Book Review: All The F*cking Mistakes

Katie May 5, 2020 0 Comments

The author of this book was considered to be a ‘slut’ at 15 – now she writes books about sex.  This book is about taking back the power – your worth is SELF-determined.  The book shoots down a lot of myths, stigmas and shame about sex and sex related items.  “Fight the assholes until your dying day.”  To try and remove the stigma the author suggests talking about vibrators like shoes! Show off your favorite! (There is seriously a TON of sex toy info in this book if that’s something you’re interested in learning more about)  There’s everything you’ll need to know about being a “nasty woman”… Not everything I agree with but lots to learn and think about!

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

About the Book

Come As You Are meets How to Date Men When You Hate Men in this sex handbook for the millennial feminist on how to own your body and sexuality, and use that confidence to take charge of your life

“This bold, sex-positive book delivers on its promise.” —Publishers Weekly

Stop Apologizing for Your Sexuality and Take Charge of Your Life

If you’ve ever wished you had a big sister or older cousin who could show you all the ropes of womanhood, look no further: Gigi Engle has done it all and is here to tell you all about it in All the F*cking Mistakes, a practical handbook for all the slutty and wanna-be-slutty women out there. It is the ultimate sex-talk book, demystifying female sexuality without any of the awkwardness of “the talk.” From learning how to take back your confidence in a world full of slut shaming, to discovering and owning your sexual empowerment through masturbation, to demanding the love you really deserve, this book is an ode to the women of the world who deserve to be empowered, sexually and otherwise, without guilt.

Offering bite-sized lessons that incorporate Gigi’s own special brand of no-nonsense advice to provide clarity and guidance on all things slutty, sexually normative and non-normative, and everything that falls between the cracks of these brackets, this book is your how-to guide to living your sexy AF, fabulous life.

Book Review: Barnum

Katie May 4, 2020 0 Comments

Barnum: An American Life is all about one of my favorite people, PT Barnum.  Barnum is from CT and one of his museums is in downtown Bridgeport and I love the building so much it was often subject of my photo class projects and we even have a poster of it hanging in the house.  This book goes into a lot of depth about his life. He also had a museum on Broadway in NY and was a bit of a trickster to try and get money from people.  One of his exhibits was the “Feejee Mermaid” and the story of it essentially starts this book. It was a 161 year old mermaid!   He had all sorts of acts that he would have at his museum to try and get people to tour it.  He ended up meeting Charles who became General Tom Thumb, another CT resident.  It was also interesting to hear about how Barnum was buying real estate with a friend – Noble – Barnum and Noble are still streets to this day in Bridgeport.  A long book,  a fascinating life, and lots of fires.

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

About the Book

P.T. Barnum is the greatest showman the world has ever seen. As a creator of the Barnum & Baily Circus and a champion of wonder, joy, trickery, and “humbug,” he was the founding father of American entertainment—and as Robert Wilson argues, one of the most important figures in American history.

Nearly 125 years after his death, the name P.T. Barnum still inspires wonder. Robert Wilson’s vivid new biography captures the full genius, infamy, and allure of the ebullient showman, who, from birth to death, repeatedly reinvented himself. He learned as a young man how to wow crowds, and built a fortune that placed him among the first millionaires in the United States. He also suffered tragedy, bankruptcy, and fires that destroyed his life’s work, yet willed himself to recover and succeed again. As an entertainer, Barnum courted controversy throughout his life—yet he was also a man of strong convictions, guided in his work not by a desire to deceive, but an eagerness to thrill and bring joy to his audiences. He almost certainly never uttered the infamous line, “There’s a sucker born every minute,” instead taking pride in giving crowds their money’s worth and more.

Robert Wilson, editor of The American Scholar, tells a gripping story in Barnum, one that’s imbued with the same buoyant spirit as the man himself. In this “engaging, insightful, and richly researched new biography” (New York Journal of Books), Wilson adeptly makes the case for P.T. Barnum’s place among the icons of American history, as a figure who represented, and indeed created, a distinctly American sense of optimism, industriousness, humor, and relentless energy.

Book Review: Rockonomics

Katie May 1, 2020 0 Comments

Rockonomics is a backstage tour of what the music industry can teach us about economics and life.  The book is an expansion on a speech the author gave at the rock and roll hall of fame.  There are dozens of interviews included with musicians and executives which allowed for some great insight on what goes on behind the scenes with music and when it comes to money – which is something I don’t generally think about.  “To truly understand and appreciate music, you need to understand economics” (These were my worst courses in college, so, yikes!)  Something I found interesting is that if a song has a collaboration with a big star – they are usually within the first 30 seconds of the song because you are only paid if your song is played for over 30 seconds.  So if a fan is expecting to hear Justin Bieber, he better show up in 30 seconds or they will turn the song off and you get no  streaming credit!   I also found it interesting that most income comes from touring and merchandising and that some rappers release their “Mixtapes” for free and recoup all costs from touring and merchandising alone.  And while a great business sense is helpful – sometimes it is just LUCK!  Elton John got Bernie’s envelope from a stacks and stacks of envelopes that were at the office.  Meant to be, I guess! Could you imagine a world without Elton and Bernie’s songs? I can’t!

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

About the Book

Alan Krueger, a former chairman of the president’s Council of Economic Advisers, uses the music industry, from superstar artists to music executives, from managers to promoters, as a way in to explain key principles of economics, and the forces shaping our economic lives.

The music industry is a leading indicator of today’s economy; it is among the first to be disrupted by the latest wave of technology, and examining the ins and outs of how musicians create and sell new songs and plan concert tours offers valuable lessons for what is in store for businesses and employees in other industries that are struggling to adapt.

Drawing on interviews with leading band members, music executives, managers, promoters, and using the latest data on revenues, royalties, streaming tour dates, and merchandise sales, Rockonomics takes readers backstage to show how the music industry really works–who makes money and how much, and how the economics of the music industry has undergone a radical transformation during recent decades.

Before digitalization and the ability to stream music over the Internet, rock stars made much of their income from record sales. Today, income from selling songs has plummeted, even for superstars like James Taylor and Taylor Swift. The real money nowadays is derived from concert sales. In 2017, for example, Billy Joel earned $27.4 million from his live performances, and less than $2 million from record sales and streaming. Even Paul McCartney, who has written and recorded more number one songs than anyone in music history, today, earns 80 percent of his income from live concerts. Krueger tackles commonly asked questions: How does a song become popular? And how does a new artist break out in today’s winner-take-all economy? How can musicians and everyday workers earn a living in the digital economy?