauren Dukoff's Family, however, attempt something greater in scope than simple documentation of moments in time. More

Sep 16, 2009 Books Web Exclusive

Ever have the urge to color birds in Devendra Banhart's beard? Create hairstyles for the members of Rilo Kiley? Illustrate alternate cover art for The Dears' Missiles? Well, now you can. The Indie Rock Coloring Book is a whimsically interactive way to experience your favorite indie rock artists, compiled by the Montréal-based nonprofit organization Yellow Bird Project. More