Book Review: The Story of Music

Katie March 14, 2014 0 Comments

The Story of Music tells the story from Babylon to the Beatles: How Music Has Shaped Civilization.  The book starts 40,000 years ago and gives you a tour through the history of music and how it shaped Civilization.  I thought that this book went more in depth than any other history of music I had ever read, despite it only being about 200 pages of actual text. (There is also a section of photographs and a lot of supplemental materials and song lists in the back)

I also liked that this wasn’t written like your typical history book, it was easy to read and full of a lot of great information.  If you’re just interested in learning more about music or if you might have to do some research for a paper, then this is the book for you.

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

Music is an intrinsic part of everyday life, and yet the history of its development from single notes to multi-layered orchestration can seem bewilderingly complex.

In his dynamic tour through 40,000 years of music, from prehistoric instruments to modern-day pop, Howard Goodall leads us through the story of music as it happened, idea by idea, so that each musical innovation—harmony, notation, sung theater, the orchestra, dance music, recording—strikes us with its original force. Along the way, he also gives refreshingly clear descriptions of what music is and how it works: what scales are all about, why some chords sound discordant, and what all post-war pop songs have in common.

The story of music is the story of our urge to invent, connect, rebel—and entertain. Goodall’s beautifully clear and compelling account is both a hymn to human endeavor and a groundbreaking map of our musical journey.

Book Review: The Changeup

Katie March 13, 2014 0 Comments

The Changeup is about Maddie.  She is a thirty-something woman and has been divorced for 9 years. Her husband left when he found out she was pregnant with her daughter, Bree.  She seems to be striking out in the dating world and is considering taking a break from it all. But then she meets Chase.   Chase is a pitcher for the Rockets and seems to be dating her niece Sandy.  When Chase and Maddie find out that they live in the same complex and Chase seems to fall for Bree, they decide to meet up in the park so Chase can teach Bree to play catch.

Both Maddie and Chase seem to be into each other, but Maddie is avoiding it because of the age gap and the fact that she thinks that Chase is with Sandy.  Chase explains that Sandy was reading too much into their relationship and they are just friends.  Maddie agrees to date Chase and they seem to click – except Maddie keeps getting hung up on the age difference.  Once  they do get into a relationship, Maddie is faced with some challenges and must decide between them or Chase.

This book was cute although my first reaction was “Wait, isn’t he dating her niece?” But Chase explained that a little while later.  My other confusion with the book was how old Bree was.  They mentioned that the divorce was 9 years ago and happened after Maddie found out she was pregnant, which made Bree 8 or 9 years old.  But I felt like she was written more like she was 4.  Not a huge issue as Bree isn’t a major character (well, kind of) but it was baffling to me.  Overall I enjoyed the baseball and romance aspect of the book and tried to ignore the fact that I kept picturing Bree as much younger than she was. (Which may have just been me, I don’t know)

I received of free e-copy of this book in order to write this review, I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

Playing for keeps

After nine years of striking out in the dating department, Maddie Hamlin is throwing in the towel. But just as this mom resolves to remain single, she meets sweet and sexy pitching phenom Chase Patton at a family dinner. He’s perfect for her—aside from the fact he’s only twenty-two.

Chase knows he should be focusing on his rookie year with the Detroit Rockets, but he can’t stop thinking about Maddie. He doesn’t care that the beautiful school counselor is twelve years older, and he’s already lost his heart to her adorable daughter. When an incredible date leads to an incredible night of passion, he knows he never wants to let her go.

But dating in the media spotlight is a whole new ball game. Maddie quickly discovers that not everyone accepts their unconventional relationship—and that finding love may mean losing everything else…

82,000 words

Book Review: Architecture Since 1400

Katie March 12, 2014 0 Comments

Although it’s a history book, I chose to look at it more of a picture book. I love looking at pictures of Architecture!  This book has all sorts of buildings since 1400. It features all sorts of different architecture from the Ming Dynasty, Medici Florence, Spain and Portugal in the Americas, Baroque, Chicago from the Great Fire to the Great War and many more.  There are 30 chapters full of great information and even better than that – some great photographs.

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

The first global history of architecture to give equal attention to Western and non-Western structures and built landscapes,Architecture since 1400 is unprecedented in its range, approach, and insight. From Tenochtitlan’s Great Pyramid in Mexico City and the Duomo in Florence to Levittown’s suburban tract housing and the Bird’s Nest Stadium in Beijing, its coverage includes the world’s most celebrated structures and spaces along with many examples of more humble vernacular buildings. Lavishly illustrated with more than 300 photographs, plans, and interiors, this book presents key moments and innovations in architectural modernity around the globe.

Deftly integrating architectural and social history, Kathleen James-Chakraborty pays particular attention to the motivations of client and architect in the design and construction of environments both sacred and secular: palaces and places of worship as well as such characteristically modern structures as the skyscraper, the department store, and the cinema. She also focuses on the role of patrons and addresses to an unparalleled degree the impact of women in commissioning, creating, and inhabiting the built environment, with Gertrude Jekyll, Lina Bo Bardi, and Zaha Hadid taking their place beside Brunelleschi, Sinan, and Le Corbusier.

Making clear that visionary architecture has never been the exclusive domain of the West and recognizing the diversity of those responsible for commissioning, designing, and constructing buildings,Architecture since 1400 provides a sweeping, cross-cultural history of the built environment over six centuries.

Book Review: I’ll Take You There

Katie March 11, 2014 0 Comments

Before reading this book, I have to admit the only thing I really knew about the song “I’ll Take You There” was that Britney and Justin had performed it on MMC.

After reading this book I know a lot more about the Staples Sisters and their career and lives.  The book is considered a biography but is made up with a lot of information coming from the surviving sisters in interviews with the author. There are a lot of direct quotes throughout the book of the sisters remembering the times that they were talking about in the interviews.

The Staples Sisters were around in the civil rights era and they even were supposed to be at an event with Martin Luther King Jr the day after he was killed. They also have stories about working with Bob Dylan and Prince among many other talents.

Another thing I thought was interesting was that their dad, who they refer to as “Pops” was named Roebuck and his brother was named Sears!

This was a very well done biography with a lot of information straight from the source. A lot of ups and downs in their career and they did a lot of great work for Civil Rights.  Definitely a worthwhile read!

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

This is the untold story of living legend Mavis Staples—lead singer of the Staple Singers and a major figure in the music that shaped the civil rights era. Now in her seventies, Mavis has been a fixture in the music world for decades. One of the most enduring artists of popular music, she and her family fused gospel, soul, folk, and rock to transcend racism and oppression through song. Honing her prodigious talent on the Southern gospel circuit of the 1950s, Mavis and the Staple Singers went on to sell more than 30 million records, with message-oriented soul music that became a sound track to the civil rights movement—inspiring Martin Luther King Jr. himself.

Critically acclaimed biographer and Chicago Tribune music critic Greg Kot cuts to the heart of Mavis Staples’s music, revealing the intimate stories of her sixty-year career. From her love affair with Bob Dylan, to her creative collaborations with Prince, to her recent revival alongside Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, this definitive account shows Mavis as you’ve never seen her before. I’ll Take You There was written with the complete cooperation of Mavis and her family. Readers will also hear from Prince, Bonnie Raitt, David Byrne, Marty Stuart, Ry Cooder, Steve Cropper, and many other individuals whose lives have been influenced by Mavis’s talent.

Filled with never-before-told stories, this fascinating biography illuminates a legendary singer and group during a historic period of change in America.