How Music Works is David Byrne's incisive and enthusiastic look at the musical art form, from its very inceptions to the influences that shape it, whether acoustical, economic, social or technological. Utilizing his incomparable career and inspired collaborations with Talking Heads, Brian Eno, and many others, Byrne taps deeply into his lifetime of knowledge to explore the panoptic elements of music, how it shapes the human experience, and reveals the impetus behind how we create, consume, distribute, and enjoy the songs, symphonies, and rhythms that provide the backbeat of life. Byrne's magnum opus uncovers ever-new and thrilling realizations about the redemptive liberation that music brings us all.

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Fifth-generation New Yorker, third-generation bartender, and first-time author Tara Clancy was raised in three wildly divergent homes: a converted boat shed in working class Queens, a geriatric commune of feisty, Brooklyn-born Italians, and a sprawling Hamptons estate she visited every other weekend. This childhood triptych comes to life in The Clancys of Queens, an electric, one-of-a-kind memoir.  

From scheming and gambling with her force-of-nature grandmother, to brawling with eleven-year-old girls on the concrete recess battle yard of MS 172, to hours lounging on Adirondack chairs beside an immaculate croquet lawn, to holding court beside Joey O’Dirt, Goiter Eddy, and Roger the Dodger at her Dad’s local bar, Tara leapfrogs across these varied spheres, delivering stories from each world with originality, grit, and outrageous humor.

But The Clancys of Queens is not merely an authentic coming-of-age tale or a rowdy barstool biography. Chock-full of characters who escape the popular imaginings of this city, it offers a bold portrait of real people, people whose stories are largely absent from our shelves. Most crucially, it captures—in inimitable prose—the rarely-heard voices of New York’s working-class women.

With a light touch but a hard hit, The Clancys of Queens blends savvy and wit to take us on an unforgettable strata-hopping adventure.
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 I finished this book over a week ago and I've been trying to decide how to write this review.  I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked this book up. I love memoirs but traditionally, I choose ones by people that I actually know. In this case, I have and had no idea who Tara Clancy was, though I did get to know her throughout her book. In fact, I got to know quite a few interesting characters. When the book opened up, I smiled at her memories of her grandparents and what life was like when she was with them. As the book progressed though, I found myself smiling less as the language picked up and some of the stories seemed too out there to be true. Are they true? I don't know. I mean, I have stories that people look at me and say there's no way that happened, but they did. Then, the book abruptly ended and it didn't feel as if there were any closure to it. If I had to rate this book (and I kinda do), I'd give it at 3 out of 5. It's not a bad read, but I feel as if I may not have been the right audience for it.



I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments, and opinions are my own.
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You know that thing when you're in Walmart at noon before you discover you haven't brushed your teeth? Sarah Parshall Perry gets that. She also gets weird things showing up in her bed, her daughter asking for war paint, and her son crawling into a giant blue sock on Christmas morning. Mainly, she gets that conflicted feeling of finding her kids hanging out in the dogs' cages and happily realizing they have stopped getting into trouble for a minute.

According to Perry, "The hardest stuff is the quickest way to God," and readers get to watch the systematic destruction of her carefully planned life, laughing at her missteps, aching at her tragedies, and recognizing themselves along the way. A mother of three children, two of whom are on the autism spectrum, she has experienced plenty of ups and downs, but from the chaos of her "ordinary" life she pulls the universal truths of motherhood, addressing them with humor, poignancy, and a naked honesty that will make the reader think, "That sounds a lot like my crazy life. "Perry helps mothers realize they aren't alone, even if they've fallen off the straight and narrow of their intended path and are instead lying in the ditch next to it. Life's a mess. But as Perry reminds us, it's all for a purpose.

Perfect for mothers, this book will encourage, inspire, and enlighten.
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Let's face it. Motherhood is messy. We would all love to pretend that our homes our spotless, our children are always well behaved and dinner is always on the table right on time, but it's just not the case. Sarah shares her story of motherhood with tongue in cheek humor and a refreshing sense of transparency. While I don't have a child on the Autism scale, I do have a special needs kiddo and I remember the looks I would get in stores and such. Knowing that another parent has been there made me smile. Not everyone will relate to every part of this book, but if you're a mom, it's well worth the read!


I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments, and opinions are my own.
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n Wrestling for My Life, WWE superstar Shawn Michaels shares from his heart about the highs and lows of his life inside the WWE. Included are some never-before-shared stories and an intimate look into his career as well as stories of hunting, family, and faith.

With millions of fans, Michaels had adulation and all the attention he could ask for, but he discovered there was something more. When he became a committed Christian during his years in the WWE it had to affect everything. Michaels reveals what it is like to be a man of faith in this unusual world and shares insights for all of us


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I originally picked up this book because Ben is a huge WWE fan and always enjoyed Shawn Michaels. It's something that Ben and I have always enjoyed watching together so I knew there was a very good chance that I would enjoy this book as well. Turns out that I was right. The book isn't as preachy as I was originally concerned that it would be. Yes, Shawn mentions his faith, God and Jesus on nearly every page but it's done respectfully and not in a way that you feel as if it's being crammed down your throat. Having read this book, I'm very interested in finding a copy of the first book that Shawn helped to pen about his life. As for this book, it's a fine edition to both the wrestling and autobiography genres and both Ben and I are hoping to read more about the entertainers that we enjoy on tv every week.



I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review.  All thoughts, comments, and opinions are my own.
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Stuart Anderson had led a fascinating life for the past 90 years. He built Black Angus, America's #1 restaurant chain of the 1980s and ranched on a 26,000 acre spread where he raised cattle. His circle of friends has included Hollywood stars and corporate bigwigs. You'll discover his persona history is a lot like the man - larger than life! In addition, reader benefits: * Discover the ins and outs of profitable restaurant management as imparted by a master entrepreneur * Delight in "bone head" mistakes Anderson made early in his career like the case of the "melted chocolate" or "bitter pills for bulls." * Get a backstage look at celebrity friendships and news-making events. * Try some Black Angus favorite recipes and get some diabetic tips Won't you too join in the adventures of this "Corporate Cowboy's" successes and failures which are by turns sobering, insightful, laugh-out-loud funny and full of folksy wisdom.

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Let's start with an editor's perspective on this one. The layout looks like it was done by someone with no real background in book layout and the font is more suitable for those with eyesight issues versus normal eyes. That being said, I found this book to be an enjoyable read. It was a lot like sitting down with someone in their early 90s and just having a chat about the past. It jumps around a bit but there won't be a chapter without something in it to make you smile. On top of that, there are recipes at the end (yep, you know what a sucker for recipes I am by now) that all look super delicious and I can't wait to try them. By the time I finished the book, Stuart seemed like an old friend and one I would love to just sit by the fire and chat with.



I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review.  All thoughts, comments, and opinions are my own.
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