Philip Glass: Words Without Music – A Review

As satisfying as Bob Dylan’s wonderful memoir Chronicles, Philip Glass’ Words Without Music charts the relentless ambitions and risk-taking of one of the world’s most important musical and aesthetic figures. The narrative drives steadily forward, attempting to catch up with his own prolific nature, where his works – operas, symphonies, and chamber music – seem to pour out continuously in a rapid stream of inspiration. It’s a great read, by any measure.

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Chrissie Hynde’s “Reckless” is Essential Reading

Rock legend Chrissie Hynde’s autobiography is essential reading for anyone interested in the history of modern rock music. Her prose is vivid and telling as she details how ‘60s counterculture swept everyone and everything before it into a miasmic mess. Once she gets to the punk and new wave years, she provides an insider’s view of yet another seismic cultural shift that is still sending reverberations down the spine of Western culture.

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