Book Review Buddy Guy with David Ritz: When I Left Home

The famed Chicago bluesman tells his own story, plus the story of the many colorful music-scene characters who’ve surrounded him over the years. 

May 28, 2012 | 12:00am -

Book Review Matty Simmons: Fat, Drunk, & Stupid: The Inside Story Behind The Making Of Animal House 

This breezy book offers so few insights, it could almost be a parody of an I-was-there cash-in.

April 2, 2012 | 12:04am -

Book Review RJ Smith: The One: The Life And Music Of James Brown 

The most complete bio of the funk pioneer to date shows his petty, domineering side as well as his hard-working show-biz-hero side. 

March 21, 2012 | 12:03pm -

Book Review Laura Barcella (ed.): Madonna & Me

This collection of personal essays about Madonna is generally not as interesting as its muse.

March 14, 2012 | 12:02pm -

Book Review Robin D.G. Kelley: Africa Speaks, America Answers

An entertaining look at the junction between ’60s jazz and African music follows a number of African-American musicians as they explored their roots, and their music’s history.

March 7, 2012 | 12:00pm -

Best of The best books we read in 2011 

What we read, and why we loved it, in 2011. 

December 28, 2011 | 12:01pm -

Book Review Ronin Ro: Prince: Inside The Music And The Masks

A rare Prince biography has little to say about the music, but a lot to say about the money.

December 7, 2011 | 12:01pm -

Book Review James Wolcott: Lucking Out

A Village Voice writer vividly brings ’70s New York back to life in his era-specific autobiography.

November 16, 2011 | 12:01pm -

Book Review Brian Kellow: Pauline Kael: A Life In The Dark

The first biography of the famed New Yorker film critic gathers information on her from the scant sources available.

November 9, 2011 | 12:01pm -

MusicalWork Review Comet Gain: Howl Of The Lonely Crowd

A scrappy, long-running British band carries on wondrously.

October 11, 2011 | 12:01am -

Inventory Short paths to the canon: 22 influential artists with tiny bodies (of work)

The A.V. Club's weekly list.

October 10, 2011 | 12:00am -

MusicalWork Review DJ Shadow: The Less You Know The Better

A well-crafted effort that never breaks out of its polite rut. 

October 4, 2011 | 12:06am -

Book Review Marc Spitz: Jagger: Rebel, Rock Star, Rambler, Rogue

A new book about Mick Jagger considers him more critically than autobiographically.

September 21, 2011 | 12:04pm -

Book Review Tom Piazza: Devil Sent The Rain 

A collection of music writing themed around poverty and desperation makes an impact.

September 21, 2011 | 12:00pm -

Inventory Of 30 Rocks and Studio 60s: 38 TV doppelgängers 

The A.V. Club's weekly list.

September 12, 2011 | 12:00am -

MusicalWork Review Grace Jones: Hurricane

After a 19-year-hiatus, Grace Jones is as confident as ever.

September 6, 2011 | 12:01am -

Inventory In space?: 17 film franchises that took strange left turns

The A.V. Club's weekly list

August 15, 2011 | 12:00am -

Book Review Preston Lauterbach: The Chitlin’ Circuit And The Road To Rock ’N’ Roll 

A fascinating, accomplished book explores the little-known history of the Southern soul, R&B, and blues touring circuit.

August 10, 2011 | 12:00pm -

Inventory Well, Smurf me with a chainsaw: 11 movies that twist the English language for their own purposes

The A.V. Club's weekly list

July 25, 2011 | 12:00am -

Inventory Only thing about us is the way we walk: 24 songs about dancing that you can't dance to

The A.V. Club's weekly list.

July 11, 2011 | 12:00am -

Inventory The hits keep coming: 30 songs inspired by domestic violence

The A.V. Club’s weekly list.

June 20, 2011 | 12:00am -

Book Review Michael Feeney Callan: Robert Redford: The Biography

A biographer goes to nearly every possible source to delve deeply into Robert Redford’s life, but doesn’t always find the most interesting details.

June 16, 2011 | 12:00am -

Book Review Dick Van Dyke: My Lucky Life In And Out Of Show Business

A celebrity tells all, except that he doesn’t seem to think there’s much to tell.

June 9, 2011 | 12:00am -

Book Review Steven Tyler with David Dalton: Does The Noise In My Head Bother You?

Aerosmith’s frontman rummages around his memories and produces a standard bio.

June 2, 2011 | 12:00am -

Book Review Bill Brewster and Frank Broughton: The Record Players: DJ Revolutionaries 

The definitive 2000 DJ history Last Night A DJ Saved My Life gets its own book-length set of liner notes in this sometimes obscure, often terrific collection of interviews and essays.

May 26, 2011 | 12:00am -

MusicalWork Review Moby: Destroyed

A long way (down) from Play. 

May 17, 2011 | 12:00am -

MusicalWork Review Gang Gang Dance: Eye Contact

Jam rock, post-punk style.

May 10, 2011 | 12:00am -

Book Review Gilbert Gottfried: Rubber Balls And Liquor

A memoir from the famously grating comic proves that his comedy doesn’t translate well to print.

May 5, 2011 | 12:00am -

Book Review Ice-T with Douglas Century: Ice

The gangsta-rapper-turned-actor offers a blunt, sometimes surprising overview of his life and career, but skimps on the artistic details.

May 5, 2011 | 12:00am -

TV Club : Cougar Town "You're Gonna Get It"

April 27, 2011 | 9:00pm -